National ID rushed to sanction repression, will spur more protests-CPP

July 19, 2005

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today lambasted Arroyo regime's moves to ram through and rush the implemention of the National Identification system as an additional instrument to control the population and to diffuse and suppress the growing movement demanding its ouster.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said, however, that this will only stoke the fire of anti-Arroyo protests.

He condemned the National ID System as a "instrument of political oppression that is even more Marcosian than Marcos'." Rosal said that the Marcos martial law regime did not implement a National ID system and was only able to go so far as using the army and police forces and barangay tanods to sporadically check cedulas of residences and travellers.

"Arroyo's National ID scheme is designed to use more modern computer systems to carry out fascist surveillance and repression in addition to using the military and police in its brute campaign of suppression both in the cities and countryside," Rosal added.

Rosal said that with the National ID system, the increasingly fascistic Arroyo regime hopes to enhance its ability to monitor and restrict the people's movement and suppress the people's civil and democratic rights."

Rosal noted that by tasking the National Economic Development Authority to oversee the implementation of the National ID system ostensibly to unify existing government IDs, "Arroyo wants to make it appear that the National ID is a benign document for bureucratic purposes."

"Its fascist purpose is, however, clear," Rosal said recalling how the Arroyo regime has repeatedly asserted the need for a National ID System in line with its "war against terrorism," a worn-out pretext for its campaign to suppress legitimate people's protests.

Rosal also pointed out that in issuing Executive Order No. 420, Arroyo circled around the Supreme Court previous ruling which declared the National ID System as unconstitutional and violative of the people's civil rights. Arroyo issued EO 420 last April 13, 2005.

The National Economic Development Authority released last week guidelines for the National ID System and is expected to be implemented next year.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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