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This speech was delivered by Representative Liza<br>
Largoza Maza of the GABRIELA Women's Party at the<br>
Congress of the Philippines, even as elements of the<br>
military and<br>
police waited to arrest her and four other<br>
representatives of the progressive political parties<br>
Bayan Muna and Anakpawis. Ms. Maza is also<br>
Vice-chairperson of the GABRIELA Philippines National<br>
Women's Alliance. Please disseminate. <br>
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RESIST THE IRON HAND, DARE TO STRUGGLE WITHOUT FEAR!<br>
(LABANAN ANG KAMAY NA BAKAL! MAKIBAKA, HUWAG<br>
MATAKOT!) <br><br>
Privilege Speech<br>
by Gabriela Women's Partylist Rep. Liza
Maza <br>
February 27, 2006<br><br>
<br>
Mr. Speaker, distinguished
colleagues: <br><br>
I rise today on a question of personal and collective<br>
privilege, with much alarm, indignation and defiance<br>
over the recent actions that the Arroyo government has<br>
taken in the past three days.<br><br>
On Friday, in the midst of commemorations of the 20th<br>
anniversary of the People Power uprising, Malacanang<br>
(Presidential Palace) issued Proclamation 1017,<br>
placing our country in a State of Emergency. The irony<br>
is not lost on us. That we are being placed under<br>
Martial Law as we commemorate the ouster of the Marcos<br>
dictatorship is not only ironic, it is tragic as well<br>
as unforgiveable.<br><br>
Saturday morning, we awoke to reports of the raid on<br>
the newspaper Daily Tribune and the arrest of our<br>
fellow representative in this assembly, Anakpawis<br>
(workers) Congressman Crispin Beltran who had been<br>
rudely picked up, illegally arrested and invited for<br>
interrogation by elements of the CIDG. <br><br>
Call it what you want, Mr. Speaker, distinguished<br>
colleagues, what was done to Representative Crispin<br>
Beltran was a testament to the Arroyo government’s<br>
lack of respect for the rights of the members of this<br>
Congress and of the people in general. <br><br>
At the end of the press conference by the House<br>
Minority members, we learned that we myself,<br>
Representatives Satur Ocampo, Rafael Mariano and Teddy<br>
Casino were slated for arrest outside the Sulu Hotel<br>
that evening. Because we knew that what the police<br>
and the military wanted to do was unwarranted, illegal<br>
and outrightly violates our rights, we deemed it best<br>
to look for other ways to exit the place, thus<br>
avoiding the Arroyo regime’s minions who were<br>
attempting to pick us up illegally that Saturday. <br><br>
Last night, in the middle of what is now known as the<br>
Fort Bonifacio stand-off, Presidential Chief of Staff<br>
Mike Defensor announced that the Arroyo government was<br>
intent on arresting me and my fellow representatives<br>
Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casino and Rafael Mariano. <br>
Representative Joel Virador has already been arrested<br>
this afternoon.<br><br>
If to rise in this Congress on behalf of womankind is<br>
a crime, so be it. <br><br>
As the women’s representative even during the 12th<br>
Congress, I have been among those who sponsored and<br>
fought for two pieces of legislation for women: the<br>
Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Anti-Violence<br>
Against Women and Children Act. I was also among the<br>
authors of the Juvenile Justice Act, which is close to<br>
approval by this congress and which will respond to<br>
the issue of children who are in prison for crimes. I<br>
was also chosen to be part of the bicameral committee<br>
which will tackle the said bill. <br><br>
As representative of the Gabriela Women’s Party, I<br>
have persevered, within this congress, in advancing<br>
and fighting for legislation which will both bring<br>
relief and respond to women’s complaints: the 125<br>
pesos increase in the minimum wage for workers and<br>
3,000 pesos increase in the salary of government<br>
employees. Our party also continues to call for the<br>
junking of E-VAT (12% tax on everyday necessities) and<br>
for price controls on LPG (cooking gas) and kerosene.<br><br>
On Wednesday, first day of March, women’s month<br>
begins. This March 8th, the whole world will<br>
celebrate International Women’s Day. This is a day<br>
made historic by the principled stand of women workers<br>
for wage increases, better working conditions and<br>
decent livelihood calls which remain alive today and<br>
which continue to be fought for by womankind and by<br>
the people. The tradition of a hundred years of<br>
struggle symbolized by March 8th will continue so long<br>
as the reasons to struggle remain. <br><br>
Mr. Speaker, fellow representatives, I am among the<br>
many and increasing number of women who are speaking<br>
out, who want and are calling for change. Is this a<br>
crime? Shouldn’t arrest and punishment be inflicted<br>
upon those who implement policies depriving women and<br>
their families of their basic rights? <br><br>
The women’s call for food, shelter, jobs, wages,<br>
health and education is just and legitimate. Is this<br>
what the Arroyo regime wants to suppress?<br><br>
Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, to dream and to<br>
struggle for a better society that I can leave my<br>
children, our children and the future generations is<br>
not a crime. It is a noble cause that all of us, women<br>
and men alike, as members of this chamber and as<br>
citizens of this country, must espouse, take to heart<br>
and act on. <br><br>
I really might be arrested by the Arroyo regime’s iron<br>
hand after this speech, per the announcement last<br>
night. <br><br>
But even then, it will not mean that women will fall<br>
silent or will be afraid. Mr. Speaker, fellow<br>
representatives, expect the women’s call for basic<br>
rights, civil rights and true freedom to continue and<br>
indeed grow louder. <br><br>
The Gabriela Women’s Party and countless women will<br>
rise up to defy repression and to trash Proclamation<br>
1017, in defense of our rights. The call I will leave<br>
you tonight is the same that women will continue to<br>
call out, in the dark of our state: MAKIBAKA, HUWAG<br>
MATAKOT! Dare To Struggle, Do not fear… ###<br><br>
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Tagalog sections translated by Ninotchka Rosca<br><br>
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Women's Anti-Imperialist League (WAIL)<br>
wailcentral@yahoo.com <br>
Member, International League of Peoples Struggles <br>
********************************************************<br>
The road to women's liberation lies through the terrain of the
anti-imperialist struggle. -- WISAP2004<br><br>
<br>
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