Chain of violence dogs leaders of the legal democratic movement
In their desire to stifle growing resistance from democratic and progressive forces, the regime and its military have perpetrated a series of systematic killings and harassment of leaders and members of various mass organizations and parties. There have been 26 victims of fascist violence since January.
The latest victim was Victor Concepcion, Anakpawis party-list group coordinator and secretary general of Aguman deng Maglalautang Capampangan, a local organization of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. He was shot in the evening of March 17 while resting in his house in Angeles City.
Prior to this, Joel Reyes, a tricycle driver and Anakpawis organizer from Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte, was shot and killed on March 16. Anakpawis has assailed the 902nd IBde and the 31st IB, which it holds responsible for the killings.
On March 14, Atty. Felidito Dacut, 51, Bayan Muna-Eastern Visayas regional coordinator was killed in Tacloban City. Attorney Dacut was aboard a jeep when he was shot barely a kilometer from the Bayan Muna office. It may be recalled that Anakpawis regional coordinator Samuel Bandilla was also slain in Tacloban on October 15, 2004.
Meanwhile, Fr. William Tadena was shot and killed on March 13 in Barangay Guevarra, La Paz, Tarlac, while two of his companions were seriously wounded. Fr. Tadena, 37, a priest of the Philippine Independent Church, was active in Bayan Muna and Anakpawis and a known supporter of the workers in Hacienda Luisita.
Earlier, another PIC priest, Fr. Allan Caparro and his wife Aileen were both shot and wounded on February 18 in Abuyog, Leyte. Fr. Caparro was the vice chairperson of the Promotion of Church People�s Response (PCPR) in Eastern Visayas.
On March 3, Tarlac City Councilor Abelardo Ladera, another Bayan Muna member and supporter of the workers in Hacienda Luisita, was also shot and killed.
Ernesto Bang was likewise gunned down in his house in Barangay Malangkaw Basud, Labo, Camarines Norte on March 10. He was the public information officer of the KMP�s provincial chapter.
On March 9, Bayan Muna-Ilocos regional coordinator Romeo Sanchez was shot and killed in front of a market in Baguio City. Sanchez had just come from a conference opposing large-scale mining in the region.
On March 7, Philippine Army soldiers abducted Anakbayan-Zambales chairperson Mer Dizon. He is currently detained at the provincial jail in Iba.
Former BAYAN-Nueva Ecija secretary-general and current Bayan Muna provincial coordinator Danny Macapagal has been missing since he was picked up in front of his house in Cabanatuan City on March 3. Four other activists who were also abducted that day remain missing as well.
Earlier, four members of the Gabriela Women�s Party were accosted by soldiers in Sampaloc, Quezon on March 1. Miralyn Gamba, Leonila Manalo, Nancy Elle and Aileen Ramos were detained for several days at the PNP station in Sampaloc and accused of being members of the New People�s Army (NPA).
In January and February, 12 activists were killed, five were picked up, and four were harassed by the police and the military in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.
On February 18, Pamalakaya-Bulacan vice president Roger Viray was abducted and killed in Masantol, Pampanga. That same day, Rodel Pelayo and Joey Abraham, both members of the Central Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA), were killed in Balanga, Bataan. Also on February 18, Renato Espino, a worker and Anakpawis coordinator was slain in Mexico, Pampanga. Bayan Muna coordinator Rodrigo Lampa was killed on February 16 in Guagua, Pampanga. It was also in Guagua that KMP members Nicanor Garcia and his son Noel were killed.
Among those summarily executed were Crispin Amazona, who was abducted on February 14 and later found dead in Dingalan, Aurora; and Felino Briones who was slain on January 25. Still missing is Esteban Pastor, who was picked up on February 11 in San Luis, Aurora.
Meanwhile, Atty. Romeo Capulong, lead counsel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and ad litem judge at a United Nations special tribunal disclosed that an attempt was made on his life on March 7. Attorney Capulong also serves as chief legal consultant of the strikers in Hacienda Luisita.
According to his account, a van with two men aboard headed for his house in Nueva Ecija. The van suddenly left when guards providing security for Attorney Capulong were alerted. Before this, he said, persons pretending to be ambulant vendors had been conducting surveillance on his house for days.
To the revolutionary movement and the people, it is the Arroyo regime that is clearly culpable for this latest series of violent attacks on prominent progressives.
The National Democratic Front negotiating panel has warned that it would call off negotiations with the US-Arroyo regime if it continues to endanger Attorney Capulong�s life. Brazenly fascist officials of the regime have long been directing their ire at Capulong and other officials of progressive parties and organizations because of their support for the Hacienda Luisita strike.
A few weeks before the murder of Councilor Ladera, the AFP Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) released a listing of alleged CPP and NPA operatives in the open mass movement. They were ludicrously blamed for the military and PNP�s merciless killing of strikers at the hacienda last year. Gloria Arroyo had earlier declared the hacienda strike �a national security concern,� signalling the military to launch unmitigated attacks on the legal democratic movement.
The campaign of violence now being carried out in various parts of the country is akin to the dirty tactics that butchers of the military had employed in Mindoro in previous years.
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