Anakbayan supports broad coalition vs. e-Martial Law, calls on youths to join Oct. 9 protest
Following the formation of a broad coalition against what has been termed ‘e-Martial Law’, the youth group Anakbayan announced its full support for the coalition’s call for a massive protest on October 9 to compel the Supreme Court to declare the Cybercrime Law ‘unconstitutional’.
The alliance, #NoToCybercrimeLaw, was founded yesterday in an assembly at the University of the Philippines College of Law at the urging of those who filed various petitions at the SC regarding the said Law.
The assembly was attended by a wide array of organizations and anti-Cybercrime Law personalities (complete list at end of article) such as Kabataan partylist rep. Mong Palatino, UP Law professor Harry Roque, Lyceum Law professor Rommel Bagares, former UP CMC dean Luis Teodoro, Computer Professionals’ Union, National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance, Filipino Freethinkers, Pixel Offensive artist collective, Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, and Kabataan Partylist.
“Noynoy has drawn the battle lines by flat-out refusing to consider even touching the Cybercrime Law. We are left with no other recourse but to pressure the Supreme Court or lawmakers to junk the bill by hammering them with massive protests” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.
In separate statements last Friday, both the President and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte categorically rejected to remove any and all of the ‘dangerous’ provisions of the law, including the introduction of ‘online libel’, the power to take down websites without court orders, and the authorization to commit online surveillance and monitoring.
“We should no longer have any illusions that we are Noynoy’s ‘bosses’. He has shown his true colors as an arrogant, power-hungry, and hypocritical president. And if we take a page out of Philippine history, then the only way to fight such a tyrant is by people power” said Crisostomo.
“As a sector who is generally open-minded, and thus critical of any wrong-doing, the Filipino youth is one of the main targets of e-Martial Law. Many bloggers and those active on Facebook and Twitter in exposing government wrong-doing are in fact from this sector. We thus call on our fellow youths to take fight offline and surround the Supreme Court” said the youth leader. ###
* Complete list of those who attended the Saturday assembly:
Rep. Mong Palatino, Kabataan Partylist
Atty. Harry Roque, University of the Philippines Law
Atty. Rommel Bagares, Lyceum of the Philippines University
Luis Teodoro, former Dean of the UP College of Mass Communications
tonyocruz.com
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
Computer Professionals’ Union
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates
Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance
Filipino Freethinkers
Pixel Offensive
IBON Foundation
Bulatlat.com
Pinoyweekly.org
Burgos Media Center
Baluarte Artists’ Collective
Anakbayan
National Union of Students in the Philippines
Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan
Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines
Kilusang Mayo Uno
Karapatan
Gabriela
Samahan ng Tunay na Makabayan
individual bloggers, netizens
Ludwjg Cris Duenas:
October 7th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Noynoy is such a callous face and the rest of his sisters. During the campaign they where acting so humble and kind that they are the right people who will defend the “democracy kuno” that their father had died for and their mother had restored. And now what happened? They were talking shit all those times. Deceiving people of their so called good intention shit! And this is only the beginning and more to come of his arrogance if we don’t stop him now! Let’s take these to the street and see how this so called government of his will handle this fight he started with the youth! I say kudos to all of you for your bravery. This is too much shit! Enough is enough!