March 7, 2006, The Philippine Star, Party-list congressmen open to going underground if …

March 7, 2006, The Philippine Star, Party-list congressmen open to going underground if …

Five party-list representatives who face arrest after being implicated in an alleged coup attempt against President Arroyo threatened yesterday to go underground and take up arms against the government if they are denied justice. 

Speaking on behalf of his four colleagues under the “protective custody” of the house of Representatives, Bayan Muna Rep Satur Ocampo said they were ready to join rebels in the hills if the administration pushes them to the wall. 

One of the embattled lawmakers. Liza Maza of the women’s group Gabriela, left the House premises at around 8 last night. She was escorted by Las Pinas Rep Cynthia Villar in a 30-vehicle convoy that included media vehicles. 

“Well she knows what she’s doing and we have warned her of possible risks of arrest,” Majority leader Prospero Nograles said. 

Asked if they would go underground again, Ocampo said: “if we cannot get any justice here in Congress, in our system of justice, then our options are open for our survival. 

The government has pretensions that the democratic process exists, but if we can prove that it is discriminating against us, they are forcing us to leave the system,” he added. 

House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said it was ironic that Ocampo and his colleagues were being harassed by the government, even after they had returned to the political mainstream. 

“After encouraging (leftist lawmakers) to join the mainstream of society and join in the democratic processes. It seems that the Arroyo administration is pursuing a policy of pushing them to go underground again.” He said. 

Ocampo, former National Democratic Front spokesman, said he and his colleagues-Representatives Teddy Casino, Joel Virador, Rafael Mariano and Maza-were all victims of harassment perpetrated by President Arroyo. 

The NDF is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. 

Ocampo said their case is “more of a propaganda battle than a legal case” because the “long and short of it is that the government is depriving us(of the right) to represent our constituents in Congress. 

“Our decision to join the democratic processes was overwhelmingly supported by the people, as shown in the last two party-list elections,” he said. 

Ocampo was supposed to suggestions that Congress amend the rebellion law- under which their protest is now a non- bailable offense – after they sought refuge at the House. Currently, their immunity from arrest only covers offenses punishable by six years’ imprisonment and below. 

“Amending the law is a long process,” he said. 

Police said Ocampo and the four other lawmakers, who have refused to leave the sanctuary of the House of Representatives, face arrest if they step outside. 

The lawmakers were among 16 people charged with rebellion and attempting a coup d’etet in an alleged conspiracy between leftists and “military adventurists” out to topple Mrs.Arroyo. 

Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, Philippine National Police spokesman, said the legal status of Casino, Maza, Mariano, Ocampo and Virador as fugitives remains. 

“If they go out without the authority of the officer who has taken them under custody, they will be considered escapees or fugitives, so they can be arrested without warrant,” he told reporters. 

“If they go out of the premises of the House of Representatives they will be arrested.”