Still nursing cuts and bruises, 40-year-old peasant activist Orlando “Ka Orly” Marcellana was lucky enough not to suffer the same fate as that of his wife.

BY DENNIS ESPADA
Bulatlat
HUMAN RIGHTS
Vol. VII, No. 14 May 13-19, 2007

CALAMBA CITY, LAGUNA (52 kms. south of Manila) – Still nursing cuts and bruises, 40-year-old peasant activist Orlando “Ka Orly” Marcellana was lucky enough not to suffer the same fate as that of his wife.

Four years ago (in April 2003), Marcellana’s wife Eden, a human rights worker and secretary general of Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights)-Southern Tagalog, together with colleague peasant leader Eduardo “Eddie” Gumanoy were slain by suspected military agents while investigating alleged human rights violations in Oriental Mindoro.

The regional workers’ federation Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Pamantik-KMU or Unity of Workers in Southern Tagalog-May First Movement) reported that on May 10, Marcellana was riding a passenger jeepney after attending a meeting held inside their office in Barangay (village) Sala, Cabuyao, Laguna (43 kms. south of Manila) when he noticed two motorcycle-riding men wearing bonnets tailing him at around 3:00 p.m. He was on his way to the regional headquarters of Bayan Muna (People First) located in Barangay Anos in Los Baños, Laguna (62 kms. south of Manila)
The motorcycle driver was wearing a helmet and a brown jacket, Marcellana recalled. When the jeepney stopped at a Caltex gasoline station to refuel, another pair of bonnet-wearing men riding a motorcycle came, but this time one of them was carrying an M-16 armalite rifle.

Sensing danger, he quickly jumped out of the jeepney and ran to a nearby community. Unfortunately, some bystanders in the area mistook him for a cell phone snatcher and chased him. He entered a house to take refuge and tried to explain to its owner that he was under threat but the latter pulled out a knife, prompting him to go out. He was mauled by at least 10 men.

“They only stopped when I shouted that I am from Anakpawis (Toiling Masses),” said Marcellana who is the eight nominee of the said party-list group seeking a second term in the forthcoming national and local elections.

Marcellana is also the secretary-general of the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Association of Peasant Organizations in Southern Tagalog or Kasama-TK), national council member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or Philippine Peasant Movement) and chairman of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance)-Southern Tagalog.

Anakpawis denounced the attempt on Marcellana’s life, the recent arrest of Vicente Borja and abduction of Nilo Arado, both regional coordinators of the party-list group in Leyte and Panay respectively.

The groups Bayan Muna and Anakpawis have been targets of intensifying extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo administration.

Since 2001, Karapatan has recorded a death toll of more than 840 and more than 190 victims of forced disappearances nationwide. (Bulatlat.com)

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