HUMAN SECURITY ACT PUTS LEADERS OF GABRIELA NETWORK-USA ON RP WATCHLIST

NEWS RELEASE
11 August 2007

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6462009

GABRIELA Women's Partylist Representative Liza Largoza Maza deplored the Philippine government's hold departure order against GABRIELA Network USA chairperson Dr. Analisa Enrile and two other leaders of the women's international solidarity group.

"She has been restricted from going home to her family and her job in the United States for no apparent reason. This blatant violation of her right to travel, is but pure harassment, a sample demonstration of the horrendous powers that this government can abuse with the Human Security Act," said Maza in a press conference with Dr. Analisa Enrile. Joining them are two of the founders of GABRIELA Network, award winning novelist Ninotchka Rosca and human rights advocate Judith Mirkinson.

Enrile who was scheduled to leave the country Aug. 5, was not allowed to leave as her name was allegedly on a watchlist released by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Along with Enrile, both Rosca and Mirkinson are also on the reported watchlist. All three were also part of the organizers of the All-women US Lawyer's Human Rights Mission in the Philippines last year during the height of the implementation of the Presidential Proclamation 1017.

"They are now among the first batch of victims of the Human Security Act. Before this law, one can be prevented from leaving the country only if you have committed a crime and there are charges already filed against you. Now, what this demonstrates is that on mere suspicion or by your mere association to a group identified as a staunch critic of this administration, such as GABRIELA, you can be held against your will," said Maza.

Leaders and members of the GABRIELA Network USA were in the country since July to attend the Women's International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines sponsored by the militant women's group GABRIELA.

"The Human Security Act has emboldened the Anti-Terrorism Council to politically harass critics, spreading its repressive tentacles beyond borders and undermining the universally held principle of international solidarity."

GABRIELA Women's Party representatives Maza and Luz Ilagan along with other partylist groups Bayan Muna and Anakpawis have filed a bill to repeal the Human Security Act.