ANAD hails lifting of martial law in Maguindanao

Press Release
By ANAD Partylist
December 13, 2009

QUEZON CITY  –  “The lifting of Presidential Proclamation 1959 is a manifestation of government’s sensitivities and full reliance on factual developments on the ground,” said ANAD Partylist Rep. Jun Alcover in reaction to the lifting of martial law in the province of Maguindanao, in the evening of Saturday (December 12, 2009).

The Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) Partylist supports PP 1959’s imposition in the face of the so-called looming rebellion brought about by the total collapse in the delivery of basic and judicial services by the local government of that province, and the continued resistance by thousands of armed supporters of the Ampatuan family, a known political warlord in the area.

“We, in ANAD, were all out in support of government’s initiative to restore public order, return of the delivery of basic services by government, and the justiciable resolution of the Nov. 22 massacre of 57 hapless civilians, including 30 media personalities, in Masalay, Maguindanao,” Rep. Alcover pointed out.

“The lifting of PP 1959 or its imposition was a prerogative solely vested by the constitution on the country’s Chief Executive,” said Rep. Alcover even as he describes the petitioners against PP 1959 before the Supreme Court and the number of mass protest actions as grandstanding and hallowed noise.

Rep. Alcover cited the fact that the short-lived martial rule, in Maguindanao, “clearly shows President Macapagal-Arroyo’s adeptness to the rule of law and resiliency towards factual happenings in the field. Here, the President has made an unequivocal statement of her commitment towards justice and truth which is directly in contrast to what her detractors had been saying, time and again,” Alcover added.

On the continued tirades by Maoist terrorist sectoral front and pseudo partylist personalities even with the lifting of martial law, with a shrug of a shoulder, Alcover said, “What can we expect from these people? They always take up and make use of any issue against government to advance their lost cause. Maka-libre sila ng exposure, di ba?” Alcover quipped.