Emergency powers for COVID19: The same politics of plunder and patronage but dressed in surgical masks and protective equipment

PRESS STATEMENT

March 23, 2020

BMP - SANLAKAS - PLM

Emergency powers for COVID19:

The same politics of plunder and patronage but dressed in surgical masks and protective equipment

Today, March 23, we are expecting Congress to hold a special session and grant emergency powers to Duterte as requested by Malacañang. 

The supermajority in both Houses will ensure that the president will have his way, not out of deep concern for a people who face uncertainty due to the COVID19 pandemic but from a deeply-ingrained SOP (standard operating procedure) of opportunism and political patronage.

The crux of the request is for the Executive to juggle funds and cancel appropriations made by Congress in the FY 2020 budget, in an attempt to immediately channel finance into decisive steps to address COVID19, which includes the take-over of health services and facilities. 

We would leave the determination of this usurpation of the legislative power of the purse to the lawmakers, or to the Supreme Court, if the request, once accorded, is taken to the judiciary for interpretation for violations to the Constitution.

For the toilers and the propertyless, the question is “ Would the granting of emergency powers, as requested, lead to expedient and effective measures to address the health crisis”? Not really.

The president does not need more power to address this issue. Much power and privilege is already concentrated in his hands as chief executive. 

Even without changing the budgetary appropriations, Duterte could easily initiate the massive mobilization of logistics, finances and personnel to diligently follow the procedures by global health experts on how to combat the COVID19 scourge. He had the power to impose a travel ban from Wuhan/Hubei from as early as January. He had the discretion to declare a health emergency as suggested by the Health Department in latter February. 

He could have done all this but he did not; downplaying the virus as a little fire to be put out by his urinary excretions.

Then, in early March, he hurriedly imposed a quarantine/lockdown for NCR then and Luzon, without preparing the prerequisites for the successful implementation of his drastic presidential order (transportation and protective equipment for frontliners, income replacement and subsidies for temporarily displaced workers from the formal and informal sectors, steady flow of basic needs, etc).

Too much power yet too lacking not just in political will and decisiveness but more so in genuine concern to the safety and welfare of the Filipino people.

The regime may counter that this request for “emergency powers” represents a sudden turnaround from its past blunders (though they are too egotistical and arrogant to admit to mistakes).

However, the Marawi case is a starker revelation to the devastating effects of granting “emergency powers” to Duterte. The so-called restoration of the war-torn city did not materialize. The billions of rechanneled funds and foreign aid now untraceable. Emergency powers ultimately lead to brazen and unashamed plunder since the normal procedures of transparency, audit, and accountability are deemed inapplicable in ‘emergency situations’.

The legislators, mostly in the House supermajority, would not oppose the reallocation of the budget for the COVID crisis, through the emergency powers of the chief executive. They know too well that it would be coursed to local government units “through the intercession of their good offices to their almighty Tatay”. 

This is the same politics of plunder and patronage. Though this time with Duterte in front, handing out relief goods, wearing a surgical mask to hide his blush of shame for past misdeeds and blunders.

Yet, for the sake of the people, we propose the following adjustments to two major measures in the fight against COVID19: (a) social distancing and proper hygiene: not by draconian measures that regard the masses as the problem but by encouraging mass participation and initiative to dispel the view that Filipinos are inherently undisciplined, (b) mass testing in critical areas and eventual isolation, recovery and treatment of patients (which necessitates a rejection of VIP testing for its wasteful use of scarce and much-needed test kits, testing should prioritize frontline workers due to their proximity to the deadly virus) and (c) requisition of private facilities such as hotels and hospitals to serve as quarantine or isolation centers for those who have tested positive for the COVID-19 where proper medication and care can be afforded to them.

However, we call on our kauri and kamanggagawa to stretch ourselves, go beyond narrow struggles for economic gain, and tackle the questions of politics and governance to the millions of Filipino workers, as they face the ineptitude of the ruling clique (which will literally kill us all), the weak rival elitist faction, the looming economic slowdown locally and globally, and a pandemic that highlights all the contradictions of the prevailing capitalist global order. #

Tugon ng Rehimeng Duterte sa COVID - 19: Gutom, Pangamba para sa taumbayan

Tugon ng Rehimeng Duterte sa COVID - 19: 
Gutom, Pangamba para sa taumbayan

Sa patuloy na papataas na bilang ng mga Pilipinong tinatamaan ng COVID-19, isinailalim ni Pangilonh Duterte ang buong bansa sa Code Red Sub-level 2. Sinuspinde ang pagpasok at paglabas sa National Capital Region (NCR) at pinairal ang “lockdown”. Magpapatupad ng “mandatory quarantine “ sa mga lalawigang may 2 o higit pang bilang ng mga kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID – 19. Inatasan ang mga tanggapan ng gobyerno na magpatupad ng suspension sa normal na pasok sa trabaho , at magtalaga ng mga iskeletal na grupong magtitiyak ng paggampan sa mga trabaho. Iminungkahi sa pribadong sektor ang pleksibleng pagpasok sa kanilang mga tanggapan. At ang pwersa ng kapulisan at militar ay gagamitin sa pagpapatupad ng kautusang ito ng Pangulo.

Wasto ba ang solusyong ito ng gobyernong Duterte?

Pagputok pa lamang ng balita tungkol sa COVID – 19 nakita na ang kawalan ng sistematiko at komprehensibong programa ng Gobyernong Duterte sa pagharap dito. Dahilan upang di maging angkop ang pagpapatupad ng “quarantine” kahit itinuring ng “pandemic” ito.. (pandemic- paglaganap ng isang karamdamang dulot ng kontaminasyon ng “virus” na sumaklaw na buong bansa o daigdig).

