Arroyo government delusional of Oplan Bantay Laya’s success

Torture of 43 health workers, persecution of 7 indigenous farmers
Arroyo government delusional of Oplan Bantay Laya’s success

MANILA, Philippines - Farmers, indigenous peoples, human rights advocates and activists belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) and Tanggol Magsasaka (Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights) protested in front of the office of National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) in Quezon City to call for the release of 43 health workers and the end of political persecution of 7 indigenous farmers in Sta. Cruz town, Davao Del Sur. The groups believed that the illegal arrests and torture of 43 health workers in Morong, Rizal and the accusation of fabricated charges on 7 indigenous farmer leaders in Mindanao are all part of the government efforts to artificially substantiate accomplishments for Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL).

“The Arroyo government is desperately fabricating their so-called ‘accomplishments’ for OBL at the cost of destroying democracy, violating basic rights and sowing terror among the people,” said Wilfredo Marbella, KMP Deputy Secretary-General.

“Mrs. Arroyo and her fascist dogs thought that they could silence dissent by killing activists, torturing, forcedly disappearing them and filing of fabricated charges. They have done so on her early years, but the people’s movement was not cowed, instead, more and more people are joing the protests as they are fed up with Arroyo’s dictatorship and corrupt government,” he said.

To date, Tanggol Magsasaka recorded 561 farmers who fell victim of extra-judicial killings, 119 of them were leaders of KMP, 129 of enforced disappearances and scores suffering in jails nationwide. The group also said that farmers were the majority of victims of Oplan Bantay Laya.

“We strongly condemn the Arroyo government’s rule of fascist terror. The 43 health workers who consistently render services to farmers are innocent of what they are accused of. Their only crime was to serve the people because on the eyes of the military and Arroyo, helping people is a crime,” said Prof. Cesar Tolosa, Tanggol Magsasaka Co-convenor.

“I am a professor and a supporter of peasants’ struggle for genuine land reform, the military would certainly brand me as a member of the New People’s Army (NPA). All those who fight for democracy and social justice are NPAs to the military. They totally show their stupidity and ignorance of the democracy, law and due process. Those pea-brained military should not be holding firearms in the first place,” said Tolosa.

Both KMP and Tanggol Magsasaka also condemned the recent giving of awards to Col. Aurelio Baladad and Lt. Col. Jaime Abawag of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, also the recent reports that the military is interrogating and torturing some of the health workers to admit they were members of the NPA, deny the tortures, change counsels and refuse support from Karapatan. The groups reiterated their calls for the immediate release of the 43 health workers who are now in Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.

The groups are also calling for the end to political persecution of “Sta. Cruz 7” or the 7 indigenous farmers in Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur. They are local coordinators and members of Katribu Partylist and were accused by Corporal Bert Ulao of the 39th Infantry Battalion of the Phil. Army (IBPA) and Omo Tongon of the CAFGU unit of 72nd IBPA as being members of the NPA and connected on an ambush on the military on January 12 at Bgy. Coronon of the said town.

Accused were Gina Bernardo, Edgardo Piadopo, Pasing Lopez, Lino Lumana, Amy Elio, Cording Elacion and Benjie Paldas who were from Katribu Partylist, PASAKA, United Farmers Assoc. of Sta. Cruz, Fatulangon Farmers’ Assoc. and Urban Integrated Health Services Foundation, Inc. (UIHSFI).

“The military are indeed, agents of lies and deception. They are exploiting the justice system to persecute activists who oppose mining and logging projects in their region. Because of their struggle to protect the environment and interests of the people, they are being targeted by the government, in this case through ‘arrest and detention,’ an ingredient of OBL,” said Marbella.

“We call on all sectors to struggle against OBL. Today, the government may be targeting us, tomorrow it may be one of you,” said Marbella. #