Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: It’s a good agenda for debate in Congress to find out if militant party list solons are legitimate lawmakers or not.
Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Palparan’s anti-subversion proposal should be junked for its intention is tainted with blood.
Time to revive it
Vir Lauzon, Gen. Santos City: It’s time to revive it. They’ve been given the chance to join the mainstream, but leftists still insist on toppling the government, bombing buses.
Lucas Banzon Madamba II, Laguna: It’s just right because this will ensure the welfare and safety of institutions existing in a system of law.
Val Cantara, Parañaque City: It’s now time for some to open the eyes of people about this godless ideology. Communism is the scourge of society. Palparan, go for it.
Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: I support it fully. It will reinforce other security laws and will expose groups like the NPA/ASG and their lackeys as the leeches that they are.
Rey Onate, Palayan City: I agree to reviving the anti-subversion law as our society’s control measure in subjecting individuals who forever complain and find fault. The anti-subversion law should be applied as sort of screen in separating nationalists from romanticized intriguers.
Include some safety nets
Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: The communists and their fronts became very aggressive in trying to subvert and topple the government after the law was repealed. Joining the political mainstream with an obnoxious ideology is a great abuse of the leniency afforded them by the system. Revive the law with some safety nets this time.
Norberto Robles, Taguig City: Subversives posing a clear and present danger still exist in our midst, so there must be a law that deals with them but one that balances national security and civil liberties.
Expect opposition to this bill
C. B. Manalastas, Manila: Gen. Palparan’s proposal to revive the anti-subversion law is laudable. Expect Ocampo, Masa, Casino and other leftist congressmen and senators to block it.
Josh Pacatang, Dipolog City: People who voted for Bantay wanted a counterfoil to Bayan Muna. Rep. Palparan is expected to strengthen the anti-terrorism law by filing a new but modified anti-subversion law that Bayan Muna will strongly oppose in whatever form and language the bill is crafted. The public should brace itself for a long and boring debate, made interesting by the eloquence of the protagonists.
Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: It might have been his reply to legislators who were against his entry as representative. Fireworks should begin the minute he files the bill.
Felix Ramento, Manila: There ought to be a law that draws the battle lines against organized armed struggle and their fronts in Congress.
Could he have a hidden agenda?
Lydia Reyes, Bataan: I don’t know, but I doubt his words. It’s as if he has an inner motive. I see the grim reaper in him.
Rudy Tagimacruz, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon: Sometimes, proposals have an open and hidden agenda. The usual apprehension for the latter would depend mainly on one’s perception of the proponents.
Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Communism, the root cause of subversion in our country, has lost relevance to our society. Do we need to resurrect it just to satisfy his ego?
Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: I don’t know much about Rep. Palparan’s personality but he is being tagged as a subversive military officer. He must be reviving the anti-subversion law to erase any doubts about him.
Elpidio Que, Vigan City: Whatever Rep. Palparan says in Congress is suspect. He must be doing this to rationalize the extrajudicial killings happening in the country as discovered by UN’s Alston.
Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: Rep. Palparan is a rightist who has an axe to grind against leftist groups in the Lower House.
Voz Butuyan, Pangasinan: It is his way of getting back at his critics!
Thumbs up for Palparan
Mark Capistrano, Parañaque City: We need another voice to counter the self-righteous leftists who think that they have a monopoly of wisdom in the House.
Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: Thumbs up for Palparan. I can just imagine the faces of the leftists.
Vic Nario, Dagupan City: Hon. Palparan knows his business.
C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Every peace- and freedom-loving Filipino should support the anti-subversion law to curtail armed rebellion.
A step back into the Martial Law years
Dianne Aquino, Caloocan City: It’s not necessary. I can’t even think of a single hard-core subversive in the country, not even in the past.
Leonard Villa, Batac City: It’s a big blow to our hard-earned democracy; a step backward into a dark segment of Philippine history, particularly during the Martial Law years.
Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: The anti-subversion law is moot and academic. Even the late dictator Marcos learned the hard way that Filipinos hate suppression of any form.
Romeo Caubat, Masbate: Reviving the anti-subversion law is the last refuge of a scoundrel. It has no spot in our marketplace of ideas and is a drawback to democracy.
Reviving this law is nonsense
Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: Rep. Palparan is no different from other solons afflicted with “AIDS” (As If Doing Something). Reviving the law is nonsense, as it is already resting in peace.
C.B. Fundales, Bulacan: The government pronouncement that insurgency will be gone by 2010 is a mockery of truth. A bill that will disallow pork barrel to leftist party-list representatives is saner.
Benjamin Nillo, Las Piñas City: With his intent to revive the anti-subversion law, Rep. Jovito Palparan is doing a disservice to our people.
Jim Veneracion, Naga City: He hasn’t gotten over his stupor-like persecution of subversives while still a general. Don’t worry, General, communism is now irrelevant and dead.
We can give it a try
Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: Junking the anti-subversion law may have been a mistake. Rethinking is good when nothing seems to work. I am for the good of the country.
