NEWS RELEASE

11 August 2007

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540

Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6462009

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

WATCHLIST

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.#