Media Release

14 March 2008

For reference: Kristian Mark Urbano, Public Information Officer (0928-398-8908)

Kamatuoran Lanao: Iligan Police GMA’s string-puppet

Iligan City—“Their lies are becoming obvious.”

This is the statement of Br. Roseal Cabatcha, TOR, convenor of Kamatuoran Lanao Coalition, referring to Iligan City Police for trying to prohibit the group today from launching the “Black Friday Protest” at the front of the City Post Office for not having a permit.

But the group said they have applied for permit on March 12, 2008 but was rejected by Police Senior Superintendent Virgilio Ranes because they (police) will be “having many activities this week and monitoring threats and criminalities (sic).”

“They said they are busy and this is the reason why they can’t provide the security, so the permit was denied, but why over a score of policemen in civilian clothes are here asserting the ‘no permit, no rally’ policy?” Brother Cabatcha emphasized.

Rallyists complained of police cruelty. “They are dragging our members because they said they want to interrogate them inside the police station,” said Kristian Mark Urbano, the group’s Public Information Officer.  “We were there (police station) these past two days but they gave us cold shoulders, and why force us now to stop the rally and go with them for a negotiation? Now, it’s not our fault,” he stressed.

The group also failed to secure a permit on their March 8 Women’s Day Rally because Superintendent  Ranes said “the issue is over.”  The Coalition cried foul and said it is not the police’ duty to rule on issues, and pursued their Walk for Truth in heavy rains.

“Now, their conscious effort to block protest actions is becoming crystal clear.  Mrs. Arroyo  has mobilized her fascist machinery up to the lowest level to ensure her stay in Malacanang.  And just like their crooked boss, Superintendent Ranes and his flocks are displaying their anti-democratic character by quelling people’s dissent over a hated regime,” Brother Cabatcha added.

Kamatuoran is a Mindanao-wide coalition of organizations calling for truth over the series of scandals wracking the Arroyo regime.  It is active in its call for the ouster of Mrs. Arroyo from her office for corruption, fascism and puppetry to United States.  Its local coalition in Lanao is composed mainly of religious groups and people’s organizations.

As the Holy Week approaches, today’s rally featured “Juan dela Cruz” carrying a cross of issues ranging from corruption, exra-judicial killings and other problems.   Kamatuoran Lanao Coalition convenor Sr. Minda Obnimaga, RGS, of the Sisters Association in Mindanao (SAMIN) said that this facet represents “the Filipino people’s heavy burden coming from the anti-people policies and deeds imposed by Mrs. Arroyo unto the Filipino people.” 

The group vows to hold similar protest actions in the future, “even devoid of permit,” the group said.###

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Church-Labor Solidarity Network
c/o Southern Mindanao District Conference,
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Brokenshire College
Davao City 8000


PRESS RELEASE
March 14, 2008


For Reference:
Fr. Benny Bacalso
Spokesperson, CLSN
Mobile No: 0919 799 9343

Enough of the Fraudulent and Corrupt President!
Stand for Truth, Justice and Meaningful Change!

The Church Labor Solidarity Network (CLSN) is a network of individual church people (priest, nuns, pastors, lay people, seminarians, church youth and women), ecumenical organizations, parishes and congregations, denominational or diocesan labor advocacy and social action programs, labor advocacy or research organizations, workers organizations and formations (unions, federations, coalitions, sentrong unyon).

The church people plays a vital role in supporting the struggles of workers to protect their basic rights as workers and as human beings to live with dignity, as mandated by the social creeds of all institutional churches.

 

Contrary to the claim of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales that the "worst of the political crisis is over" for her President, church and multi-sectoral groups are not over yet in demanding the Arroyo government to account for multiple accounts of corruption, gross
human rights violation and for bringing more economic hardships for the Filipino people.

Our protests will not be over until the worst thieves in power are held accountable for robbing the Filipinos of dignity and social well-being. Our protests are bound to continue as long as corruption from top to bottom inflicts injustice to our people. PCPR and Kasimbayan urge Filipinos to "commit ourselves to the calling of our nation: to seek truth, justice and deliverance from the sins of those in power," pertaining to the alleged
corruption done by those who were involved in the controversial ZTE-NBN deal, being investigated in the Senate today.

"Our people are virtually in a state of unending fasting in the face of government neglect and corruption. Majority of Filipinos suffer the worsening economic crisis as the Arroyo family and all those who benefited from anomalous contracts have pocketed billions of pesos
that could have provided decent housing, jobs, education and other basic services for the poor," Fr. Benny Bacalso, Spokesperson of ECLS said.

"As we remember the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us also remember the hundreds of our sisters and brothers who were persecuted, brutally killed and forcibly disappeared, as they stood up against the corruption and abuses of the Arroyo government," Fr. Benny Bacalso added.

In this season of Lent, let us have the courage to be set free from the sins of injustice, oppression, suppression and violence. Let us claim our right for the truth. Let us be in solidarity with those who risk their lives to bring significance to our own lives as a people, and to put pressure to this government to be truthful in its governance, respect the will of the people, and establish appropriate structures, not for their own interest, but for the common good. ###

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