Twist of Fate
The travails of Bayan
Muna’s Jariz Vida
Bayan Muna’s Jariz Vida survived two assassination attempts. But in a
twist of fate, he had to post bail and face charges of frustrated murder
filed against him by soldiers from the 9th Infantry Division.
BY
DABET CASTAÑEDA
Bulatlat
|
Looking thin and
pale, 30-year old Jariz Vida spoke softly of his travails as secretary
general of the partylist Bayan Muna (People First) chapter in the province
of Camarines Sur.
Vida said he decided
to spend a week in Metro Manila to get some “fresh air” and a much needed
break from the turmoil back in his hometown.
As an officer of
Bayan Muna, Vida has not been spared by the political persecution being
conducted by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration targeting political
activists and their supporters. Bayan Muna is the organization with the
most number of members and supporters killed. To date, 118 of its members
have been killed since 2001, 25 of whom were killed this year alone. As of
end September, 762 activists have been killed since 2001 out of which 152
were killed this year.
Jariz Vida
Photo courtesy of
Karapatan-Bicol |
He had just posted
bail for P40, 000 ($799.84) on Sept. 12 after 17 days of incarceration. He was
charged by the 9th Infantry Division with frustrated murder for
allegedly being part of a New People’s Army (NPA) team that engaged
government soldiers in a fire fight on July 14, 2004 in Bicalen,
Presentacion. Media reports said a soldier was wounded in the encounter
and this, Vida said, was used as basis by the military of the case against
him.
“Nuon pa
pinagi-interesan ang buhay ko. Hindi nila ako mapatay kaya sinampahan na
lang nila ako ng kaso,” (They have been trying to destroy my life.
When they could not kill me, they just filed a case against me.) Vida told
Bulatlat in an exclusive interview.
Two attempts
Vida said he survived
two attempts on his life, the first on Dec. 3, 2005 right inside his home
and the second on April 6 right after a protest rally and in broad
daylight in Naga, the capital of Camarines Sur.
On Dec. 3, an
unidentified man wearing a helmet and jacket on board a motorcycle fired
two shots at his house in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Milaor, same province.
The gunman aimed at Vida’s younger brother, Solomon, 27. Vida said the
gunman probably thought Solomon was him because they had almost the same
built, color and features.
Since Solomon was
able to run inside the house, Vida said the gunman chased his brother but
turned around upon seeing that there were plenty of people inside the
house.
Vida said he was not
around at that time. He said he has not gone home for a long time because
of the threats he has been receiving prior to the incident.
The second attempt on
Vida was close. Around 2 p.m. when he and other leaders of progressive
groups were about to end their rally, two unidentified men riding a
motorcycle arrived in front of the Naga City bus terminal where the
protesters were resting. Vida, who was about five meters away from the
motorcycle riding men, said he saw one of the men going near the
protesters. Vida said he then saw the man pulling a gun from his pocket.
Sensing danger, Vida said he shouted, “May baril! May baril!”(He
has a gun! He has a gun!)
The protesters
scampered away but the gunman was able to shoot hitting Nicanor Briones,
president of a sugar workers’ union. Briones sustained six gun shot
wounds on his body. He was rushed to the hospital and luckily survived.
Since 2001, the
provincial chapter of the human rights group Karapatan (Alliance for the
Advancement of Peoples’ Rights) has recorded 35 individuals killed, the
latest of whom was Christian Luna, coordinator for Anakpawis (Toiling
Masses) party list in Del Gallego town. Luna was gunned down Sept. 16.
Libel cases
Vida said he also
serves as a radio commentator since the year 2000 for Pamana ng Lahi, a
block-time program that airs every Sunday, 11-12 noon at dzGE 855 khz. The
radio program is a commentary on the urgent political and economic issues
facing the people of the Bicol region. Camarines Sur is one of six
provinces in Bicol.
Lt. Col. Serafin
Raymundo, spokesperson of the 9th Infantry Division (ID), has
actually filed several libel cases against Vida due to his commentaries on
air.
Vida said he was
arrested on Aug. 27 at around 2 p.m. when he arrived home after the radio
show.
Impeachment
complainant
Vida was also one of
the signatories in the impeachment complaint filed against President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on July 3. The complaint was one of eight cases
filed against the president this year. Like last year’s impeachment
complaint, these were dismissed by the Lower House as well.
Vida said he looks
forward to going back to his hometown. But, he said, he knows he would be
hunted down again by members of the military’s death squads.
But he remains
undaunted. He said, “Alam
kong hindi nila ako titigilan dahil alam nilang hindi rin ako titigil sa
pakikipaglaban.” (I know that they will not leave me in peace because
I will not stop from participating in the struggle.) Bulatlat
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