This sudden shift in our everyday lives has left us all in a state of shock. We’ve had plans cancelled, due dates changed, and planners marked with a simple task of staying at home. Amidst the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), we laid witness as the number of cases rise and perhaps with a hint of anxiety in our hearts. There are no clear signs of a light at the end of this seemingly unending nightmare—but it doesn’t mean we must keep silent. As citizens of a democratic country, we have the right to voice out our concerns.
Along with the government’s neglect when the first COVID-19 case hit the country, its ill attempt to cover it up and appear equipped to handle this pandemic is helping no one. Despite this, many people aired out irregularities they’ve noticed suchlike Sen. Koko Pimentel’s stroll around the hospital and gatherings knowing he is a Person Under Investigation (PUI) which only garnered a plea of compassion from the DOH. Outraged citizens called out this unequal treatment as normal citizens would have been detained, this led to an NBI investigation with regards to Sen. Pimentel’s case. Although this shows how a collective voice can bring about change, there are a bigger number of people who were silenced by the state. Quite recently,a student journalist was forced by former teachers and barangay officials to issue a public apology for his anti-government posts online. While NBI summoned an individual who stated that the money for 2 billion pesos jet was better spent on healthcare. Carlos Conde, a HRW Asia Division researcher, condemned the government’s crackdown on journalists and social media users who are critical of their response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Bayanihan To Heal As One Act punishes fake news, other than it does not define the word itself, it is absurd that criticisms about the government’s incompetence is simply equated to “fake news”.
The tactic of using this pandemic to silence dissent, does not only happen in our country alone. In Russia, authorities have turned up the pressure on media outlets and social media users to control the narrative amid the country’s growing coronavirus outbreak. While in Serbia, President Aleksander Vucic assumed full power, prompting an outcry from opponents who say he has seized control of the state in an unconstitutional manner. The Israeli government authorizes unprecedented electronic surveillance of citizens. There is a fine line between creating safeguards to further control the spread of the pandemic and trampling over human rights.
The perils of the world are not only brought about this worsening virus but also the authoritarian politicians who use their power to their own advantage. The masses must continue to uphold the freedom of speech and remain as a check and balance of the government. It is not “negativity” or mere “reklamo” when we state grievances and point out misconduct but put into action our democracy. The positivity in this is that we are uniting as a machinery to uphold the rights of one and all. If you choose to be silent in times of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
