Kapunongan Alang sa Ugma sa Gagmay’ng Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
Door 9. Ancheta Comp., Siliman Extension, Dumaguete City ;
Email add: kaugmaonkmp@yahoo.com Tel # 422-6721

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NEWS RELEASE
18 June 2009

LORICO’ s Tribute Set tonight

The leader of militant peasant group Kahugpongan Alang sa Ugma sa Gagmay’ng Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros (KAUGMAON) Fermin Lorico who was shot to death by members of suspected 79th IB death squad in Dumaguete City after leading an Anti Con Ass Rally last June 10 will be given a tribute by his fellow farmers and cause oriented groups from the local, Central Visayas and National Offices.

Lorico’s tribute night will be held 7PM today at Bayawan City Catholic Church since he is a respected Lay Minister of the said Parish.

Anakpawis Represantative and National Chairperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Rafael “Paeng” Mariano and KMP Secretary General Danilo “Daning” Ramos will grace the said event.

Statements from international human rights organizations and other concerned groups flooded KAUGMAON mails to condemn and mourn with the family and comrades of Lorico which further reiterate how respected and loved Lorico is.

Friday 2PM, Lorico’s remains will be marched towards its resting place at Bayawan City Cemetery.

KAUGMAON together with the other mourning groups reiterated that Lorico’s death will fuel their fearless principles to continue their fight for a genuine land reform.

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For Other Details, Please Contact:
Juliet Ragay
Auditor
KAUGMAON

 

PRESS RELEASE
June 15, 2009
REFERENCE:
ROY MORILLA, KMP Public Information Officer (63-905-421-7305)

Groups condemn leader's extra-judicial killing at intelligence agency's office, urged presidentiables to support call for justice

The militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Tanggol Magsasaka (Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights), together with Pamalakaya-Pilipinas, Amihan (peasant women), UMA (agri-workers), NNARA-Youth (student advocates) and Anakpawis Partylist, condemned the brutal killing of anti-Charter Change (Chacha) peasant leader, Fermin Lorico, at the gates of National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) at V. Luna Road, Quezon City. Lorico is the chair of Kaugmaon (KMP Negros Oriental) who was killed last June 10, after their anti-Chacha rally in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental coinciding with the Ayala rally in Manila.

The group brought life-size pictures of Lorico, labelling him as the 118th KMP leader victimized by extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo regime. They also re-enacted the crime scene where Lorico was left kneeling with 2 gunshot wounds on the nape. Kaugmaon leaders believed that the perpetrators were agents of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army as they were seen monitoring the anti-Chacha rally before Lorico was killed.

"We know that extra-judicial killings (EJK) is a major part of Oplan Bantay Laya 2 (OBL2), the counter-insurgency program of the Arroyo government and a brainchild of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, and this office (NICA) is one of the major implementor of OBL2. Ka Fermin is the 118th KMP leader killed and 553rd victim of EJK since Mrs. Arroyo grabbed power in 2001, thus, we condemn this to the fullest as we are being killed one by one," opened Antonio Flores, KMP Spokesperson and Co-convenor of Tanggol Magsasaka.

"Ka Fermin still joined us at the Rural People's Camp-out for Genuine Land Reform and Against Charter Change at the House of Representatives, last April, and now he's dead, killed by the Arroyo government. The Arroyo regime should be held liable for his death and of all the victims of extra-judicial killings in the country," added Flores.

In addition, it has been reported that Senator Mar Roxas, while in Cebu on the celebration of the independence day, called for a senate probe on Lorico's killing.

"We welcome Sen. Roxas statement, but we are waiting for their concrete actions, we urge those planning to run for president, such as Sen. Manny Villar, Mayor Jejomar Binay, Vice President Noli de Castro, Sen. Loren Legarda, and even those running for senators that they should be doing beneficial to the people right now, as a president's human rights policy is of grave concern to us, we will never support who is not against human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, he or she should support our call for justice for all the victims of extra-judicial killings, victims of human rights abuses," Flores called.

