Filipino Nurses Support Group
Statement

Statement read at rally denouncing Pres. Arroyo's declaration of state of emergencyPhilippine Consulate, Vancouver

February 24, 2006

The Filipino Nurses Support Group stands in resolute solidarity with our compatriots in the Philippines who call for the ouster of fake Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Arroyo, in a state of panic and desperation, ordered the Philippines in a state of emergency and the suppression of civilian authority through military authority.  This clearly violates the Philippine constitution:  “Sovereignty resides in the people.  Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military.”
   
We diagnose Arroyo regime’s declaration of State of Emergency, or de-facto Martial Law, as tell-tale signs and symptoms of acute delusions of gradeur.  Arroyo and her regime believe that they hold very special powers or abilities to quell the people’s resistance against her anti-people policies.  The starvation, malnutrition, poor health and health care and grinding poverty of the majority of the Filipino people are rooted in her regime’s anti-people programs!  The oppression of Filipino farmers and workers and the forced exodus of bright Filipinos, including Filipino health workers, are rooted in their US imperialist dictated programs and policies.  The graft and corruption, including cheating Arroyo’s way into presidency and the infamous “Hello Garci” tapes, is rooted in their subservience to imperialism and bureaucrat capitalism.  

From the lessons borne out of Martial Law under Marcos and from people power uprisings in 1986 and 2001, we know Filipino people will only continue to rise up and fight for genuine change, national freedom and sovereignty.  With this, the prognosis for Arroyo to stay in power is extremely poor!

As Filipino nurses forced abroad by the Labort Export Policy of hers and preceding puppet regimes, we continue support the Filipino people’s call for:

No to Marial law!
Resist martial law with people’s power!
Oust GMA now!
Long live the Filipino people’s struggle for national and social liberation!