Why be surprised that foreign investors shy away from the country? Why, the way things are going - the country is fast turning into a garrison state? Consider this.

The Gestapo-like raid of 200 armed PNP and Special Action Force on the Iloilo Capitol last week to implement the suspension order against elderly Governor Niel Tupas Sr. - armed with M-16 was an excessive display of violent force. Glass panels and padlocked doors were crushed and unarmed civilians manhandled and intimidated by pointing guns - a day before the suspension order was to officially take effect. In front of national television, yet.

As if we didn't just have enough violent dispersals of street protests via the "calibrated pre-emptive" response in the past - where helpless youngsters are bludgeoned by wooden batons, an elderly former vice-president (Teofisto Guingona) hosed down, a tame columnist-UP professor (Randy David) and a fragile party-list congressperson (Anakbayan Risa Hontiveros) brought to the police headquarters for questioning while participating in peaceful rallies.

As if we don't already have the ramifications of a "low-intensity conflict" (LIC, as they call it) exemplified by 70 extra-judicial killings and 40 journalists murders in this country that boasts itself of being a vibrant democracy of Asia. The Mexicans are shocked today that 39 Mexican media men have been butchered by (mostly) drug lords like those of Colombia. As least it's the cost of operating business there - while in Iraq there is still grave military conflict, so those media killings are kind of expected.

But what of this country - called the only Christian nation in the Far East? The crackdown on critical media is obvious - with an armada of libel suits, intimidation and advertising pull-out blackmail and favoring of media allies, used to wring the neck of media into one direction - to the liking of the powers-that-be.

Due to abject poverty and lack of social justice in the rural areas, the AFP is still fighting a 35-year old insurgency against the NPAs, the longest armed political conflict in Southeast Asia. Bombs just flew in General Santos last week - killing and maiming innocent civilians while a brutal war of attrition versus the Abu Sayyafs is currently raging in Jolo. Is this country ever at peace, really?

We had long warned that if people do not protest the first signs of fascism and authoritarianism, pretty soon those who sit on the tiger will likewise be devoured.

Now we see local executives (summarily dismissed and suspended by the Ombudsman and implemented with police force and brutality by the DILG) including those who had supported GMA in her most serious and critical political crisis. Now, perhaps they are beginning to realize the folly of blind obedience and allowing authorities to run roughshod even over the Constitution and Rule of Law in the recent past.

The disturbing footages of this "war film" on primetime television "shocked" Purificacion Quisumbing, the chairperson of the Commission on Human Right (CHR) saying the military was "poised to shoot." Then Justice secretary Raul Gonzales who often suffers from a diarrhea of the mouth mocked the lady executive by saying "the problem with her is she just watched television and makes conclusion" - but that's how the whole nation viewed it - not a charade as Gonzales sarcastically pointed out - but an exercise of brutal needless violence that has no place in civilized society. Yet, in the same vein, the venerable secretary who was neither at the scene of the crime (at the LPL Towers where former governor Tony Leviste shot and killed his business partner) nor seen any TV footages already convicted Leviste as probably guilty of murder (and not homicide, as charged).

Now that the country has been rocked into anger by the display of police brutality, Western Police district Lilfredo Dulay now admits of "undeniably signs of excesses" and ordered an investigation. Criminal charges will be filed by the aggrieved parties directly assaulted during the Iloilo Capitol Raid - and rightfully so.

In a rare display of diligence (remember the Ombudsman has not even acted on the famous long-running Bohol Talibon Irrigation multi-million mess), all of a sudden there are 300 local executives facing suspension and dismissal, while the DILG waits on the wings to deliver the finishing blow. Panglao mayor Doloreich Dumaluan, by the way, will soon serve his 5-month suspension as the papers in Manila likewise reported.

But even Malacañang's fair-haired boy (presidential chief of staff and senatorial candidate) Mike Defensor had pleaded with the Ombudsman to stop issuing these orders that generate excessive political heat since this is already the election period.

GMA ally and seasoned politician mayor Lito Atienza had cautioned against the manner and style that the suspension or dismissal orders have been served - as graphically illustrated in the Iloilo Capitol Raid.

Governor Erico Aumentado, who is deeply allied with President GMA as Governor and head of all local executives (through ULAP) described the feeling of seeing the Iloilo Capitol raid thus" "we cringe in disgust and disappointment."

In a statement, ULAP (Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines) and the LPP (League of Provinces of the Philippines) issued a rather terse statement: "The timing of the local officials' 'massacre' is unfortunate and highly questionable because the decisions were made and implemented during the election period." For one, Governor Tupas of Iloilo is allied with the Liberty Party-Frank Drilon Wing, who is not the favorite cheering squad of GMA and Justice Secretary Gonzales.

We had warned that the anatomy of despotism is that if you allow fascism to take one finger, it will come around tomorrow to take on entire arm. The local executives probably realize by now - that "what goes around, comes around."

Now the Great Executioner, carrying the scythe is at their doorsteps, and a hanging rope behind his back. They now cringe in both disgust - and fear.

They, too, now join the chorus of protest - before this nation turns into a real garrison state - where migration to other more sedate countries becomes an even doubly attractive alternative than it was a year ago.

What indeed is happening to our country, General?