Leaders hail 1017 lifting
THE lifting of Proclamation No. 1017 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo due to pressures from her critics and even allies was hailed by political and educational leaders in Pangasinan.
Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino led government officials in Pangasinan who hailed the presidential move, saying this was a positive sign that the political and economic situations in the country are now back to normal.
This also means, said Lambino, that the imminent danger to national security has already been removed.
“The lifting of Proclamation 1017 meant that the threats to the political and economic stability brought about by a renewed attempt by some misguided elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to grab power, has already been removed,” Lambino, one of the loyal allies of President Arroyo in Pangasinan, said.
Lambino told the PUNCH last week that Mrs. Arroyo was justified in declaring a State of National Emergency to prevent violence and bloodshed when a few members of the Armed Forces tried to break away from the chain of command.
Lambino believes the situation has improved quickly as shown by the peso’s quick recovery and the brisk trading in the country’s stocks exchange.
“I hope this will be end of adventurism in this country because too much politics is pulling this country to the gutter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gonzalo Duque, president of Lyceum-Northwestern University, said the lifting of Proclamation 1017 meant that they (authorities) already contained the problems brought about by the explosive situation last week.
“I think the President did this to finally put forward her economic development plan,” said Duque, former vice governor of Pangasinan and elder brother of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Looking back, he said, the imposition of an emergency rule was necessary because of the crisis, adding that in a crisis situation “there are no rooms for right or wrong decisions”.
Asked if he thinks, Proclamation 1017 achieved its purpose, Duque answered in the affirmative.
He said a state of emergency was not like Martial Law because in the former, one can still freely criticize the President.
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