HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Killing
Dissent
A total of 120
political activists and supporters of progressive party lists and people’s
organizations have been killed from January to October 26.
For the sake of human rights, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her
mean killing machine must be prevented from inflicting more harm on the
Filipino people.
BY THE Alliance for the Advance of People’s Rights
Posted by Bulatlat
Karapatan, an
alliance of human rights organizations, reports that a total of 120
political activists and supporters of progressive party lists and people’s
organizations have been killed from January to October 26,2005.
From September to
Oct. 15, an activist was killed every week. Karapatan cites October 25-26
however as the worse.
“It is enraging, alarming and deplorable that five persons were killed in
the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan within 24 hours,” said Ruth
Cervantes, Karapatan Public Information Officer.
Three of
those summarily executed belonged to militant organizations. Initial
reports that reached Karapatan indicate that Ricardo Ramos, CATLU
president was killed at around 9:30 p.m. of Oct. 25. Francisco Rivera of
Bayan Muna-Pampanga was shot dead with his two companions, Dr. Angel David
and Von John Maniti in the morning of Oct. 26 or some 12 hours after Ramos
was shot dead. At 5:30 p.m. the same day, Pedy De Leon of the transport
group Piston and Anakpawis-Bulacan was likewise shot dead.
Eighteen (18)
persons were killed in Central Luzon (12 Sept- 26 Oct), 12
of them were members of progressive party lists and people’s
organizations, the other six (6) were their supporters and
sympathizers.
The
assailants have yet to be identified but families of the victims have
strong suspicions that the military is behind the killing, especially
since there has been a rise in extra-judicial killings of members and
supporters of militant organizations after Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. was
transferred from Eastern Visayas where a similar pattern occurred.
“We
cannot blame the next of kin of the victims for believing that the
military, especially Gen. Palparan, could be behind the killings. The
general’s reputation precedes him, and that is not because of militant
organizations’ propaganda against him but because of documented cases of
rights violations wherever he went,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes asked, “Are we to believe the generals’ alibi that the rise in
killings of civilians branded by the AFP as being `enemies of the state’
in areas where he was assigned is only a coincidence?”
Cervantes challenged Gen. Generoso Senga, who said that Palparan’s
complicity in the killings of activists is yet to be investigated, “to
prove to the families of the victims that the AFP is not abetting human
rights violations by putting Gen. Palparan under preventive suspension and
subject him to an investigation.”
Human
rights groups picketed the office of the Department of National Defense (DND),
October 28, Friday morning, to press Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz to act
judiciously and help put a stop to the killings.
“If Mrs. Arroyo
continues to cling to power, more lives could be at stake. For the sake
of human rights, Mrs. Arroyo and her mean killing machine must be
prevented from inflicting more harm on the Filipino people.” Cervantes
concluded.
Posted by Bulatlat
List of political activists killed from September 1 to
October 26, 2005,
based on initial reports from KARAPATAN regional officers.
Name |
Age |
Affiliation |
Date of Incident |
Place of Incident |
Suspected Perpetrators |
Atty.
Norman Bocar |
57 |
BAYAN-Eastern Visayas |
September 1, 2005 |
Borongan, Samar |
Unidentified armed men on board a motorcycle |
Renier Cusio |
33 |
UMAGPAS-KMP |
Sept
12 (abducted)
Sept
16 (found dead) |
Guimba, Nueva Ecija |
5
elements of the 71st Infantry Battalion Philippine Army
under Lt. Viterbo and a certain Paul Serrano |
Leodegario Punzal |
41 |
Anakpawis Party List |
September 13, 2005 |
Norzagaray, Bulacan |
Elements of the 56th IBPA |
Diosdado Fortuna |
50 |
Union of Filipino Employees, Nestle workers' union |
September 22, 2005 |
Calamba, Laguna |
still unidentified assailants |
Victoria P. Samonte |
51 |
KMU-CARAGA |
September 30, 2005 |
Bislig City |
Unidentified man |
Armando Javier |
36 |
Anakpawis Party List |
October 2, 2005 |
Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija |
Elements of the 71st IBPA |
Priscilla "Celia" Esteban |
56 |
Bayan Muna |
Oct.
2 (abducted)
Oct 5 (found dead and mutilated) |
Guimba, Nueva Ecija |
Elements of the 71st IBPA under command of Col. Cayetano
and Lt. Madrid of the Charlie Company |
Rolando Mariano |
53 |
TARELCO Employees
Union
|
October 7, 2005 |
Gerona,
Tarlac |
Unidentified assailants |
Ponciano Silva |
54 |
Anakpawis Party List |
October 11, 2005 |
Unisan, Quezon |
Unidentified motorcycle-riding men |
Florante Collantes |
54 |
Bayan Muna |
October 15, 2005 |
Tarlac |
Unidentified motorcycle-riding man |
Bienvenido Capuno |
|
Central Luzon
Aeta Association |
October 20, 2005 |
Porac, Pampanga |
Elements of 24th Infantry Battalion |
Tito
Macabitas |
|
Bayan Muna |
October 20, 2005 |
San
Jose City, Nueva Ecija |
Unidentified men |
Bgy.
Capt. Rodante Bautista |
|
Bayan Muna |
October 24, 2005 |
La
Purisima, La Paz, Tarlac |
(verifying information) |
Ricardo Ramos |
|
CATLU |
October 25, 2005 |
Brgy.
Mapalacsiao, Tarlac |
(verifying information) |
Francisco Rivera |
|
Bayan Muna- Pampanga |
October 26, 2005 |
Angeles City, Pampanga |
Armed men on board a van and a back-up vehicle |
Federico de Leon |
53 |
Anakpawis Party List BTODA |
October 26, 2005 |
Malolos, Bulacan |
1
woman and 1 man who boarded his tricycle and another unidentified
perpetrator on board the tricycle tailing his vehicle. |
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