"Ka Fermin is against Charter Change and for Genuine Land Reform, particularly the passage of House Bill 3059 Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB), he was killed as he leads his fellow peasants in Negros Oriental. This is the legacy of the Arroyo government, Arroyo dictatorship, killing those who struggles for the interest of the people, those presidentiables who would ignore our call for justice should forget about asking support from the peasants nationwide," Flores declared.#

FACTSHEET#09002-nor:
 

Soldiers execute two abducted peasants

VIOLATIONS : KILLING (Summary Execution)
ABDUCTION

VICTIM/S : Ronel Raguing, 25, resident of Sitio Sinamohe, Brgy. Talalak, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental

Julito Quirante, 48, married, resident of Sitio Magsarse, Brgy. Omanod, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental

PERPETRATOR : suspected elements of the 79th Infantry Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. Erwin Neri

MOTIVE : Suspected members of the NPA

PLACE : Sitio Kalabasaan, Brgy. Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina

DATE : 31 January & 01 February, 2009

ACCOUNTS : Julito left home on January 31, 2009 to loan corn from his cousin Francisco Namoco in Sitio Buwang, Brgy. Milagrosa, Sta.Catalina, Negros Oriental.

On the other hand, Ronel went to his farm to harvest some vegetables and pumpkins on 01 February, 2009. He had intended to sell these in Sitio Lag-asan, Brgy. Nagbin-lod, Sta. Catalina.

Those were the last time their loved ones were to see them.

Witnesses said they were picked up by soldiers in Sitio Kalabasaan, Brgy. Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental and brought to a wooded area. They were not seen with the soldiers when the latter came out.

Initial efforts of the families to locate their kin were steadfast but fruitless. The families then asked assistance from police on 20 February 20, 2009. No actions were taken.

The families finally approached KARAPATAN, which launched a fact finding mission on 27 February, 2009 at Sitio Kalabasaan, Brgy. Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina. The mission stayed in the area until witnesses came forward to pinpoint the site where the victims were brought by the soldiers.

EXHUMATION : On 10 March, 2009, a team of NBI-7 agents led the exhumation at about 2PM in So. Junob, Brgy. Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina. At about 4PM, two male bodies were found. They were in an advanced stage of decomposition. The hands of both bodies were tied behind their backs.

The families of Ronel and Julito identified them through their apparel and the sack that belonged to Julito.

At about 6PM of 09 March, 2009, the bodies were brought to Clarin Funeral Parlor in Poblacion, Sta. Catalina. As of 8:45PM, they were still waiting for an autopsy.

Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
KARAPATAN-CENTRAL VISAYAS
 

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Promotion of Church People’s Response
____________ ___Negros Oriental____ _________ _

Breaking News
9 March 2009

Bodies of 2 missing KAUGMAON farmers exhumed in Sta. Catalina

Human rights groups KARAPATAN and Promotion of People’s Response (PCPR) assisted by the forensic experts of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 exhumed 4 P.M. today two male bodies in Sitio Junob, Barangay Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina identified to be the two farmers who were reported missing since January 31 and February 1..

Although in a state of decomposition, the families of Ronel Raguing, 25 and Julito Quirante, 48 were able to identify the bodies as their missing kin through their garments and the sako bag buried with them.

Raguing and Quirante were hog-tied and suffered from still to be determined injuries. NBI is currently conducting autopsy and other post-mortem examinations to ascertain the cause/s of their death.

According to witnesses, the two farmers were arrested by Army troopers based in Nagbinlod, Sta Catalina in February 2 and brought to the forest. Upon returning from their combat operation Raguing and Julito are longer with them.

The families of victims earlier reported and seek help from Sta Catalina PNP the disappearance of Raguing and Quirante but no concrete action was made. ###

For More Information, Contact:

JOSEPH LAGORRA
PCPR- Negros Oriental
09236586342