Soriano: State of emergency will not curtail rights

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

Former Vice Mayor Antonio Soriano said the declaration of a state of national emergency on account will not impinge on existing rights of citizens across the country.

Soriano, convenor of Citizens Watch on Good Governance over a local radio station clarified certain misconceptions against state of national emergency by the people.

He said the spate of terror attacks like kidnappings, beheadings, and the Davao night market bombing prodded Duterte to issue the proclamation including his continuous drive against proliferation of illegal drugs and gambling.

“Implementation of state of emergency covers also the other area other than Davao City. Tungod sa ilang evaluation kining drug use is violent man sab na. Mao nga gilakip na kini nila. Not only bombing but also the use of illegal drugs og dili lang kini sa Davao but to the whole Philippines,” he said.

Meanwhile, members of the Sangguniang Panlala-wigan has passed a resolution urging Governor Yev-geny Vicente Emano to tasked Provincial Attor-ney’s Office to conduct a massive information drive through radio programs to ease out tension to the public.

Sanggunian majority floor leader Atty. Vincent Pelaez authored the passing of the resolution of using a radio program as the basic mode of communication to the people in the province, a massive information drive regarding the declaration of state of emergency should be explained to the public.

Sanggunian member Wayne Militante said aside from information campaign through the radio program, hand-outs and reading materials will be distributed to all educational institutions regarding basic information on the declaration of state of emergency.

“Kabalaka baya sab ang katawhan nga makakita og nag-parade nga mga military trucks and personnel,” he said.

He said the provincial government can even sponsor an information bulletin in the local vernacular which will be posted all over the barangay halls and public places as part of the massive information campaign.

Soriano said declaration of a state of national emergency does not in any way curtail the rights of the people presently enjoy.

“It does not give a blanket authority for warrantless arrest, other than the provision for warrantless arrest, presently whether or not there is a state of national emergency. Ang power sa presidente tulo kabuok og kining state of national emergency maoy pinaka-ubos nga declaration,” he said.

Other calibrated power embodied to the President by the Constitution includes suspend the Writ of habeas corpus and the declaration of Martial Law.

Soriano said in the declaration of state of national emergency, the civilian governance which is the local officials are still in power in their respective local government units.

He assured that despite the declaration of state of national emergency, agents of the state like law enforcement agencies and members of the Armed Forces are still expected to operate within the bounds of existing laws.

“Pwede pa kita makalakaw-lakaw og wala pa’y curfew. Wala kita’y kahadlukan. President Duterte can only lift the declaration until such time that no violence would be seen by the national government,” he pointed out.

He said the declaration of national emergency is likened with the declaration of calamity that the President is allowed government spending without the normal process of bidding.