NDFP
SALUTES AND PAYS THE HIGHEST RESPECTS
TO
THE MAWAB FOUR MARTYRS
The National
Democratic Front of the Philippines salutes and pays the highest respects to
the Mawab Four Martyrs, Godofredo "Ka Paking" Guimbaolibot, Rodolfo
"Ka JR" Jubahib, Engr. Edwin Asion, and Mariano Diamante.
We convey our
deepest condolences to their families, comrades and friends. We grieve with
them and share their pain caused by the brutal torture and murder perpetrated
by the reactionary armed forces of the Estrada regime at Mawab, Campostela in
Mindanao on August 2, 1999.
In mortal fear of
the revolutionary movement and its growing strength, especially with
particular hatred for Ka Paking and the New People’s Army, the reactionary
armed forces of the Estrada regime perpetrated this monstrous violation of
human rights and international humanitarian law.
Beset by a rapidly
worsening economic and political crisis, the Estrada regime is escalating the
brutal repression of the people and carrying out a policy of murdering
suspected members and sympathizers of the revolutionary movement. The Mawab
Four Massacre is the latest in a series of extrajudicial executions and
murders of NPA fighters who are hors de combat and of civilians suspected of
supporting the revolutionary movement. The killing of Myra Algarme while
bathing in a river in Pagadian on January 17, 1999, the death of Domingo
Baluncio, one hour after being taken by AFP troopers in Bato, Camarines Sur on
December 7, 1998 and the salvaging of Ricardo Ilustre who was wounded and
raising his arms in Dingalan, Aurora on June 9, 1998 fall within the pattern
of extrajudicial executions carried out by the reactionary armed forces.
The brutal torture
and salvaging of the Mawab Four cry out for justice. Their martyrdom shall not
be in vain. For the courage and heroism of our martyrs are an inexhaustible
source of strength and inspiration in our long and arduous struggle for
justice and freedom.
Luis Jalandoni
Member, NDFP
National Executive Committee
9 August 1999