Ampatuan Massacre, A By-product of Government Tolerated Warlordism

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

“Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.” Isa. 59:7-8

Ampatuan Massacre, A By-product of Government Tolerated Warlordism

(Statement of PCPR on the Ampatuan Massacre)

The Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) is in solidarity with the mourning nation . We are indignant on the gruesome, monstrous and ruthless massacre of people in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. The world grieves on this atrocious acts as the international community express their sympathy as well as calling for jsutice.

The said incident last November 23 that recorded more than 50 people barbarically killed by 100 armed men reportedly near a military detachment is despicable.

Killing the numerous media practitioners and lawyers and candidate's supporters shows how masterminds and their butchers spare no one. By doing so, they paraded their heinous power , sending a message that they are not afraid of anyone and that they can do the most gruesome crime with impunity. From whence their power comes? Since 2001, political killings in this country happens with impunity. Could it be the the GMA who cuddles the crime of killings to protect her power, had also cuddled the warlord in Maguindanao? She benifits from the violence spurs by the warlords and her governemnt creates the climate of criminal impunity for almost nine years under GMA regime.

It is undeniable that massacre was brought about by historical clan war between two powerful parties in Maguindanao. Worse, it was obviously tolerated by the national leadership due to their both political interest to stay in power. Irrefutably, influential and political families uses regular and para-military as their private armies to advance their personal interests.

Moreover, people must be extra vigilant in what had been transpired and going to be happen as the 2010 election getting nearer. These might be use for their favor to subject the whole nation under state of emergency, thus, justify the no election scenario. We must always be reminded of the last presidential election. They can massacre people just to stay in power.

It is in this situation, we share in the outraged and sentiments of the Filipino people. We held theArroyo governent and their allies accountable to the escalating human rights situation in the Philippines. We are firm in our prophetic stand that faithful must defend human life and dignity. We call to end impunity. Stop the killings in the Philippines!

Panaw Kalinaw

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

PANAW KALINAW:

National Peace and Human Rights Mission in Northern Mindanao

29 November-02 December

There is a systematic onslaught against human rights and fundamental freedoms of the rural poor in Northern Mindanao, Philippines.

Being the leader of a local Lumad organization Linundigan in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, Datu Mampaagi Belayong led the group in denouncing the full-blown military operations launched by the 26^th IB of the Philippine Army’s 4^th Infantry Division against the communist insurgents in their areas, including the nearby municipalities of Lapaz and San Luis. He took care of the 5 children who got lost for eight days in the forest--eating only bananas, raw sweet potatoes and papayas they found along the way—when an aerial bombardment took place on April 30, 2009. On September 02, Belayong was killed. Twenty-six days later, a leader of another Lumad organization Tagdumahan in the adjacent town of San Luis, Datu Aladino Badbaran, was gunned down. The culprit: members of the paramilitary Task Force Gantangan. The deaths were all documented complete with eyewitness testimonies and most of the perpetrators were identified. Thus far, none have been arrested and convicted.

On April 7, 2009, a farmer named Manuel Suarez, his wife and four children were massacred because they refused to listen to orders from the 29^th IB to evacuate in the height of their offensives against the communist insurgents in the hinterlands of Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental. The Suarez family, from Sitio Silangan, Brgy. Kamanikan were last seen alive on April 9. Neighbors said the Suarez family decided to stay in their house considering Jocelyn has only given birth and would have difficulty in evacuating. They narrated how the elements of the savage-ridden Bungkatol Liberation Front (BULIF) sprayed bullets and burned to ashes the house of the Suarez family. However, witnesses refuse to come forward out of fear.

In Bukidnon, 7 leaders of rural poor organizations were slapped with trumped-up charges on May 2009. The north-east hinterlands of Malaybalay, including St. Peters, have been subjected to relentless military operations that wrought havoc to the Lumad communities this year. It is in this place where “minor” human rights violations such as threats and intimidations, illegal arrests and detention, coercion and enforced displacements have become a daily fare, and where the organizing of the Barangay Defense System is most active.

The cases mentioned above are just some of the long list of crimes committed by the 4^th ID against the people of greater Northern Mindanao that encompasses the Provinces of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and some parts of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.

