Executive Order No. 464 and Calibrated Preemptive Response

Since late September, Arroyo issued an executive order stating that all demonstrations without permits would be pre-emptively stopped. Then members of the military testified in Congressional hearings that they were defying a direct order not to testify about their knowledge of the election scandal. The opposition and militant groups have accused the Arroyo administration of moving towards an undeclared version of martial law. The "no permit, no rally" policy followed by the Calibrated Preemptive Response policy are both aimed at regulating street rallies. There is also the issuance of Executive Order No. 464 forbidding government officials under the executive department from appearing in congressional inquiries without Ms Arroyo's prior consent.