PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

Special People's Court receives more complaints against Tabara
October 14, 2004

The Special People's Court (SPC) set up by the People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) to try CAFGU-RPA-ABB head Arturo Tabara for a string of criminal cases said in a report today that it has received more criminal complaints against Tabara.

According to the SPC, as of October 13, Arturo Tabara has been charged with complicity in 17 cases of murder, at least 13 counts of holdups, robbery and extortion and several cases of human rights violations.

Many of these cases were filed with the SPC after Tabara was slain while resisting arrest by a special team of the New People's Army tasked by the SPC to take Tabara into custody.

Communist Party of the Philippines spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, said that the SPC continues to belatedly receive documented complaints against Tabara. "People who have been victimized by Tabara and his bandit CAFGU-RPA-ABB gang do not mind that Tabara can no longer be tried for the cases they are filing," he said.

"They aspire for justice for the criminal acts committed by Tabara and his criminal bandit gang," Rosal explained. "The complaints filed against Tabara will help set the record straight and expose the criminal and counterrevolutionary duplicity of Tabara and the CAFGU-RPA-ABB," Rosal added.

Rosal pointed out that except for the kidnapping of Roger Florete, owner and president of Bombo Radyo in 1989, all the other cases were committed in the period 1995-2003.

Citing records of the SPC, Rosal said Tabara has been charged for complicity in the separate cases of murder of eight peasants in Leon, Tibauan and Tubungan towns in Iloilo from 1997 to 1999.

Previously, Tabara had also been charged in line with the killing of 70-year-old peasant activist Pedro Trabajdor in March 2002.

Charges were also filed against Tabara in line with the the 1999 killing of Juaning Lutero in Barangay Tambal, Janiuay, Iloilo and in the March 2001 killing of the two Batoy siblings in Barangay Aparicio, Ibajay, Aklan. Cases were also belatedly filed against Tabara for the killing of three peasant youth in Barangay Aquino, Ibajay, Aklan in 2000; and the May 2001 killing of Ka Rowena Torato and Ka Cezar in Barangay Osorio, Culasi, Antique.

Tabara is also being held liable for collaborating with the AFP in the arrest, illegal detention and torture of Ruben Saluta in 1999. He is likewise being implicated in the strafing of the home of a Bayan Muna coordinator in Barangay San Jose, Ibajay, Aklan in May 2001.

Also filed against Arturo Tabara in the SPC are charges of ordering the holdup of delivery vans, including those of Beroy Tacsagon of Tubungan, Iloilo in 1995 and that of Ramon Rendahe of Janiuay, Iloilo in September 20, 2001.

Earlier, Tabara had already been charged with for masterminding a May 8, 2002 bank robbery in Maninihon, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.

Most of the victims of Arturo Tabara and his bandit CAFGU-RPA-ABB gang are simple peasants, small businessmen and ordinary officials, Rosal pointed out. Among them are barangay officials of Tigbauan and Tubungan towns in Iloilo; Pandan, Antique; and Nabas, Ibajay, Malinao and Madalag towns in Aklan, who were required to cough out P50-100 every month in extortion money.

Rosal also cited the complaints of peasant families in Sebaste, Antique who were compelled by the CAFGU-RPA-ABB to surrender weekly an amount of rice. CAFGU-RPA-ABB elements also stole chickens from Nicomedes Guanzon of Sityo Buga, Barangay Danao, Janiuay, Iloilo.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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