|
Five-day Protest march against
political killings in Southern Tagalog kicks off
Relatives of victims say SOLCOM “breeding ground of perpetrators”
In the wake of the recent spate of abductions and political killings in
Quezon province, around 300 relatives of the victims and militants
protested in front of Camp Gen. Nakar in Lucena City, the Southern Luzon
Command’s (SOLCOM) general headquarters. The protesters, led by Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog (Bayan-ST), called SOLCOM Chief Lt.
Gen. Alexander Yano as the new “butcher of Southern Tagalog “as evidenced
by the series of abductions and political killings under his watch. They
said SOLCOM was a “breeding ground for murderers and human rights
violators.”
Burning placards with pictures of Arroyo and Palparan in military uniform
and holding guns, the protesters called for the end of Oplan Bantay Laya
and the All-Out War, the punishment of the AFP and PNP perpetrators, and
the ouster of Arroyo who is the main instigator of the killings.
The protest action marked the start of the five-day protest march of
relatives of victims and various sectors in Southern Tagalog against the
continued political killings in the region, now numbering 142 from January
2001-September 2006, the highest in the country. They intend to walk miles
and cover the long stretch of Calamba, Laguna to Manila from September
17-21 to show their utmost condemnation and resistance to the Arroyo
government’s “policy of silencing and attacking innocent civilians and
progressive groups in its desperate attempt to cling to power.”
“Quezon is one of the provinces experiencing the worst cases of political
killings and human rights violations (HRVs) that is why it is fitting to
start our protest against political killings here. Since the start of
Arroyo’s all-out war, the reports of HRVs in the province have increased
and have been reaching us non-stop,” Doris Cuario, secretary general of
Karapatan-Southern Tagalog said. The recent wave of abductions in the
province have increased number of desaparecidos in the region to 28.
The latest victim was Marco Ferdinand, 32 years old and Bayan Muna
coordinator, who was abducted by armed men aboard a van last September 12
from his house in Brgy. San Miguel, Mauban, Quezon. Last September 9,
Midwen Hiwatig, a 36-year-old resident of Brgy. Magsaysay, Mulanay and
Jovito Marco, a 23-year-old resident of Brgy. Bagupaye, Mulanay were also
allegedly arrested illegally by members of the 74th IBPA in Sitio Mabilog,
Brgy. Bagupaye. SOLCOM has denied it is holding Hiwatig and Marco, but
relatives have received reports that they were seen at the military
headquarters. The three have not yet been surfaced.
Other recent cases of abductions, torture and HRVs in the province have
also included youth and children, such as the illegal arrest and torture
of three minors in Lopez, Quezon by members of the 76th IBPA who also
filed cases of rebellion, murder and frustrated murder against the three.
Among the worst cases of political killings in the province, numbering 36
victims, is the Marilou Rubio Sanchez, Bayan Muna coordinator, and
Virgilio Rubio, a peasant, who were found dead in their home in Brgy.
Magsikap, Gen. Nakar last April 22. Marilou was found tied to a pole, in a
kneeling position, with gun shot wounds on her head. A teacher and
Karapatan-Quezon secretary general, Napoleon Pornasdoro, was also killed
last February 27 at Brgy. Iyam, Lucena.
Quezon is one of the main staging grounds of Arroyo’s all-out war,
receiving part of the additional P1B allotted by Arroyo for
counter-insurgency. Additional military troops from Mindanao were
immediately redeployed to the province after Arroyo’s announcement of her
all-out war. Cuario said the unceasing series of HRVs then became worse
than before. The spate of HRVs prompted church groups to launch a series
of relief and medical missions in the province, including the launching of
Sen. Jamby Madrigal’s signature campaign for peace in Lopez town last
August.
Arman Albarillo, secretary general of Bayan-ST and whose parents were also
victims of political killings in Mindoro, said there can be no other
perpetrators with motive to kill members of progressive organizations and
innocent civilians except the military under Arroyo’s command. “Proof of
this is AFP Chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. reiteration that several
representatives hiding under their legal organizations such as Bayan Muna
were enemies of the state. Instead of investigating the cases of political
killings, the Arroyo administration, through its Melo Commission, is
expected to only point the blaming finger to the NPA for the killings to
clear the AFP and its butchers such as Palparan,” Albarillo said.
At around 3PM, the protesters were warmly greeted by around 500 residents
of San Pablo City, Laguna led by the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan sa Tabing
Riles-San Pablo. The group exposed the harassment and threats to their
lives by the military. Armed men, some aboard motorcycles without plate
numbers, have been looking for their leaders in their homes.
The protesters held a short program in front of the San Pablo City public
market before they proceeded to Crossing, Calamba where they converged
with delegates from Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal. Here, the protesters
condemned the killing of prominent regional leaders under the Arroyo
administration, including Karapatan-Southern Tagalog secretary general
Eden Marcellana and peasant leader Eddie Gumanoy who were killed last
April 2003 in Mindoro Oriental during Palparan’s stint in the island. The
most recently killed was Noel “Noli” Capulong, Bayan-ST deputy secretary
general, who was shot dead last May 2006 in Calamba, Laguna while on his
way home.
Before converging with the main contingent, protesters from Batangas also
held protest actions in front of Camp Miguel Malvar in Batangas City and
the Fernando Air Base in Lipa City. The protesters from Batangas began
their protest march at 6AM today from Sta. Clara, Batangas City.###
BAGONG ALYANSANG MAKABAYAN-Southern
Tagalog
KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog
(Alyansa sa Pagsusulong ng Karapatan ng Mamamayan)
2737 Nat’l Highway, Brgy. Anos, Los Baños, Laguna
PRESS RELEASE
References: ARMAN ALBARILLO
Sec. Gen. BAYAN-ST #
09194200559
DORIS CUARIO
Sec. Gen. KARAPATAN-ST #
09219864815
September 17, 2006
For inquiries, please
contact OSCAR LAPIDA, JR. BAYAN-ST Information Officer, CP# 09204108573. |
