Press Release
November 29, 2007

ROXAS TO TRILLANES: BE CALM, DO NOT SHED THE PEOPLE'S BLOOD
ROXAS, AQUINO: WALKOUT SHOWS PEOPLE'S GRAVE LOSS OF HOPE IN GOV'T

Senator Mar Roxas called on colleague Senator Antonio Trillanes to "be calm, and do not bring this to a point where our people's blood will be shed" as he told the latter that "we hear the frustration, the cynicism, the estrangement from the government that is in your voice and in your positions."

Roxas issued the call in the light of the walkout of Trillanes and former Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and other detained military officers from their trial in Makati this morning.

"Itong pag-walkout ay pagpapakita ng pagka-sawa sa 'business-as-usual.' Ang sagot dito, hindi lamang kamay na bakal upang pambawi sa sa mga nag-walkout dito at pagpapahayag ng kanilang mga pananaw, pero makabuluhang programa ng mga reporma na siyang tutulong talaga sa ating mga kababayan," Roxas said.

He lamented that while good economic statistics continue to adorn the headlines, these are hardly felt by Juan dela Cruz. At the same time, the people's right to the rule of law is being violated by the government itself through disappearances of activists and journalists, the subversion of institutions and checks and balances, and the suppressing of information on key government undertakings and contracts.

Meanwhile, Roxas joined Senator Noynoy Aquino in issuing a call for the "observance of the rule of law by all sides; not just Trillanes and Lim, but as well as the military and police," during the regular Kapihan sa Senado, a few minutes after the walkout was staged.

"Hindi lamang doon sa mga nagmamartsa sa Makati ngayon, isama na rin natin ang lahat ng nasa gobyerno. Sana'y di tayo humantong sa panahon ng desperation o frustration, na maaaring sumiklab sa isang bagay na hindi natin magugustuhan," Aquino said.

The Liberal Party solons said the incident is a show of frustration and loss of hope in attempts to reform the present way of governance. They also pointed out that the lack of following the rule of law by the government itself has led to this incident.

Aquino meanwhile noted that, sadly, people have started to "vote with their feet" as Overseas Filipino Workers due to loss of hope in their own country. He also recounted a report that some poor Filipinos have already sold their kidneys just to have additional income at the expense of their health.

"Masasabi nating marami sa mga tao sa bayan natin ngayon ang frustrated. Sana hindi tayo humantong sa panahong sobrang puno na ang tao at wala nang pag-asa," he stressed.

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