Bayan Muna Pays Tribute to Martyrs in Miting de Avance

Bayan Muna’s miting de avance last May 6 was not just a miting de avance. Of course there were the expected speeches, but it was also an occasion for a fitting tribute to its martyrs since 2001, numbering 41 as of last April 28.

By Alexander Martin Remollino
Bulatlat.com

The miting de avance of the progressive party-list group Bayan Muna (BM, People First), held last May 6 at the Quezon City Hall grounds, was also an occasion for paying tribute to its martyrs. On the stage 41 persons - including its national president and first nominee Satur Ocampo - carried a placard each bearing the name of a BM martyr, while famed alternative musician Jess Santiago rendered a deeply moving song about love of country.

Just eight days before, a BM coordinator had been killed in Pagbilao, Quezon, several kilometers south of Manila. Rogelio Perez, 40, BM sectoral coordinator, was shot by suspected soldiers of the 415th Infantry Brigade which is based in the town of Candelaria in the same province. He died on the spot. His wife Cristina, secretary-general of BM’s Pagbilao chapter, who was with Rogelio was wounded and had to be brought to the hospital; she was reported to be in stable condition last May 4.

Poet-musician Jess Santiago leads tribute to Bayan Muna martyrs with a heart-rending song.   Photo by Arkibong Bayan

Rogelio Perez, as of last April 28, is the 41^st BM member to be killed since April 15, 2001, based on the party-list group’s own report. The BM report further reveals that the perpetrators of the killings were either soldiers or members of paramilitary groups. Six of the killings—including that of lawyer Juvy Magsino, vice mayor of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro—had taken place during the campaign period.

Government “fear”

BM secretary-general Nathanael Santiago, who spoke at the miting de avance, said the killings of BM officials and coordinators by government forces reflect the state’s fear of the party-list group and its allied parties which are now also seeking posts in Congress.

“The government, which is monopolized by big businessmen and landlords, is stricken with fear at the difference that Bayan Muna is making,” he said.

Although numbering only three, BM’s representatives in the 12^th Congress—Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran, and Liza Maza—were able to use the House of Representatives as an added venue to the “parliament of the streets” for airing people’s concerns. Through alliance work with mainstream politicians, they were able to make a good number of their bills—such as one legislating a P125 wage increase—reach committee levels in House deliberations.

BM, consistent with its record in the 2001 election, has been topping opinion surveys for party-list preference. The latest survey by Pulse Asia, covering the period April 26-29, shows BM to have garnered 19.2 percent of total respondents’ votes. Observers say this makes BM virtually sure of winning three seats in the 13^th Congress.

Santiago also scored Rep. Etta Rosales of Akbayan—a party-list group whose nominees to the 13^th Congress include a government peace negotiator—for arguing that BM is being attacked by the military because of its refusal to condemn the armed struggle waged by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), thus echoing arguments by military spokespersons. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has openly branded BM as a front organization of the NPA.

“Even if we are engaged in a legal form of struggle for social change,” Santiago said, “why should Bayan Muna condemn those who saw it fit to engage in other forms of struggle?”

“Are we to condemn those of our countrymen who were pushed by this rotten system to take to the hills and take up arms in an effort to change their lot?,” Santiago added. “If so, then we might as well condemn the 1896 Revolution and other struggles in many parts of the world which seek to end state violence!”

The AFP, BM members say, has been found to be campaigning for Akbayan. Last May 5, BM filed a case before the Commission on Elections urging the poll body to stop the military from engaging in partisan politics.

Program

Other speakers in the program were BM national president Reynaldo Lesaca, who discussed the achievements of BM; and House nominee Teddy Casiño, who spoke on the party-list group’s history.

Ocampo shared BM’s experiences on the campaign trail, while legal counsel and nominee Neri Colmenares talked of the challenges to BM on election day and the need to secure the party-list group’s votes from fraud.

A number of politicians whose candidacies are being endorsed by BM—including Sen. Loren Legarda who is running for vice president—spoke at the miting de avance. Others were senatorial bets Carlos Padilla III, Heherson Alvarez, and Pia Cayetano, and Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte who is running for reelection.

Others, like senatorial candidates Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and Robert Jaworksi, who are also being endorsed by BM, sent their representatives to deliver their statements of support.

Senatorial contender Rodolfo Biazon went on stage to express his appreciation for BM.

There were a number of cultural performances. Aside from Jess Santiago, other performers included The Jerks, Sining Bugkos, Kalantog, The Teknik Movers, and John Arcilla.

The participants in the activity—numbering about 5,000—massed up at a little before 5 p.m. in front of the Bantayog ng mga Bayani and marched to the Quezon City Hall grounds a few minutes later.  The program, which was emceed by noted writer and University of the Philippines professor Joi Barrios, lasted well beyond 10 p.m. After the program the participants and spectators were treated to a fireworks display. Bulatlat.com

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