Olayvar had been the chairperson of BAYAN-Bohol and vice chairman of BAYAN-Central
Visayas since 2003. He served as secretary-general of Hugpong sa
Mag-uumang Bol-anon's (HUMABOL/ Bohol Peasant Organization) from 1997 to
2000, and the group's chairperson from 2000 to 2003.
Karapatan
records show that five activists have been killed since President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo formed the Melo Commission to investigate the political
killings and abductions. Dr. Carol Araullo, Bayan chairperson said, "The
Melo Commission proves to be toothless. The perpetrators continue with
their killing spree."
Araullo
said that the formation of the Melo Commission was for mere propaganda.
"Arroyo has been compelled to do something if only to appease the families
of the victims and to ease the rage over the spate of political killings.
In reality, there is a national policy of annihilation against the
activists and the Filipino people in general. Mrs. Arroyo knows this and
has approved of this policy."
Araullo
added, "Praising Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. is tantamount to
emboldening other state agents to commit human rights violations. Mrs.
Arroyo has in fact absolved Palparan of any wrongdoing despite enormous
cases of human rights abuses."
Meanwhile,
Renato Reyes Jr., Bayan secretary general, announced that their group will
be holding a protest to mark the 34th anniversary of martial law on Sept.
21. "We will stand up against the new dictatorship of the Arroyo regime."
Reyes said
there will be protests in the country's major cities and in more than six
other countries. Bulatlat
