Palace: Situation doesn’t call for martial law

The current security situation in the country does not warrant the declaration of martial law or another state of emergency proclamation by President Arroyo, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said yesterday.

Gonzales said Mrs. Arroyo was irked over reports that she was still open to imposing martial law because of the supposedly shaky peace and order situation and to extend her term of office.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the opposition and some in the media were playing up the martial law hype "to spark public interest for their own benefit" since the country’s political situation has been stabilizing.

Ermita said the reason being cited for the supposed declaration of martial law — that Mrs. Arroyo seeks to stay in power — is just "too shallow."

"As far as the President is concerned, her tenure is up to 2010. So there is no question about it. They are really just abusing the issue," Ermita said.

"We have not discussed that (possibility of declaring martial law). I do not see why the President would be open to it when there is nothing that would call for it," he pointed out.

Ermita said the government is aware of popular resistance to martial law and drastic emergency measures.

"Let me repeat what I said. People have already been very critical about President Arroyo’s Proclamation No. 1017 because they thought its issuance had no basis, what more with martial law," Ermita said, referring to the weeklong state of emergency declaration in quelling the coup plot last Feb. 24.

"That is why I am wondering why I am always asked about martial law when there is no reason for it," he said.

He said those disseminating the false reports were only trying to provoke the government.

"They are just goading the President and the people in the administration to say something about it even if they know there is no truth to it," Ermita said.

Reports said Mrs. Arroyo was keeping an "open mind" on the earlier proposal of Gonzales to declare martial law.

Quoting a source, the report said martial law is being kept as an option by the Palace, fearing the possible success of a revived impeachment complaint set to be filed by the opposition in July and the derailment of the Charter change campaign.

The real reason behind a declaration of martial law would be to keep Mrs. Arroyo in power, just as the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos did in September 1972, the report said.

The same report claimed a headcount among congressmen showed the revived impeachment complaint was again likely to fall short of the 76 votes needed to send the case to trial before the opposition-dominated Senate.

But a new scandal or new evidence proving that Mrs. Arroyo cheated in the 2004 election could boost the ranks of pro-impeachment congressmen, the report said.

Following an opposition caucus to draw up strategies for filing of another impeachment complaint, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said they intend to drop yet another "bombshell" that would split the ranks of Arroyo supporters.

Administration lawmakers, for their part, ridiculed the martial law yarn by the opposition as another fairy tale designed to divert public attention.

Ilocos Sur Rep. Salacnib Baterina and Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier slammed the opposition for spinning the reports saying it is "the height of irresponsibility to unnecessarily alarm the public" when there is no reason or need to do so.

Baterina and Javier said fueling public distrust against Mrs. Arroyo and vilifying her have been part of the opposition’s arsenal to remove her from power.

Baterina said it is only the opposition that would boldly raise the martial law subject to discredit the President.

"Why should the administration fabricate such a story that the President is inclined to impose martial law if she is (in danger of being) impeached? In the first place, the President knows the public is so against martial law because of the bad experience the country had before," he said.

He said the martial law fears being peddled by the opposition over the threat of another impeachment complaint were flimsy.