The systematic attack against the rural poor exemplified by the extra-judicial killings and violations of other fundamental rights, and militarization of rural communities, are all an off-shoot of the National Internal Security Plan (NISP), popularly known as Oplan Bantay Laya, of the present government that seeks to end the insurgency by 2010. However, this program has exacted a heavy toll from the civilian rural poor populace because it has targeted peasant and Lumad communities and people’s organizations operating in broad daylight. The NISP application on the Indigenous Peoples sector (NISP-IP) reinforces the culture of impunity in Northern Mindanao by establishing paramilitary vigilantes in IP communities such as Task Force Gantangan, Wild Dogs, Bungkatol Liberation Front (BULIF), Bagani Force, Mabantag and several others. In the waves of political repression sweeping the country, the culture of impunity is greatest in rural areas owing to their remoteness, the lack of access by the media to highlight attention on human rights violations, their inability to seek redress for grievances from government agencies and the courts.

The incessant militarization is happening while multi-national corporations Unifrutti, Dole, Del Monte and Lapanday are doing expansion in Bukidnon for asparagus, banana and pineapple plantations. A mining highway is in the process of construction that will connect the upland villages of Kalabugao, Manalog and Bulonay of Malaybalay along with its borders in Agusan del Sur. This mining highway will cut across Mt. Tago, Pantaron Range and Saldab in northeast of Malaybalay, where militarization is now at its peak. Sixty-three mining MPSAs have been approved in Bukidnon, with BHP Billiton now on its exploration stage in Malitbog. Additionally, the biggest Dam in Mindanao is to be constructed in Kitaotao and is expected to displace over a thousand IP families. Vast tracts of land allotted to jathropa, rubber trees and cassava plantations have been noted in the Province lately. In West Agusan provinces, Pacific Maunlad Mining Corporation has applied for mining exploration in the towns of Lapaz and Talacogon, Agusan del Sur. To note, CARAGA Region to which these parts of Agusan del Sur and Norte officially belong, have been declared as the “mining capital of Asia” only this year. On the other hand, leaders of Task Force Gantangan are tribal chieftains holding Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claims (CADC) that are geared to host jathropa and palm oil plantations.

Still wanting justice...

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

The arrest of Datu Unsay Mayor Ampatuan is not yet the end. Justice is not yet served. I believed that there is lot more to be done, a lot more people should be jailed, another amptuan should be with jailed too. Moreover, the president should also answer. It is very well known to people in Maguinadanao that the Ampatuans showed strength because of the blessings of the Malacañang Queen Gloria Macapal-Arroyo. The presence of CAFGU and CVO serving as the goons of the Ampatuans serve as evidence of this. Justice for all the victims! jail Gloria witht he perpetrators!

Hudyat ng Paniningil!

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK 2009: Disyembre 1 Prop Action in Mendiola

Mula 2001, mahigit sa isang libo na ang naging biktima na extra-judicial killings, mahigit dalawang daan ang biktima ng enforced disappearance, mahigit dalawang daan ang nakakulong, daan daan na ang iligal na inaresto, tinuryur at ikinulong, ganoon din ang mga kinasuhan ng mga gawa-gawang kaso, daan-daang libo ang pinalikas at naiwanan ang kabuhayan dahil sa malakihan at mabagsik na operasyong military sa kanayunan. Dagdag pa dyan ang nagpapatuloy na surbeylans at pananakot sa mga aktibisita sa kalunsuran na lumablaban sa bulok na sistema ng lipunan at sa pasistang rehimeng Arroyo.

Matatandaan na umabot sa mahigit 200 ang bilang ng mga biktima ng pamamaslang noong 2006 at bagama’t bumaba na ito mula ng umigting ang pakikibaka ng mga mamamayan upang ilantad at tuligsain ang patakaran ng estado para dito, ay may isang pa ding pinapatay kada linggo sa ilalim ng teroristang rehimeng ito. Ngunit hindi lamang ang mga pagpaslang at pagdukot ang ginagawang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng rehiment US-Arroyo kundi ang iba pa tulad ng pagdami ng mga bakwit o napalilikas na mamamayan dahil sa pambobomba, pananakot, food blockade, pagrekrut na sumali sa CAFGU, barangay defense system, at iba pang para-military units.