Ang ginawa ng administrasyon na pagbawas ng 10 bilyong piso sa taunang badyet pangkalusugan ay pagpapakita ng kawalang pagpapahalaga sa usapin ng kalusugan ng mga mamamayan. Isang aksyon na awtomatikong naglalagay agad sa atin sa panganib sa mga panahong tulad ngayon. Ang maling hakbang na ito ng Ehekutibo ay malaking salalayan sa mabilis na paglala ng COVID -19 sa bansa. Dahilan din kaya nagbabalak na naman mangutang ang gobyerno para tustusan ang mga gastusin sa pagharap sa isyung ito. Sa dakong huli, ang doble-dobleng pasaning ito ay ang mamamayan muli ang magpapasan.

Tunay na solusyon, Hindi Militarisasyon!

Ang pagmomobilisa ng mga pwersa ng kapulisan at militar bilang pangunahing bahagi ng pagtugon diumano sa pagkalat ng COVID – 19 ay tatak na ng administrasyong ito. Di maiiwasang sumagi sa isipan ng mamamayan na sa ganitong balangkas din ng gobyernong Duterte umiiral ang madugong gyera sa droga, at kampanya laban sa mga anila ay mga progresibong organisasyon. Gagamitin naman ngayon upang pastulin at kontrolin ang mga galaw ng mga naninirahan sa kalakhang Maynila. Kailanman ay di magiging solusyon ang mitarisasyon sa suliraning pangkalusugan ng mga mamamayan.bagkus ay isa itong pagbabalewala sa mga araw-araw na suliraning kinakaharap ng mamamayang Pilipino gaya ng kagutuman, kawalan at kakulangan ng mga batayang pampublikong serbisyo. Ang kaparaanang ito ay mas kaparusahan at hindi pagresolba at katugunan sa umiiral na usapin.

Ampaw na pahayag ni Duterte.

Sa halip na pag-asa ay dagdag na agam-agam at mga katanungan ang hatid ng pahayag ni Pangulong Duterte sa kahihinatnan ng buhay ng milyong Pilipino: Magagawa ba ng gobyernong bigyan ng kakayanan ang mamamayan upang mapigilan ang papalalang kontaminasyon? May katiyakan ba na ang mga presyo ng mga batayang bilihin at kalakal ay di itataas ng mga negosyanteng nais magkamal ng limpak na tubo sa mga ganitong sitwasyon? Mayroon bang karampatang proteksyon ang malaking bilang ng mga manggagawa na umaasa sa kakarampot nilang kita sa bawat araw na mawawala sa kanila dulot ng “lockdown”? Paano isasagawa ang konsepto ng “ social distancing” sa mga komunidad ng maralitang lungsod, mahahabang pila sa MRT, LRT at PNR na karaniwang sinasakyan ng mga manggagwa? At marami pang katanungan na sa halip sagutin ay pinalala pa ng administrasyon.

Imbes malinawan lalo pang naguluhan at nalagay pang lalo sa alanganin ang mamamayang Pilipino, mga isyung sa sandaling di wastong maaksyunan ay magbubukas pa ng mas maraming suliraning higit na malala kaysa sa COVID – 19!!

Signed: Atty. Aaron Pedrosa

Duterte’s COVID-19 Response: Pandora’s box of hunger, insecurity

SANLAKAS Statement

March 12, 2020

Duterte’s COVID-19 Response: Pandora’s box of hunger, insecurity

President Rodrigo Duterte during his live telecast address to the nation, placed the Philippines under Code Red Sub-level 2. The National Capital Region (NCR) is on lockdown. Travel in and out of the NCR has been suspended. Provinces with at least 2 confirmed COVID-19 cases shall be placed under mandatory quarantine. Work in Government offices is suspended with a proviso on maintaining a skeletal workforce. Flexible work arrangement is enjoined on the private sector. To enforce the President’s order, referred loosely by him as a Resolution, the police and military are being called in.

While quarantines are normally resorted to in the event of a pandemic, in the context of the Philippines, sans a programmatic approach, this may present more of a hazard rather than a solution.

Slashing P10 Billion from the health budget under the 2020 General Appropriations Act is symptomatic of the lack of priority to the health situation of the populace. This is potentially deadly in the context of a pandemic. The sudden surge of COVID-19 contamination is an immediate aftermath of this Executive misstep. For this, the Government plans to borrow funds to support its COVID interventions. In the end, the people are being double-billed for their own treatment.

That the Government intends to deploy police and military to carry out its Resolution is characteristic of Duterte who is fixated on military solutions. The same killing machine driving the President’s bloody drug war and anti-insurgency campaign is now being unleashed to herd millions of Metro Manila residents. A military solution to a health problem overlooks social realities that the masses have to endure on a daily basis - hunger, poverty, lack of basic social services. The approach is more punitive rather than preventive and remedial.

Sorely lacking in the address are more important questions to the everyday lives of millions of Filipinos: will the Government capacitate the people against continuous contamination? Will prices of basic goods and commodities be controlled against quarters who are capitalizing on COVID-19 to amass superprofits? What protection shall be put in place to protect millions of workers who in their hand to mouth existence will be deprived of their wages as a result of the lockdown? How will social distancing be translated in the slums, in the long queues at LRT, MRT and PNR stations? These and many more.

Instead of clarity, more questions arise. What is certain is that with all these left unaddressed, it opens up a Pandora’s box that is deadlier than COVID-19.

Signed: Atty. Aaron Pedrosa