Ramos rules out any return of authoritarianism
Ramos rules out any return of authoritarianism
MANILA (Reuter): President Fidel Ramos disavowed any plans to declare martial law yesterday and urged the armed forces to oppose anyone who may have "a hidden agenda" to return authoritarian rule to the Philippines.
Ramos's comment, among his strongest ever public disclaimers of any plan to grab authoritarian powers, came on the same day as churches around in the country resounded with attacks against a proposed security law that church leaders said might be used to curb dissent.
"There are some who speculate about authoritarian regime being returned to the Philippines under the present leadership," Ramos said in a speech to civilian and military leaders at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in northern Baguio city.
"I say to all of them, there is no way that we shall ever return to martial law under the Ramos administration...There is no way.
"I am sure I can count on our (PMA) alumni here to be the first to rise up and challenge any return to authoritarianism by anyone who may have a hidden agenda of that nature."
Ramos has come under fire from church leaders, opposition politicians and media over his call for a tough "anti-terrorism" law that would give police wide powers to fight extremists.
The state-backed bill would allow phone tapping and breaking bank secrecies. One version, from which Ramos has dissociated himself, would allow police to make arrests without warrants.
Critics have said the proposed law could pave the way for the return of a Ferdinand Marcos-type dictatorship Filipinos overthrew in a 1986 popular revolt. Ramos, then national police chief, helped lead the revolt.
The nation will celebrate next week the 10th anniversary of that uprising.
"A democratic and civilized society cannot use the weapons of terrorism to fight a war against terrorists," Ramos said in his speech broadcast nationwide by state radio.
He slammed critics whom he said had been giving the impression the Philippines was "about to fall apart."
While Ramos spoke, priests in pulpits around the country read a pastoral letter recently adopted by the Philippines' more than 100 bishops strongly opposing the security legislation.
"Such measures give the distinct impression that the very means supposedly intended to curb terrorism will be used to terrorize citizens themselves or curtail political dissent," the letter said.
Veteran political analyst Amando Doronila, writing for the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper, said yesterday Filipinos had become widely disenchanted with the government and Ramos "has lost control."
"With the government unstuck, policy disasters followed in successive waves, threatening political stability as well as the economic gains of the past three years," Doronila said.
The escalating attacks on Ramos prompted his wife, Amelita, who normally keeps a low profile in media, to publicly defend her husband.
"I know the president is doing everything to help our people. But whatever he does it seems that to people he has done nothing and yet foreigners say our economy is doing so well," Mrs Ramos told reporters.
"Sometimes, it is so difficult to spell out the people."