NEWS RELEASE – January 31, 2007
Reference: Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares, BAYAN MUNA Partylist Nominee – 0920-9509406
 
“Stop the killings! Prosecute the generals and Gloria Arroyo!”
BAYAN MUNA hits Camp Aguinaldo with lightning rally; calls for a stop to the killings
 
Top party-list Bayan Muna today joined peoples’ organizations BAYAN, COURAGE, Kalikasan Peoples Network for the Environment and the Health Alliance of Democracy (HEAD) in a lightning rally at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo to press for a stop to the extrajudicial killings of civilians and the prosecution of those responsible for the same.
 
“We would like to drive home the point that the Malacañang-appointed Melo Commission’s report weakens the people’s case against Jovito Palparan by saying he was merely negligent in failing to stop the killings. Moreover, command responsibility is not a criminal offense under Philippine law. Everywhere Palparan was assigned, killings and other human rights violations took place. These killings have continued even after Palparan’s retirement, indicating there is a state policy to perpetrate extrajudicial killings,” Atty. Neri Colmenares, Bayan Muna Partylist Nominee, said.
 
The Bayan Muna official added that “the report actually covers up the role of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as commander-chief of the AFP.”
 
“President Arroyo approved Oplan Bantay Laya, the policy which gives credence to the ongoing extrajudicial killings nationwide. She twice promoted and publicly praised Palparan for his terror tactics. Now AFP Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. muddles the issue further by saying only some soldiers had been involved in the killings of activists. Noticeably, there are no generals or field commanders in Esperon’s list. He even defends the likes of Palparan and Arroyo who refuse to acknowledge their ongoing role in Oplan Bantay Laya 2,” Colmenares said.
 
Activists have dubbed Palparan “the butcher” for the murders and abductions of leftists that occurred wherever he was assigned.
 
Palparan is accused of masterminding the killings of human rights workers Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, where he commanded the 204th Army Brigade in 2003.
 
The resulting controversy prompted Palparan's assignment to head the Philippine contingent to Iraq
 
When he returned to the country in mid-2004, Palparan was named commander of 8th Infantry Division based in the Eastern Visayas region and later to the 7th Infantry Division operating in Central Luzon .
 
“Extrajudicial killings and abductions of activists in the two regions happened during Palparan’s tour of duty and continue nationwide to this day.  Palparan and other high military officials are responsible for the extrajudicial killings in their areas of operation during their tours of duty. Arroyo and top defense officials in the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security have criminal responsibility since they direct and coordinate this campaign of suppression and killings. We will not stop in working for justice for those felled by the military,” Colmenares said. #