PNP Widens Dragnet
BY BULATLAT
Posted 7:05 p.m. Mar 14, 2006
Officers of the political organization
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) slammed today
witness Jaime B. Fuentes and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for
dragging the names of the group’s leaders into the list of supposed
government destabilizers.
This came as the PNP presented Fuentes
during the preliminary hearing yesterday of the Batasan 5. The witness, a
self-confessed former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP),
accused Bayan and its member-organizations as legal organizations of the
CPP/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP/NPA/NDFP).
In his affidavit, Fuentes claimed that
upon his release from detention in 1986, he worked as chief security
officer of Vicente Ladlad and Randal Echaniz, which enabled him to
accompany them in meetings. The witness also claimed the two are members
of the underground movement.
Fuentes said he witnessed the two in
several meetings with 13 persons allegedly planning a 100-day campaign to
overthrow the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. The campaign,
Fuentes said, would culminate on May 1, Labor Day.
In his statement emailed to media,
Ladlad said he met Fuentes during the release of political detainees in
1986 but never heard from him since. “He has been suddenly resurrected by
the government to play a part in the inquisition mainly directed against
the progressive parties, organizations and personalities,” Ladlad said
Ladlad said that all accusations
against him are lies and fabrications. “The false charges are part and
parcel of a badly scripted plot to persecute progressives and other people
who are critical of the Arroyo government,” he said.
Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes
said his group found the surfacing of Fuentes very suspicious. But Reyes
said the allegations of the supposed witness are incredible and will not
stand in court. “This is one more move to attack, harass and suppress the
most effective and decisive force that vows to oust the president from
Malacañang,” he said.
“We are concerned that the
administration has embarked on a vilification campaign aimed at linking
legal groups to the armed movement. This is dangerous because it makes us
open targets for the military and police,” he said.
Gabriela Secretary General Emmi de
Jesus said that the government is widening its dragnet. “After attempting
to repress and silence progressive party list organizations such as Bayan
Muna (People First), Anakpawis (Toiling Masses), and Gabriela Women’s
Party, it is now targeting mass-based people’s organizations.
“Macapagal-Arroyo is running amuck because it has nowhere to turn to for
support. This government is now totally isolated from the people,” she
said. Bulatlat
The following list of names and their
supposed affiliations was directly lifted from the affidavit of Fuentes:
- Vicente Ladlad aka “Vic”
- Randal Echanes aka “Lando” at “Ka
Randy”
- Rafael Baylosis aka “Ka Raffy”,
External Liaison for Political Affairs of KMU
- Satur Ocampoaka “Satur”, Party-List
Representative of Bayan Muna
- Teodoro Casiño aka Ka “Teddy”,
Party-List Representative of Bayan Muna
- Rafael Mariano aka Ka “Paeng”,
Party-List Representative of Anakpawis
- Liza Maza aka Ka “Liza”, Party-List
Representative of Anakpawis
- Crispin Beltran aka Ka “Bel”,
Party-List Representative of Anakpawis
- Carol Pagaduan-Araullo aka “Carol”,
Chairwoman of Bayan
- Renato Reyes aka “Nato”, General
Secretary of Bayan
- Joel Maglungsod aka Ka “Joel”,
General Secretary of KMU
- Danilo Ramos aka Ka “Daning”,
Secretary General of KMP
- Emy de Jesus aka Ka “Emy”,
Secretary General of Gabriela
- Rita Baua aka Ka “Rita”,
International Department of Bayan
- Rosemarie Lubi aka Ka “Tita”,
Member Finance Committee of the CPP/NPA/NDF and Executive Director of
“KODAO” Productions
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© 2006 Bulatlat
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