Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Section 7. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized.

Section 18. (1) No person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations.

from the BILL OF RIGHTS, 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

Arroyo lifted PP 1017 but arrests have still been going on left and right. Her administration continues to monitor media outfits. Her minions have been digging and fabricating cases and filing them against her opponents.

She shouldn’t quell legitimate dissent by whipping oppositionists with rebel, terrorist or communist labels and having them arrested on these basis. In the first place, whose standards are and will the army and the police use in determining who rebels or terrorists are? We don’t even have an anti-terrorism law to clearly define what terrorism in this country is. Which leaves the police and the military to interpret its definition however way they find it necessary to please their commander in chief. And what lawless violence are they talking about? I think she’s stretching her constitutional limits to become a full-pledged dictator now.