LETTER

A serious threat to public security

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines, the national alliance of tertiary student publications, expresses its condolences to the families of Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar, and Gabriela Women’s Party aide, Marcial Talbo, who were killed in an explosion at the Batasan Complex, Tuesday night.

CEGP condemns in the highest possible terms this deadly activity. It is ironic for the incident to happen in highly secured vicinity, killing two individuals and injuring more innocent civilians. We question the competence of the government’s armed forces, in securing a vital institution. Despite the huge security and national defense’ budget of the government, nothing seems seriously been achieved to protect the public and vital installations. The national defense’s proposed budget for 2008, is P51 billion, that is three percent higher than its previous appropriation.

Shameful for the government’s armed forces to launch security trainings, anti- terrorism drills and other military modernization programs to combat terrorists’ activities, while a well- secured government institution, such as the Batasan Complex, is not secured at all.

The military and the police are presently in full red alert, setting up check- points in vital areas of the metropolis, while investigation is in progress. The explosion definitely threatens public security, not just in the metropolis, but at the national level as well. However, the most fearful action that the government might impose will be the heightened military presence in public places of Metro Manila. CEGP and other concerned student and youth organizations fear that the incident might be used for the government to justify deployment of military troops in different schools and communities, which will only bring cases of harassments, intimidations and violation of rights of progressive organization members. April this year, CEGP documented a case of military intimidations to members of progressive youth organization Anakbayan, at the Philippine Normal University in Manila, during a military forum inside the said campus.

We call on government authorities to investigate thoroughly the recent fearful bombing, and refrain from unjust military actions that would imperil human rights and public life.

We further appeal to the young citizens to be vigilant during critical times like this.

Jose A. Cosido
National president
College Editors Guild