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ROME CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF MORONG 43 AND
STOP EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING AND ABDUCTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
2010-11-22 15:03
The Ugnayan ng Manggagawang Migrante Tungo sa Pag-unlad (UMANGAT),
Migrante Roma, at Solidarity Movement (SOLIDMOVE) in cooperation with
MIGRANTE Europe organized a series of activity in connection with the
Europe tour of the film DUKOT (Desaparecidos).
The film Dukot drew much attention from the Filipino and non-Filipino
migrants and representatives of various international organizations in
Rome. They could hardly find any word to explain their emotions except a
word of condemnation to the spate of killings, abductions and illegal
detentions in the Philippines. They are calling the president of the
Philippines (P-Noy) to act immediately and to bring justice to the victims
of extra-judicial killings and abductions. They are calling for the
immediate release of the Morong 43. No amount of patience can appease the
growing anger of the people to the present government’s turtle-paced
justice (as one Pinoy commented jus tiis).
More than 250 people watched the premier of Dukot at Aula 7 Ospizio
Salesiano Sacro Cuore, Rome. Among those who watched the movie were the
families of the EJK victims (V. Mayor Jovy Magsino of Or. Mindoro, +2004
and V. Mayor Bienvenido Bajado of BAYAN Eastern Samar. Some local and
international personalities and representatives of the various
organizations in Rome were present during the viewing such as the Justice,
Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the International Union of
Superior Generals (IUSG), Council of Comune di Roma, Philippine embassy,
students of American University in Rome, etc. A Filipino indie film
director Arnel Mardoquio and a French film critic and Cannes Film Festival
jury Max Tessier were also present. The European tour of Dukot in Rome was
graced by the special participation of Ms. Gina Alajar, during the prescon
held two days before the premier; and Mr. Boni Ilagan, the scripwriter who
fearlessly responded to the questions of the Filipino masses and
international representatives during the fora (2) held every after the
showings.
During the prescon Ms. Gina Alajar and Boni Ilagan called the Filipino
migrants to unite and get involved in the campaign to stop HRVs in the
Philippines. “We should not lose hope since our hope is eternal and if we
don’t act now, when are we going to start … The Filipino migrants are also
victims of abductions (dinukot) because we left our homeland not because
of our own will but out of enforced circumstances, the social and economic
injustices.” Ms. Gina Alajar stressed also the fact that our struggle for
a just and peaceful society is a long but an enduring struggle as she did
it by herself in the series of film that she casted with socio-political
relevance.
Fr. Francesco O’Conaire, OFM, a JPIC-IUSG coordinator described the
pattern of EJK in the Philippines as the same in El Salvador during the
height of militarization where he worked for more than 15 years as
missionary. He even asked that the film be shown to the JPIC coordinators
in Rome, to let them know that HRVs in the Philippines is not yet over.
Mr. Boni Ilagan who is also a political detainee confirmed that the spate
of political killings and abductions during the regime of Gloria Arroyo is
orchestrated by certain elements of the AFP under the Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL)
national security program. The OBL is the main instrument used by the
government to deal with public dissent. The OBL does not distinguish an
armed rebel from an unarmed activists. With the new administration, the
HRVs are far from over since from July – October 2010, twenty-two victims
of EJK are recorded. Definitely, from all these cases the Philippine
government could not simply act like Pontius Pilate since he is
responsible.
The Rome premier was graced also by the presence of Mrs. Connie Empeno,
vice-president of Desaparecidos and the mother of the missing student
Karen Empeno, and Dr. Angie Gonzales, the coordinating secretary of the
International Coordinating Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICCHRP).
They joined during the third showing of Dukot in Rome at the American
University in Rome organized by the students of International Relations.
The students, professors and guests were surprised and dismayed by the
government’s passivity to the gruesome killings of the activists. One
former UN personnel commented that, since the Philippines is a strong ally
of the US, it will continue to deny or ignore the presence of HRVs. During
the forum, some members of Partito Comunista in Italia and Commitato
degli’Immigrati expressed their support to the campaign and promised to
bring the issue to the attention of the Italian government.
The migrants in Rome expressed alarm over the spate of killings and
illegal detention of the Morong 43. Migrants are aware that they are not
only doing sacrifices for their own families but for the nation as well,
and yet this is what they got – INJUSTICES. They are echoing their voice
to P-Noy to stop extra-judicial killings and abductions; justice to the
victims of HRVs and immediate release of the Morong 43. They also
expressed their concern by signing the postcards of M43 and sent it
directly to Malacanang while petition signing for their release are
continuously outpouring.
STOP EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS AND ABDUCTIONS
RELEASE THE MORONG 43 AND ALL POLITICAL DETAINEES
ONWARDS WITH THE PEACE TALK
LONG LIVE FILIPINO MIGRANTS IN ROME AND OF THE WHOLE WORLD ►►►
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Photos of the open forum that was held after the
successful film showing of the movie DUKOT , in Rome, Italy with the famas
nominated best scriptwriter Mr. Boni Ilagan as guest speaker. About 250
more or less ofws in Rome had watched the Film and other Foreign
nationals.
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