News Release
January 18, 2008
Reference: Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, chairman, KMP and president, ANAKPAWIS party list
 
“Another peasant leader killed!”-KMP
Farmer supposed to participate in Mendiola Massacre commemoration activities
 
            The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the extrajudicial killing of its local leader in Masbate named Teldo Rebamonte, 45 of the Masbate People’s Organization.
 
            According to Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, chairman of KMP and concurrent president of ANAKPAWIS party list, “Government forces are once again trying to terrorize farmers not to stand up for their land and to give up their right to free speech. As what they did to us in the Mendiola Massacre, the military and the police continue to use violence against us peasants. We have witnesses to prove that it is the 5th Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police who were the ones who abducted him on January 12 then killed Ka Teldo last January 16. His body was found bruised and shows signs of torture at the hinterlands of Barangay Nabasagan, Concepcion in Claveria, Burias Island ,”
 
            “Ka Teldo was supposed to lead peasants in his community to the activities commemorating the Mendiola Massacre and to demand justice and land for the victims. It is very ironic and unexpected that he himself would be a victim of such a gruesome act at the hands of state forces,” said Mariano.
 
            “With his passing we will honor Ka Teldo and all the peasant martyrs with our march to Mendiola. All we want is land to the tiller and justice, why is it that the government always answer with guns and violence?” asked the peasant leader.
 
            “Another one of our leaders has given his life in the struggle for genuine agrarian reform, we owe it to him and other peasants who have gone before us to carry on, strengthen our resolve and continue the struggle,” ended Mariano. # # #