News Release
January 30, 2007
References: Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general, KMP
Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer
 
“Palparan should pay for his crimes!”-KMP
Gloria now using him as a scapegoat for the killings
 
The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called for the immediate punishment of retired Major General Jovito Palparan as being involved in the hundreds of killings in the country, according to the Gloria created Melo Commission itself.
According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “to gain some credibility and to project some semblance of independence the Melo Commission has singled out Palparan as one of the primary culprits behind the killings because his role in the extra-judicial killings are so obvious and his words so brazen that they can hardly ignore his complicity.
“But we maintain that it is the whole Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) apparatus itself with the blessings of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Cabinet Oversight Committee for Internal Security (COCIS) is the mastermind behind the killings through Oplan Bantay Laya and Palparan is just one of its most ardent implementers. Gloria now is using him as a scapegoat to say that she has concretely done something to stop the killings, but this is just a showcase because the killings still continue,” added Ramos.
“Palparan should also stop feigning innocence of his crimes, it is as clear as daylight that in every area he has been assigned, human rights violations and killings hit the ceiling. In Mindoro there had been 326 human rights violations and 80 killings during his stint from 2001-2003. In Eastern Samar 199 cases of killings, disappearances, harassment, torture and other violations were reported during his 6 month stay. And lastly in Central Luzon there were 136 abuses during his time there, 71 of these were summary executions, 5 massacres, 14 frustrated killings and 41 disappearances. Now how can he say that he is not responsible for this festival of killings?” asked the peasant leader.
“We also have many witnesses that could testify that his soldiers are involved in the killings in Mindoro, Eastern Samar and Central Luzon. He has no escape this time and he should be hauled to prison. But as expected the Melo Commission exonerated Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself and the AFP from their culpability to the killings. As can still be remembered in her last State of the Nation Address (SONA) Gloria even congratulated Palparan for a job well done, now for political expediency he is now her scapegoat. Palparan should be punished but Gloria and the COCIS should also be with him in jail,” ended Ramos. # # #