Ang mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao mula nang nakaupo si Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hangggang sa kasalukuyan ay isa sa mga batayan kung bakit sinasabi ng mamamayang Pilipino na ang rehimeng Arroyo ay dapat USIGIN, PANAGUTIN, HUWAG PATAKASIN!

Ang Oplan Bantay Laya ay ang pinakamalupit at pinakamabagsik na programang kontra-insurhensya na ipinapatupad ng gobyerno pagkatapos ng pasistang rehimen Marcos. Pinakamalupit at pinakamabagsik ito sapagkat hindi lamang target nito ang mga armadong rebolusyonaryo na naghahangad ng tunay na pagbabago sa pamamagitan ng armadaong pakikibaka kundi kasama ang mga lihetimo at legal na progresibong mga organisasyon at party-lists.

Sa DISYEMBRE 1, 2009, IKA-10.30 NG UMAGA, isang Nationally Coordinated activity sa pangunguna ng HUSTISYA, KARAPATAN, EMJP, SELDA, DESAPARECIDOS at mga kasamahan mula sa TIMOG KATAGALUGAN ang isasagawa sa MENDIOLA BRIDGE. Tatawagin itong HUDYAT NG PANININGIL SA MENDIOLA BRIDGE. Ito ay magsisilbing Opening Salvo para sa pagdiriwang ng Pandaigdigang Araw ng Karapatang Pantao. Inaasahan na sasabay sa activity na ito ang mga chapters ng HUSTISYA mula sa Baguio, Legaspi, Cebu at Davao.

Sa araw na ito ay ipapahayag ng mga biktima sa paglabag ng karapatang pantao, lalo na sa panahon ng Rehimeng Arroyo ang galit, pagkamuhi at protesta sa pambansang programa sa kontra-insurhensy na tinatawag na Oplan Bantay Laya ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Sa Mendiola Bridge maglunsad ng isang AKSYONG PANININGIL SA MGA KRIMEN NI GLORIA AT MGA UTUSAN NITO. Ang mga lalahok sa protestang ito magsasagawa ng PAGBABATO NG PINTURANG PULA SA LARAWAN NI GLORIA, GEN, PALPARAN, NORGBERTO GONZALES, RET. GEN. ESPERON AT RAUL GONZALES (at para sa mga region o probinsya, maaring idagdag ang mga malupit na opisyal ng militar/gobyerno sa lugar) na nakaimprinta sa tarpaulin bilang pangunahing nagpapatupad ng OPLAN BANTAY LAYA. Habang binabato ang kanilang larawan, patugtugin ang mga “gong” bilang babala sa publiko sa krimen na kanilang ginawa. Ang PAGBATO ay simbolismo ng pagpaparusa sa isang kriminal. Ang kulay pula na pintura ay simbolo ng galit at dugo na inutang ng mga nasasakdal. Ipapadala sa rehiyon ang soft copy ng tarp na babatuhin ng pintura para parepareho sa lahat ng lugar na kakasa. Discretion na ng rehiyon kung ano ang ipambabato nila.

Subukang magtatagal sa loob ng 30 minuto ang nagprotesta.

Mamamahagi ng pulyeto para sa pagpapaliwanag sa mga pagkilos kaugnay ng Human Rights Week.

Si Noynoy ba?! Huwag na man sana!

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

Kilala na natin siya. Pero hwag nating kalimutan na siya ay miyembro ng angkan na nagmamay-ari sa hacienda Luisita. Libo-libong ka tao ang kanilang pinagsamantalahan. Mga ganid sila. higit sa lahat, hwag nating kalilimutan na sina Padre William Tadena at Obispo Ramento ay namatay at pinatay dahil sila ay nakikibaka kasama ang mga magsasaka sa Hacienda Luisita. Huwag na man nating saktan pa ang mga magsasaka! Huwag na man nating insultohin at ipagwalang-halaga ang pakikibaka nina Padre Tadena at Obispo Ramento. Si Noynoy ba? Huwag na man sana!

Ayon kay Israel

Mahal kita Pilipinas ko!

