Once again the people of Panay witnessed another spate of blatant attack against the legal and democratic mass movement amidst the unbearable worsening crisis of joblessness, rising prices of basic commodities, poverty and hunger. Last September 2, combined elements of PNP and CIDG6 served a search warrant against Cirila Estrada, Lenilyn Jaynos and Marivie Arguelles at their residence in Happy Homes Subdivision in Sibagwan, Roxas City, Capiz. The operation resulted to the capture of Lenilyn Jaynos after the supposed “recoveries” of firearms and explosives , subversive documents and including a flag of the progressive women’s group Gabriela by the raiding state forces. Consequently, Jaynos fell victim to the notorious modus of planting of evidence by state operatives to implicate her on trumped-up charges that led to her arrest. The police and 3ID,PA quickly issued malicious statements to the media falsely accusing her and her companions as ranking members of the CPP-NPA-NDF. While the victim was shunned from stating her other side of the story.

NDFP-Panay strongly condemns this outright and fabricated lies of the PNP PRO6 and 3ID,PA against Jaynos and her companions. It also denies that they are members of the CPP-NPA- NDF. Such accusations only sought to malign and justify the redtagging of individuals and peoples’ organizations as terrorists by linking them to revolutionary organizations. Its sole aim is to sow terror among the people to supress any form of dissent and opposition against the Marcos’ II regime’s anti-democratic and anti-people policies.

Under the Marcos II regime, the hands of PNP-PRO6 and 3ID,PA had been bloodier than ever. Looking back, it only adds to their long record of crimes such as the brutal killing of Tapaz 9 and the arrest of 16 Tumanduk farmers in Tapaz and Calinog in December 2020. The summary killing of NDFP consultant Reynaldo “Ka Minoy” Bocala and his aide last May 2021 and the arrest of Bayan-Panay chair Elmer Forro based on unproven and false charges last March 2022. Not to mention their numerous human rights violations against farmer and urban poor communities commited by fascist troops everytime they conduct military and police operations in a futile effort to hunt and crush the revolutionary movement in Panay Island. Instead the revolutionary movement was able to frustrate the intensified attacks and continued to flourish and grow.

Clearly, these attacks on rights and freedom against unarmed and innocent citizens are cowardly and desperate acts to silence the mounting frustration and criticism of the masses against the illegitimate Marcos II regime. It is only right for the people to resist in all forms and to fight back against the return of tyranny.