Hero’s Final Rites for Slain 
Vice Mayor, HR Activist

When Bulatlat.com first tried to interview residents of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro  regarding the killing of Naujan’s activist vice mayor Juvy Magsino, no one would say outright whom they suspect masterminded the violence. The town was wrapped in fear, the residents were filled with tension. But when human rights leader Irein Cuasay shouted at the necrological service for Magsino, “Panahaon na, mga taga-Naujan, na isigaw natin ang iniipit nating damdamin!” and charged that Naujan Mayor Norberto Mendoza and Col. Fernando Mesa of the 204^th Brigade were involved in the killing, the 5,000-strong crowd rose and gave her a thunderous applause.

BY DABET CASTAÑEDA
Bulatlat.com

CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro — Juvy Magsino, 34, a human rights lawyer and native of Naujan, was shot dead, together with human rights leader Leima Fortu, on Feb. 13 in Barangay (village) Amuguis, Naujan. She was running for mayor in the May elections under the Lakas party and endorsed by the militant Bayan Muna (People First). Fortu was the acting secretary-general of the human rights group Karapatan-Oriental Mindoro.

Magsino and Fortu were the 34^th and 35^th victims of extra-judicial executions in Mindoro island over the past three years. They also became the 41^st and 42^nd Bayan Muna members killed all over the country. Human rights groups have linked the military and police forces to the killings. In all counts, government authorities issued denials.

Magsino had been receiving death threats, said her family. One of them, a text message sent to Magsino’s cell phone, said she would not live beyond Feb. 15.

Farmers from different towns of Oriental Mindoro, most of whom Magsino helped in various cases of land disputes and human rights violations, attended her funeral on Feb. 21. Bayan Muna officials led by Rep. Satur Ocampo and representatives of militant organizations in Southern Tagalog also attended.

A necrological service was held at the Mena G. Valencia Gymnasium in Naujan from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The crowd continuously chanted “Justice for Vice Mayor” and “We love Mayor Juvy.”  Magsino’s father, who has a delicate heart condition, reportedly almost suffered a heart stroke, as he cried and cursed, charging that it was the military that killed his daughter.

Magsino was buried Feb. 21 in the municipal cemetery of Kalinisan, Naujan while Fortu was buried in Calapan in the same province.

People’s hero

A 100-vehicle caravan took Magsino’s remains from the gymnasium to the Naujan cemetery. About 5,000 crowd attended the program that paid tribute to the feisty lawyer and later proceeded to the cemetery. More than half of them were farmers from the towns of Bongabon, Victoria, Naujan, Soccoro and Calapan.

The last night of the wake saw around 400 persons joining the family despite the heavy rains. They included local government officials and employees and members of the Naujan Employees Multipurpose Cooperative.

Earlier, members of militant groups in Southern Tagalog arrived to attend the wake. From the Calapan pier, their caravan proceeded to the provincial hall and held a brief program wherein speakers took turns criticizing the alleged lack of response from provincial Gov. Bart Marasigan.

When the group passed Pinagsabangan 1 in Naujan at around 4:30 p.m., soldiers of the 204^th Brigade of the Philippine Army stopped the caravan. Two local reporters, Ire Jo V.C. Laurente of Today and another unidentified, who were covering the event were not allowed to proceed. The two were reportedly released only after more than half an hour. The caravan had by then reached Naujan.

Meanwhile, the 80-person contingent from Manila led by Ocampo arrived early morning of Feb. 21 to join the tribute and funeral caravan.

Nena Magsino, the victim’s mother, said she was not surprised with the heavy turnout of sympathizers because “the people of Mindoro loved my daughter.”

“Nagimbal nga kami sa pagkamatay ni vice. Mahal na mahal namin siya dahil siya ang tumulong sa mga problema namin. Makatao yan si vice, makamagsasaka” (We were shocked at the killing of vice. We love her very much because she was the one helping us in our problems), said Estelita Laurenti of Naujan to Bulatlat.com

KC Cuyas, chairman of Naujan’s Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) and a student of the Divine Word College-Calapan, said, “Kahit babae, matapang, may paninindigan at prinsipyo.” (For a woman, she is brave and principled).

Magsino reportedly first clashed with the mayor when she helped small fisherfolk to fight Mendoza’s alleged plan to control and monopolize the fishing industry in Naujan Lake.

She earned the ire of the military on the other hand when she assisted the family of slain rebel Melanio Anoñuevo who is also from Naujan. Añonuevo died in an encounter with government troops in November 2003. His family wanted to get his remains but the military would not allow them. Mangyan residents in the mountains then decided to bury his body.

Magsino was also among those who resisted the entry of Task Force Banahaw in Mindoro in 2001. The task force was later transformed into the 204^th Brigade and placed under the leadership of the notorious Col. Jovito Palparan.

Fighting words

Cuasay’s words at the necrological service for Magsino broke the silence of Naujan’s residents and captured their sentiments.

According to Cuasay, she talked with the vice mayor in Manila a few days before her death. She quoted Magsino as saying,  “Kung mamamatay ako, ang may kagagawan ay si Col. Fernando Mesa, Lt. Jovy Carmen dela Fuente na pamangkin ni Mayor Mendoza at si Mayor Mendoza mismo.” (If I die, the perpetrators would be Col. Fernando Mesa, Lt. Jovy Carmen dela Fuente who is Mayor Mendoza nephew, and Mayor Mendoza himself).

Cuasay said that Magsino planned to work full time as a human rights lawyer if she loses in the elections. But if she wins as mayor, she would continue to help farmers and human rights victims. Then she would run for governor in the next elections so she could “give Mindoro a good administration for a change.”

This, according to Cuasay, was what Mendoza and the 204^th were afraid of. They did not want Magsino’s influence in Mindoro to strengthen because they knew she would push for the removal of military detachments and put an end to the militarization of Mindoro, said Cuasay.

“Panahon na, mga taga-Naujan, na isigaw natin ang iniipit nating damdamin na ibasura ang bulok na administrasyon ni Mayor Mendoza dahil ang gusto lamang niya ay patayin ang mga katulad ni Atty. Magsino” (It is time, people of Naujan, to shout what we have long wanted to say- reject the bankrupt administration of Mayor Mendoza because he only wants to kill the likes of Atty. Magsino), said the feisty human rights leader. As if one, the crowd stood up and shouted in agreement.

The most appaluded part of her speech however was when she said:

“Hindi matatapos ang maingay na boses ni Atty Juvy, hindi matatapos ang paghingi ng katarungan para sa mga biktima ng karahasang militar dahil buhay pa ang kanyang mga kapartido! Buhay pa ang Bayan Muna! Buhay pa ang Karapatan! At buhay pa ako!” The crowd, including Magsino’s family, wildly appaluded.

A cultural group composed of workers from Los Baños, Laguna sang during the program Magsino’s favorite song, “Patak ng Ulan” (Raindrops) and sang as a tribute “Awit sa Bayani” (Song to a Hero). Bulatlat.com

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