S A L A Y S A Y N I I S R A E L N G A N A K B A Y A N - M E T R O M A N I L A

1. Ako, si Israel Balatucan, 16 na taong gulang nakatira sa Tondo, Maynila. Kasalukuyang Tagapagsalita ng Anakbayan-National Capital Region.
2. Matapos maglanding sa TV Patrol ang isang Prop-Action nung June27 sa Philippine Christian University kung saan kasabay nun ay ako ang na feature. Sumunod ay inimbitahan ako na mag live-guest sa Umagang Kay Ganda.
3. At madaling-araw ng June29 kami pumunta sa ABS-CBN studio. Natapos kami ng isang kasama ko at lumabas sa studio ng quarter to 8am. Matagal kaming naghintay ng sasakyan sa Quezon Ave. mga 30mins. At sumakay kaming dalawa ng kasama ko sa FX papuntang Welcome Rotonda. Ako lang mag-isa ang bumaba pagdating sa kanto ng MetroBank, ang kasama ko ay hindi na bumaba dahil may iba pa syang pupuntahan kaya’t dito na kami naghiwalay.
4. Pagbaba ko sa kanto ng Metrobank [Speaker Perez St.] Napansin ko agad ang mga naka istambay na mga kalalakihan mga 6 katao, na hindi naman normal sa palagian kong pagdaan dun.
5. Naglakad ako mag-isa papunta sa Pambansang Opisina namin, pero dumaan muna ako sa kalapit-bahay at tanging pinakamalapit na isang Carinderiang tindahan. kung saan palagi akong nakiki-inom ng malamig na tubig.
6. Habang ako’y umiinom ng tubig mga 9am ay biglang may dumating na tatlong bruskong kalalakihan,[malalaking katawan,nakasibilyan at gupit militar] na sabay-sabay na nakatitig sa akin habang nagsisindi sila ng sigarilyo.Pagkatapos nilang magsindi ay agad na pumusisyon,ang isa’y umabang na sa tapat mismo ng gate ng aming opisina lumagpas lang ng kaunti.
7. Ang isa ay nanatili sa Cashier ng tindahan habang nakatitig pa rin sa akin,at yung isa ay nakapwesto sa gate ng tindahan na syang katapat ko.At dahil napansin ko na ang kanilang kilos at mga titig sa akin,sinubukan kong lumabas,pero nagulat ako at kinabahan ng biglang sumunod sa galaw ko yung isa na katapat ko,,na sya ring halos naka-patintero ko sa pagitan ng isang lamesa.
8. Nang naramdaman ko yun ay lumapit ako sa dalawang tindera na naghihiwa ng gulay at dumikit ako sa tabi nila,at hindi muna lumabas.Nang napansin din nila na may kutob na ako sa kanila,sabay silang dalawang umalis papunta sa Metrobank at ung isa ay sa kabila dumaan.Kapansin-pansin sa kanila ang pagiging magkakasama nilang tatlo ngunit hindi sila nagsasalita o nag-uusap sa sandaling iyon kundi puro nakatingin sila sa akin na akala mo’y may malaking atraso talaga ako sa kanila.
9. Sinabi ko sa may-ari ng tindahan at sa mga tindera ang naramdaman ko,at handa naman daw silang mag-iskandalo sakaling may mangyari dahil kilala naman nila ako bilang aktibista na napapanuod nila sa TV.
10. Pagkatapos nun ay agad akong tumakbo patungo sa Gate ng aming opisina at agad na nagkakakatok at agad naman akong pinagbuksan ng pinto ng isang kasama na naunang nagising.
11. Sa aking palagay,nais lang nilang i-address o iparamdam sa akin ang kanilang pananakot o isang banta kung inaakala nilang madali akong mademoralisa o madukot dahil ako’y bata pa..
12. Sa kakaibang naramdaman kung yun,para akong hihimatayin at para akong nalulunod sa sobrang kaba.Ngunit ilang saglit nun ng makapiling ko nang muli ang aking mga kasama,medyo nawala ang tension ko,ngunit hindi ako nakakain agad, mga ala singko na ng hapong iyon ako nakakain bago pumunta sa aming QRT, dahil sa nanginginig na ako sa gutom at tension. ###

Pilipinas Kong Mahal

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