Justice for Ezequiel Daguman! Uphold JASIG!

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Kabataang Makabayan-Southern Mindanao Region vehemently condemns the cold blooded murder of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Peace Consultant Ezequiel Daguman at the hands of the 1001st Brigade of the fascist Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Ezequiel Daguman was reported missing since the afternoon of March 7, 2022. According to reports, he was en route to New Corella, Davao del Norte to visit a peasant community and investigate the situation of agricultural workers and peasants in banana plantations in preparation for possible peace negotiations in the future.

However, on March 17, ten (10) days after he was reported missing, Daguman was confirmed abducted by elements of the AFP, and last March 27, Sunday, the AFP claimed that he was killed, along with two (2) others, in an “armed encounter” between the New People’s Army (NPA) and the AFP in Maragusan, Davao de Oro.

Clearly, the AFP is once again employing its dirty tactics of using misinformation/disinformation to twist the truth. They even lauded their troops for committing murder, but the AFP will NEVER prevail.

Daguman is UNARMED and a NON-COMBATANT.

Most importantly, he has safety guarantees as a Peace Consultant which are evidently stated in the Joint Agreement on Safety Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP.

Under JASIG, “duly accredited persons,” such as Peace Consultants like Ezequiel Daguman, are granted “immunity guarantees” including protection from surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution, interrogation, and other similar actions.

Given these, what the AFP did is an outright violation of JASIG, a crime!

In fact, the so-called “counterinsurgency program” waged by the Duterte regime, through his cohorts and state forces, never addressed widespread poverty and hunger which are the primary reasons why armed conflict continues up to the present.

Worst, the said program is maximized by the fascist troops to indiscriminately kill any dissenters, as it fails to even distinguish non-combatants from combatants, and commit countless human rights violations (HRVs).

These atrocities committed by the Duterte regime and the AFP must never go unpunished. They must be held accountable. We must strengthen our unity even more and stand firm in demanding for justice for Ezequiel Daguman and all victims of state-perpetuated violence and killings. We must ensure that JASIG is uphold at all times so peace talks could also prosper.

We will not be silenced nor will we cover. We will push back and clamor for justice no matter how arduous it may be.

The U.S.-installed puppet government, imperialists, oligarchs, bureaucrat capitalists, big bourgeois compradors, and landlords will not just allow us to destroy the current system that works to their favor.

They will use all means possible to deny us justice and quell dissent. However, WE WILL NOT LET THEM BE.

It is for this reason that the revolution continues to advance.

To the Filipino youth and people, to the disenfranchised and oppressed, take the path of armed struggle and overthrow the current system of exploitation for justice and genuine national liberation. JOIN THE NEW PEOPLE’S ARMY (NPA)!

JUSTICE FOR EZEQUIEL DAGUMAN! JUSTICE FOR ALL THE VICTIMS OF STATE-PERPETUATED VIOLENCE AND KILLINGS!

Justice for Ezequiel Daguman! Uphold JASIG!