Fisherfolk Group Files P20-M Libel Rap vs. Palparan

Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. may have thought he could get away with branding every legal activist he sets his eyes on as a “communist.” But a militant fisherfolk group he recently accused of recruiting for the clandestine New People’s Army (NPA) has come forward and let him taste what may be the first libel suit against him to arise from his Red-baiting.

BY GERRY ALBERT CORPUZ
Bulatlat

Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. may have thought he could get away with branding every legal activist he sets his eyes on as a “communist.” But a militant fisherfolk group he recently accused of recruiting for the clandestine New People’s Army (NPA) has come forward and let him taste what may be the first libel suit against him to arise from his Red-baiting.

The fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya or National Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organizations in the Philippines) last week filed a P 20-million libel case against Palparan at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

”We file this libel case to assert our legitimate and moral standing in the Philippine society as legal association of marginal fisherfolk across the country and expand the people’s theater in search for truth, justice and accountability,” the militant group stated in its complaint.

The multi-million peso libel case filed by Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap against the Army major general stemmed from statements issued by Palparan against the militant fisherfolk federation last July 1 accusing leaders and members of Pamalakaya and party-list group Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) in Bulacan were creating trouble in the province through intimidation and recruitment of civilians to the clandestine New People's Army, as well as seizing or extorting P50,000.00 ($958.59 based on a $1:P52.16 exchange rate) monthly from fishpond owners.

Palparan, who was interviewed by Inquirer Central Luzon reporter Tonette Orejas, and
whose statements were published in the July 2 edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer said it was necessary to single out Pamalakaya and Anakpawis in the counter-insurgency campaign of the military.

But in its nine-page libel complaint against Palparan, Pamalakaya asserted that its image and stature was tarnished, and its reputation defamed when Palparan assailed the group before the public.

”Aside from the fact that there is no truth to the statement of respondent Palparan, the same constitutes the crime of libel,” the group stated. “It is a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or an act, condition, status and circumstance that caused the dishonor, discredit, and contempt of Pamalakaya.”

The complainants further stated: “Moreover, it exposes the officials, organizers, and members of Pamalakaya into grave dangers of their lives, security, and safety. It exposes them into (sic) the dangers of extra-judicial killings, abductions, threats and harassment, which were (sic) unabated to date and where the perpetrators thereof, commonly believed to be the military or their agents, have not been brought into (sic) the bars of justice.”

Pamalakaya further asserted that Palparan’s “libelous escapade” had in fact destroyed the honor, prestige, reputation, and advocacy works of their group.

The militant group said Palparan’s “vilification and demonization campaign” likewise “placed Pamalakaya and their leaders, organizers and members in bad light as the statement of respondent Palparan depicted them as extortionists and ruthless criminals,” which it said they are not.

"The damage caused by the statement of respondent Palparan to Pamalakaya, although incapable of pecuniary estimation maybe rightfully pegged and quantified to amount to (P20 million),” Pamalakaya’s complaint stated.

36 provincial chapters

Pamalakaya has 36 provincial chapters across the country. It has a total membership of 80,000 as of its last congress in 2002. The federation was formed on December 7, 1987 and registered on Sept. 7, 1989 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit organization of small fisherfolks.

As a federation, Pamalakaya has chapters in Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales and La Union in Central and Northern Luzon. In Southern Luzon, Pamalakaya has chapters in Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Palawan, Marinduque and Romblon, and in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate. In the Visayas, Pamalakaya has provincial chapters in Leyte and Southern Leyte, Samar, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo and Aklan. In Mindanao, Pamalakaya has chapters in Sarangani, General Santos, Davao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga del Sur.

”Pamalakaya’s leadership, proven record of advocacy and accountability since its inception has made the fisherfolk alliance one of the most sought and respected organizations not only in the Philippines, but as well (as) abroad,” the group stated.

Prize from peers

Further emphasizing its legal and moral standing here and abroad, Pamalakaya cited the plaque of appreciation the Congress for People’s Agrarian Reform (CPAR) had granted to the fisherfolk group for its outstanding advocacy in defending the socio-economic and political rights of the country’s rural folk.

Pamalakaya stated that from the 1990s to the present, the United Nations (UN) has
been very consistent in inviting the group either as delegate or resource group on discussions about the UN Law of the Sea. The same applies to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which regularly invites the group in any of its world meetings and institutional affairs.

”Please allow us to inform Mr. Palparan and the ruling military syndicate in Malacañang that the United Nations in some occasions had funded our exposure trips abroad like in New York, Rome and Rio de Janiero because of the prestige gained by our group in its 20 year of local and international advocacy work and patriotic service to the Filipino people,” the group stated.

Recently, Pamalakaya was elected as regional council member of the India-based World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP), the biggest fisherfolk organization in the world, whose members include big fisherfolk and fish workers associations in Asia, Southeast and Central Asia, Europe, North and South America. The federation has also been a regular invitee to Turin, Italy-based Tierra Madre, a global alliance of independent food producers representing over 200 countries and agricultural communities.

On the homefront, Pamalakaya is regularly invited by national government offices such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); as well as the House of Representatives and the Senate to shed light on issues concerning agriculture and fisheries. Bulatlat

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