By JACINTO LINGATONG
Bulatlat.com
SAN PABLO, Laguna — Karapatan Southern Tagalog (ST) condemned the recent wave of arbitrary arrests and detentions of peace consultants, labor leaders, and peasant organizers, describing the charges as baseless and politically motivated.
The arrests occurred while those detained were involved in relief efforts amid the devastation caused by Typhoon Kristine across Southern Tagalog.
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Wigberto Villarico and companion Marjory Lizada were arrested on Oct. 24, 2024 in Fairview, Quezon City. Joint forces from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Task Force Katagalugan and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted the operation.
Villarico was reportedly accused of being “Danilo Benjamin Mendoza” whom the AFP claims to be the acting chairperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Karapatan ST stressed the troubling history behind this allegation. In 2012, the AFP arrested and detained security guard Rolly Mira Panesa, accusing him of being the same “Danilo Benjamin Mendoza.” After enduring severe torture and a year of illegal detention, Panesa was cleared when the courts ruled that he was not Mendoza.
Karapatan ST said that Villarico’s arrest is a way to collect the P5.6-million bounty on Mendoza’s head, exposing the AFP’s questionable practices and recycled accusations.
Villarico’s arrest follows the recent detention of other NDFP peace consultants. Simeon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan of the Cordillera People’s Democratic Front and Porferio Tuna who were also arrested on Oct. 21. Rights groups said that this is in violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). The latter, signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and NDFP, guarantees protection for peace consultants against arrest, harassment, and intimidation during peace negotiations.
Labor leaders and peasant organizers also targeted
Labor leaders have also come under attack in Southern Tagalog.
In the morning of Oct. 27, the AFP and PNP arrested Gavino Panganiban, campaign director of Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU), and Maritess David, labor organizer for the Organized Labor Association in Line Industries and Agriculture (OLALIA-KMU), in Makati City.
The two were reportedly coordinating relief efforts for communities affected by Typhoon Kristine when they were arrested and detained.
In Oriental Mindoro, peasant organizers Kelvin Joaquin and Bong Fran were similarly arrested on Oct. 24 while distributing aid to farmers in Barangay Hagupit, Bongabong.
Karapatan ST reported that the arrests were carried out by a coalition of police and military units, including the 76th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Police Mobile Force Battalion.
Weaponization of terror laws
Karapatan ST criticized the escalating use of arrests under anti-terrorism laws, noting that these acts undermine civil liberties and hinder peace talks between the GRP and NDFP.
The group said that the government’s counter-insurgency operations are falsely portrayed as successes through the detention of activists and community leaders.
The human rights organization noted that these recent arrests show lack of sincerity from the Marcos Jr. administration regarding peace negotiations. Nearly a year ago, the GRP and NDFP signed a joint statement to explore peace talks, yet state forces continue to violate agreements such as JASIG and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
Call for immediate release and justice
Karapatan ST has called for the release of Villarico, Lizada, Panganiban, David, Joaquin, and Fran, as well as the dismissal of the charges against them. The group is urging the public to remain vigilant and mobilize in support of those unjustly detained.
“The continued weaponization of terror laws under the Marcos Jr. regime demonstrates a preference for ruling through fear rather than seeking genuine peace with social justice,” Karapatan ST said.
The group also demanded accountability from the Marcos administration for what it called “ongoing human rights violations,” and called on the local and international community to act in solidarity with those facing repression. (JJE, DAA)
