A song dangerous under Human Security Act

Inquirer
Last updated 02:15am (Mla time) 07/14/2007
The message is loud and clear. Under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime, whose legitimacy remains an issue to this day, the civil and political liberties of the people are not respected. Civil libertarians, activists and even ordinary people who speak out firmly and stand up for truth, justice, human rights and human dignity are living dangerously.
Since Arroyo assumed power in 2001, there have been 863 cases of extrajudicial killings, 180 forced disappearances and 248 political detainees. The persecution is meant to silence the people and discourage them from pursuing the cause of justice, peace and human rights. The message is loud and clear:
1. Thou shall not speak out the truth
2. Thou shall not expose graft and corruption
3. Thou shall not seek justice and peace
4. Thou shall not uphold human rights and dignity
5. Thou shall not offer services to the poor and ask why they are poor
6. Thou shall not expose fraudulent elections
7. Thou shall not offer sanctuary to those who were displaced and are seeking refuge
8. Thou shall not protest about human rights abuses by the PNP and AFP
9. Thou shall not join street protests, rallies and assemblies held in defense of democracy
10. Thou shall not call for Arroyo’s resignation nor for her ouster
And to think that the human rights violations are happening as a matter of course even as the Human Security Act (antiterrorism law), which virtually places the country in a state of undeclared martial law, has yet to take effect on July 15.
Given the human rights record of the Arroyo regime, this law could be used to suppress, repress and persecute people advocating and working for justice, peace, human rights and meaningful change in our society; or to prolong Arroyo’s stay in power, and to quell and punish those with dissenting opinions and actions.
God forbid, time may come when even a harmless band like Bamboo, which revived and popularized the song “Tatsulok” (originally sang by Buklod) will suddenly be under threat. And pity the ordinary mortals like the taxi, jeepney and tricycle drivers, students and out-of-school kids and youth, people in the streets, the unemployed, the hungry and those who dream of a better world who hum and dance this song. They can easily understand and identify with the message of this socially relevant song, which is very provocative and threatening to those who wield economic and political power, and therefore can be construed as a “terror” song. Here’s an excerpt from the song:
Lumilipas ang hininga ng kay raming mga tao
At ang dating lunting bukid ngayo’y sementeryo
Totoy, kumilos ka! Baligtarin ang tatsulok!
At tulad mong dukha ang ilagay mo sa tuktok
Hindi pula’t dilaw ang tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ang di siyang dahilan
Hangga’t marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman
Habang may tatsulok, at sila ang nasa tuktok
Hindi matatapos itong gulo…