By Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 12/11/2013
Recently, someone suggested that martial law be declared in
places affected by the super typhoon to stop looting.
GREAT IDEA! Invite the military to occupy the areas where
people are dead, dieing, shelterless and hungry, to protect the properties of
the luckier ones who have something that the people needs.
But may I remind the proponents of martial law that this is
not a military matter. It is disaster, calamity, that is involved here, not a
military operation. What is really needed to declare here is not matrtial law but
a state of emergency, because there is no local
government functioning with normal efficiency. A state of emergency
means the suspension of executive, legislative and judicial powers and for
government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans, as in cases of
natural disasters.
President Aquino has to
recognize the need to declare a state of emergency for national government to
take over the affected areas as local government and defense units had been
disabled by the extent of the casualties.
So much for the hawks. This is
the time for cohesion of the nation to
relieve the victims of their sufferings. The National government must take the
lead role in the mobilization of all national
forces, both civil and military to speed the relief, reconstruction and
rehabilitation in stricken areas. The dead are lining the streets, even until
now. The people have no electricity, no food, no water, all their dead are on
the streets. Survivors could only look up at heaven in their silent plea
for help.
Mr. President, the eyes of the
nation is upon you. Make a careful but speedy move now, or you will be gone forever.
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