Press Release
January 28, 2008

Following Esperon's bloody war warning...
CHIZ tells palace to place health, social services on red alert

Malacanang should place "public health and social services on red alert" following Armed Forces Chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon's warning that his plan to wipe out 17 New People's Army fronts in the 90 days of his extended term "will be bloody."

"When war drums roll, those who'll take care of the civilians be better ready," Senator Chiz Escudero today said.

"Any mobilization for war should include the mobilization of personnel who will take care of the medical, food and shelter needs of non-combatants who will certainly be displaced by fighting, "Escudero said.

"There will be a big humanitarian crisis if these are not taken cared of, "Escudero said, belying any claim that "a conflict of this magnitude will not cause collateral damage on civilians."

"Walang smart bombs dito o surgical strikes", he said.

"A great deal of war preparations involves putting civilians out of harm's way. A war is also adjudged by the compassion it extends to those who have nothing to do with it. So this is one conflict that shouldn't be left to generals alone, "he said.

Escudero clarified that his call on the government "to brace for the wave of evacuees should not be seen as an endorsement of Esperon's plan but for them to plan ahead when it comes to the effect on civilians of this campaign."

" Ang sa akin lang, kung di talaga papipigil ang gobyerno, at mukhang hindi, e responsibilidad nila na yung mga sibilyan, lalo na yung mga bata, matatanda at may sakit, ay di pababayaan. Na sila ay may pagkain, gamot, at ang kanilang pag-aaral ay di maapektuhan, "he said.

"What I am saying is that doctors, social workers should be on the frontline, and not soldiers alone. If the humanitarian crisis becomes full-blown, when TV footages of filthy evacuation centers full of hungry and sick people land on the evening news, then government will soon find itself losing in the battle for public opinion, "he said

Escudero said he believes that insurgency cannot be defeated by arms alone.

"Soldiers themselves have said time and again that a pure military solution will not work. When they are sent to battle, they are actually cleaning up the mess left behind by a government which has not done so much for the poor that the latter are lured to take up arms, "he said.

Escudero said Malacanang should "preposition portion of the P1 billion annual Calamity Fund" in the DSWD and DoH and local governments so these agencies can have the "financial flexibility to respond to a man-made calamity such as war."

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