Geoffrey Gumban, Davao City: If its revival isn’t outside the bounds of democracy and does not compromise human rights and freedoms reminiscent of Martial Law, then, I say amen!
Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: Rep. Palparan’s mindset is in accordance with his advocacy. Even if there are already laws in place to help him fight subversion, it remains to be seen. The good party list representative may have better plans in dealing with hard-core subversives in a democratic environment. Give him the benefit of the doubt.
Leftist groups should provide an alternative
Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: If leftist party-list groups in Congress have any solution to solve the years-old Communist subversion aside from that proposed by Rep. Palparan, then they better help the country solve this problem rather than close their eyes, shut their mouth and cover their ears from the atrocities perpetrated by their comrades. It would’ve been more glorious if the likes of Satur Ocampo were the ones pushing for the anti-subversion law, but that would be asking for the moon.
It shouldn’t even be entertained
Noel Banias, Metro Manila: The proposal should not even be entertained in the Congress floor. It will be several steps backward for the government’s efforts to entice the left to share in governance through party list representation.
Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: Let’s maintain the status quo. We must now give a chance for peace to be forged at the negotiation table. The better thing to do is to appeal to all our politicians to do something about the lot of our poor people. Poverty breeds criminality and incites people to rise up in arms against the establishment that rules our government and our people. Peace is the only formula to bring down our brothers in the mountains so they can be part of our civil society again.
It could make matters worse
C.K. Yeo, Iloilo City: The anti-subversion law came out during the time of Pres. Marcos; hundreds of “subversive elements” including Ninoy Aquino, Jovito Salonga, Joker Arroyo were arrested without due process. Many still cannot be accounted for until now. Did it reduce insurgency? No, there was more CPP-NPA during the Marcos era compared to any time in our history. Reviving it could force many to go back to the mountains.
Dennis Acop, Baguio City: I would suggest to Gen./Cong. Palparan that a parliamentary struggle is what is needed, not the return of the anti-subversion law, which had its disadvantages, lest we forget. That law had the tendency to exacerbate the issues that gave rise to the insurgency, especially government abuse. In fact, we have already seen this during the administration even without the law. I ask our colleagues in the defense establishment and Congress to rethink their position. I hope cooler and more discerning heads prevail.
Cris Rivera, Rizal: We don’t need RA 1700. What we need is a government that resolves to alienate RP from poverty, extrajudicial woes and non-transparency. RA 1700 may lead us to perdition. This law should be handled with care. If hastily implemented without dissecting its details, it may cause us more tears than cheers.
Rex Earlou Calmerin, Iligan City: I believe in Sen. Legarda’s opinion that redeclaring the anti-subversion law is not the right way to arrest Joma Sison or eradicate rebels across the country. The CHR would take action against Ret. Gen. Palparan if the Senate revives that bill.
Robert Young Jr., San Juan: If we revive the anti-subversive law, it will just alienate the so-called leftists in our society. It won’t help in maintaining peace and order in the country. And like in the Marcos era, those in power can use it to subvert their political enemies.
Rose Leobrera, Manila: Seemingly, he just wants to legalize desaparacidos. This is dangerous lalo na sa mga street activists and those who are against the system and our government. More abuses will be committed and these will be justified at walang mali ng nakatataas. It will only be another case of abuse of authority.
History repeats itself
William Gonzaga, Marikina City: PGMA’s regime intends to ape Marcos with the revival of the anti-subversion law being espoused by Rep. Palparan. History repeats itself; thus, what befell Marcos may happen to PGMA in due time.
Let Rep. Palparan do his job
Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: Let Rep. Palparan do his job. Comments and objections can be done during public hearings, committee meetings and other forms of consultations relative to his proposal.
Norman Villamayor, Mandaluyong City: Give him the opportunity to prove his worth as a member of the Lower House. He has his reasons for doing so. Anyway, deliberations regarding his proposal will still have to be done at the chamber.
There are better ways
Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Instead of reviving the anti-subversion law to solve the communist rebellion, I suggest that Rep. Jovito Palparan craft laws to enable the government, in deed and not just in words, to provide the masses with gainful employment or backyard industries, health, education and social justice.
What for?
Juan Deveraturda, Subic, Zambales: Why beat a dead horse? There is no need to revive the anti-subversion law because the “underground movement” is waning and losing support from the people.
The proposal is beneficial to all
Rowena Remiendo, Metro Manila: I think Palparan’s proposal is beneficial to all. It should be considered.
Eddie Yap, Kabankalan City: Proposals of these various party lists have invariably good intentions and goals to improve life in our country. The proposal of Rep. Palparan is just one of them. So why not give it a chance? If it turns out better, well and good. If not, then let it die a natural death. There is always a lesson to learn from it.
Eject Palparan
Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: He is a true-blue, one dimensional, myopic McCarthyite, who thinks that nationalists are communists and freedom fighters are socialists. Eject him!
Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.
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