Press Statement
Partido Lakas ng Masa
July 8, 2009

The recent spate of bombings that have rocked numerous cities, primarily in Mindanao , which have left six people killed and 56 others wounded, should be condemned in the highest degree. Such treacherous acts should not be left unpunished. However, it is quite worrisome that the military was quick to point to the MILF as the culprit amidst repeated pronouncements of the MILF disowning the bombings.

While we mourn for the families of the victims of this dastardly act and worry over the spread of the climate of fear brought about by the situation, we are more alarmed by what is still in store for the nation. There could still be more bombs to explode in the next few days. It could not be in Mindanao alone. The bombers might have been planning to do their dastardly act in Metro Manila this time.

All these could clearly be used as a pretext for the declaration of emergency rule by GMA, in order to use extra-constitutional means to stay in power. GMA and her cohorts have already been testing constitutional means of extending her rule through con-ass and through running for congressional seat in 2010, but these have received fierce resistance from the people.

The bombings that have occurred during GMA’s reign are almost all left unresolved. The question still lingers from everyone's mind -- who else has the capacity to execute such a reprehensible act given the spread and magnitude of the recent bombings? Who has the arsenal and logistical requirements to carry out these acts? Some quarters, even coming from the military, have already pointed to the hands of Malacanang and the Arroyo administration as the culprit.

It is in this light that we call on all our fellow Filipinos to be vigilant. We must curtail the acts that sow fear and perpetuate loss of lives amongst the masses. Likewise, we need to oppose any means hatched by the GMA regime to stay in power. We say no to emergency rule and never again to martial law!