Activists protest 1st EJK in Batangas
By Tudla Prod

(November 9, 2010) Members of Karapatan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), Kilusang Mayo Uno and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas staged an indignation rally in front of the Gate 2 of the general headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to protest the killing of Batangas farmer Rene Rodriguez. Evan Hernandez of Hustisya said that Rodriguez is the first victim of political killing in Batangas and 7th in Southern Tagalog under the new Aquino administration.

On November 7, 8am, Rodriguez was riding his motorcycle from Coral to Balayan, Batangas. Initial fact finding revealed that two motorcycle riding men, one covered in white handkerchief and the other wearing helmet, followed Rodriguez and shot at him using a .45 caliber pistol. He sustained four gunshot wounds at the back and one each on his thigh, chest and head. He died on the spot. Rodriguez, 38 years old, was an active member of Samahan ng Magbubukid sa Batangas.

KARAPATAN and BAYAN Southern tagalong believes the killing to be politically motivated. Rodriguez and the Samahan ng Magbubukid sa Batangas are peasant activists fighting for land reform and against land grabbing in Batangas. The groups also believe that this operation was still part of the Oplan Bantay Laya launched by the previous administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and now adopted and extended by PNoy.

Protesters slam the continuation of political killings under the new administration which promised to “bring change” and lead the country to the “straight path”. PNoy’s government, only 100 days and 1 month old as of this killing, now has a human rights record of 17 political killings, 17 frustrated killings, 28 illegally arrested and at least 10 tortured.

The indignation rally, which started at almost 12nn, was drowned with Christmas songs blasting from the AFP sound system. The rally ended with the protesters hurling egg shells containing red paint at the AFP gates. KARAPATAN said the red paint is symbolic of blood staining the hands of the AFP, their culpability in the long list of political killings.
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