NDF-EV calls for resistance against Gen. Chan's
fascist mass surveillance scheme*
Fr. Santiago Salas
Spokesperson
NDF Eastern Visayas Chapter
April 27, 2011
The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today said today that 8th Infantry Division chief Gen. Mario Chan’s proposal to use military reservists in intelligence-gathering is a “fascist mass surveillance scheme” and should be resisted by the people. “Gen. Mario Chan is attacking civil liberties in tapping military reservists for intelligence work and is also exposing that human rights remains hogwash to the military,” said Fr. Santiago Salas, NDF-EV spokesperson. “What Gen. Chan wants to do is to use these reservists to spy on the people. This will endanger basic civil and political rights such as freedom of movement, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. Therefore it is a fascist mass surveillance scheme in using the coercive powers of the state to monitor and control the population.
“The 8th ID’s plan is part of Oplan Bayanihan that is based on the US Counterinsurgency Guide. This means carrying out a brutal military campaign against the revolutionary movement, along with deceiving and intimidating the people from exercising their democratic rights. By striving to monitor and control the populace, the 8th ID’s fascist mass surveillance scheme also encourages the continuation of the climate of impunity for extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other human rights violations.”
Fr. Salas called on the Church, media, lawyers and other human rights advocates to resist the 8th ID’s fascist mass surveillance scheme and insist that the people’s democratic rights must be respected. “While the Aquino government pretends to talk peace with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, in reality Aquino’s military is already waging war and curtailing civil liberties. The 8th ID’s fascist mass surveillance scheme occurs at a time when workers are preparing for May 1 rallies to demand the P125 wage hike and other socio-economic reforms, and while protests are breaking out over mounting social costs and declining standards of living. The peace and human rights advocates must fight against the fascist mass surveillance scheme, expose and oppose Oplan Bayanihan, and demand that the Aquino government pursue the peace talks to discuss and undertake basic socio-economic reforms.
“The NDF-EV believes the vast majority of military reservists do not agree with being used for a fascist mass surveillance scheme. The NDF-EV calls on the reservists and ordinary soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to be critical of the massive human rights and corruption scandals raging in the military for years without any resolution. We urge them to respect the democratic rights of the people and unite with them in demanding the punishment of the human rights violators and corrupt officials in the military.”
