Mixed reaction to emergency rule in Philippines

Invoking her right to 'call out the armed forces to prevent or suppress... rebellion,' as embodied in Section 18, Article 7 of the Philippine Constitution, President Arroyo declared a state of national emergency to curb extreme Left and extreme Right movements, whose activities, she said, has adversely affected the country's economy.

Philippine news sources reported that the proclamation will pave the way for warrantless arrests, government takeover of utilities of 'public interest', including media, and a ban on rallies.

For Isagani Casas, Operations Manager of Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, the recent demonstrations in the Philippines have indeed hurt the country's progress and thus Arroyo's decision to take a firm stand on the issue is timely.

'As far as I'm concerned, democracy is about freedom. But we should also understand that freedom should be used responsibly because it still has its limitations. I'm not an Arroyo supporter but she is still the president of our country and she is expected to be on top of the situation,' Casas said.

Zarrena Vasquez, Marketing Consultant of Hotels Homes LLC, shares the same view. 'She (President Arroyo) is just taking steps to effect a prevention of further harm to be caused by this impending coup plot which in itself, is politically motivated. It is just choosing between the lesser evil or in this case, the one with the least motivation to be in power,' she said.

Vasquez, who before coming to Dubai, has worked as a media consultant of the Philippine National Police (PNP), also said that 'no martial law is bound to happen again the way we have experienced martial law during the Marcos regime. Our law enforcers have also evolved from 'obey first before you complain' to feeling and thinking human beings. They never stop being fathers, brothers, husbands and sons when they wear their badges.'

However, to freelance writer Wilma Villanueva, Arroyo's declaration is viewed as a way of rekindling the years of dictatorship rule. 'Twenty years ago we had this mass action to cut the chain of martial rule. Now it seems that she wants to tie it back,' she commented.

Villanueva mentioned that Arroyo justified her proclamation with a statement that there was a clear and present danger to the safety and integrity of the Philippine State and of the Filipino people. 'To my mind, this reasoning is a bit funny,' Villanueva said.

She added that Arroyo has made all her oppositions, left and right, more united for a common ground. 'To me, it's an ill advised, a political blunder and there's no turning back for her,' the freelance writer noted.

For Maureen Laylo, an accountant who has been in Dubai for seven months, she would rather opt for a snap election. 'Arroyo should just have heeded the call of the people for her to step down. The demonstrations against her were actually a cry of the people's sentiment that they no longer trust her and her administration,' Laylo said.

Another Filipino national, engineer Randy Glenn Veloria, said he is not in favour of the declaration. 'It was a sign that she was afraid to lose her position in the government. Arroyo should listen to what people say. I would support a snap election in this case,' he said.