Philippines:
Murder of labor and progressive leaders condemned
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Luis Jalandoni of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines condemning the wave of assassinations carried out against trade union and other popular leaders by the U.S.-backed regime of President Arroyo.
NDFP CONDEMNS ARROYO-PALPARAN MURDER MACHINE
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines vigorously condemns the brutal murder last night of Hacienda Luisita union President Ric Ramos and the summary execution of Bayan Muna partylist member Rodante Bautista the day before. These successive killings follow the spate of extrajudicial executions that have alarmingly escalated since General Jovito Palparan took command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Central Luzon. Since September 2005, there have been more than two assassinations of progressives in Central Luzon every week. Now it has become a daily atrocity!
Since January 2001 the Arroyo regime must be held accountable for more than 400 extrajudicial executions of progressive partylist officers and members, lawyers, journalists, trade union leaders, peasants and fisherfolk, religious persons, indigenous people and others. Its most notorious butcher, General Jovito Palparan, leaves a path of blood wherever he goes. He has caused the numerous assassinations in Mindoro, Samar and Leyte, and now in Central Luzon. Despite all the evidence presented against General Palparan and the opposition of human rights organizations and even congressmen, Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo insisted in promoting him to higher positions. Confirmation of his appointment to Major General is being considered now by the Commission on Appointments. Those who openly opposed his appointment before, such as Eden Marcellana, were abducted, tortured and killed.
Palparan’s bloody record of human rights violations in Central Luzon is not new. He was already notorious for setting up death squads as provincial commander of the AFP in Pampanga from 1987-1993. Among victims of death squad killings were Atty. Ram Cura, Dr. Pat Santiago, Archie Simbulan and trade unionists Raul Quiroz and Simplicio Aninon. Two youth activists, Badjo Conrado and Corazon Lintag were abducted and never heard of again.
Thoroughly isolated from the people who are demonstrating throughout the country in their thousands demanding her ouster or resignation, accusing her of high crimes of electoral fraud, corruption, subservience to the U.S. and cruel repression, Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo desperately clings to power. Thousands of farmers went on a long march all the way to the vicinity of Malacañang to demand her ouster and condemn her anti-peasant, anti-people and anti-national policies. In the face of the people’s seething outrage, she has barricaded herself behind barbed wire, fire trucks and thousands of armed military and police.
Now she is unleashing her assassins through berdugos like General Palparan. The NDFP condemns the Arroyo-Palparan murder machine which is meant to terrorize the people and keep her in power. The blood of Ric Ramos, Rodante Bautista, Eden Marcellana, Eddie Gumanoy, Norman Bocar, Celia Esteban and hundreds of other victims of the Arroyo-Palparan murder machine cry out for justice. The Arroyo-Palparan murder machine must be stopped. This murderous rotten anti-people regime must be ousted!
LUIS G. JALANDONI
Chairperson
NDFP Negotiating Panel
26 October 2005
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