From the Office of Rep. Crispin Beltran

South Wing Room 602 House of Representatives

Constitution Hills 1126 Quezon City, Philippines

Reference: Rep.Crispin Beltran (+63)9278711080

Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff  931.6615, 09195065269

 

 News Release   Monday, January 15, 2007

 

Mrs. Arroyo's support for release of Aung San Suu Kyi hypocritical when in her own backyard she persecutes political dissidents and continues to detain Ka Bel

 

 Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran's chief of staff today said that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's support for the campaign for release of democracy for Burma leader Aung San Suu Kyi lacks credibility to the point of being hypocritical "Given that she herself is behind the continuing persecution of the progressive lawmakers of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela Women's Party, as well as the continuing detention on false rebellion charges of Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran. Her push for the full and widespread implementation of  Oplan Bantay Laya and Oplan Bantay Laya II is also behind the persecution and massacre  of innocent civilians suspected of being members of armed revolutionary groups."

 

"How can she even begin to support the call for release of a democracy and freedom fighter when right in her own backyard she is keeping a 74-year old veteran of the militant labor movement and an acknowledged leader of the progressive bloc of lawmakers incarcerated on false charges of sedition and rebellion? Mrs. Arroyo's support for Aung San Suu Kyi is hypocritical. Her own government and the free reign it has given to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to terrorize and kill civilians sympathetic to activist causes deserves to be condemned as any other repressive regime and dictatorship in the world today," said Ina Alleco Silverio.

 

Silverio said that her principal Rep. Beltran is already  nearing his first year of incarceration on February 25. She said that the none of the courts where Ka Bel's case is being heard has responded positively to the arguments laid down by Ka Bel and his lawyers proving his innocence.

 

"We have much reason to believe that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself is adamantly against Ka Bel's release, and even without the prodding of her most twisted advisers led by  justice secretary Raul Gonzalez and national security chief Norberto Gonzales she insists on keeping Ka Bel out of circulation by keeping him detained," Silverio said.

 

Beltran's chief of staff further said that the international campaign for the release of Ka Bel continues to gain support and protests are being held in various Philippines embassies and consulates all over the world to press for the same.

 

"Mrs. Arroyo hasn't the least credibility to express even mere sympathy for Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi  and the Burmese people's struggle to bring democracy to their country. Under her leadership, Mrs. Arroyo has plunged the country back to the days of martial law where political activists and human rights advocates were hunted down and killed by paramilitary and military elements," Silverio concluded.#