FHRFOR HUMAN RIGHTS Philippines, April - June 2007 Vol. 3, No. 2 PhP 20 by Lovella de Castro WHAT’S IN A NAME? A LOT. In both urban and rural areas, the party list and As members of the party list group Bayan Muna its members are subjected to a well-organized, (People First) have found out in the last seven years, nationwide vilification campaign by the Armed being associated with the progressive party is Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Soldiers, para- enough to put one’s life on the line. military units and vigilante groups have gone house to house, village to village, publicly demanding that From January 2001 to July 2007, at least 134 Bayan Muna supporters “clear their names” or members and leaders of Bayan Muna have fallen “surrender.” victim to extrajudicial killings, making it the organi- zation with the most number of victims. At least 14 Some of the party’s regional offices have either have been abducted and remain missing. been raided, bombed or burned down. In 2005, the ... continued to page 3 CONTENTS○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ COVER STORY 1 Bayan Muna: a battlecry lives on FEATURE STORY ‘Coercion, corruption and violence’ 5 People’s IOM reports irregularities, rights abuses at 2007 polls REGULARS FREEDOM BAR Save Filipino Lives Instead of Face, 7 HKCAHRPP Statement INTERNATIONAL [HR] NEWS Canadadians condemn attacks against 8 journalists in the Philippines 9 Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteers abducted and killed FHRFHR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS European Committee of Social Rights says Portugal tolerating violence against children Subscribe Now! INTERNATIONAL FEATURE 10 Jailed Cuban patriots must be set free Get the latest news on human rights, justice and peace issues in NATIONAL [HR] NEWS the Philippines and abroad. Human rights defenders attacked in Iloilo: 11 one injured, two missing Published quarterly by the KARAPATAN Alliance for the Ad- Army kills three peasants in Negros vancement of Human Rights, FHR 12 SC junks rebellion case vs. Batasan 6 promises to provide you with up to RIGHTS 101 date news and in-depth analyses on 13 What is due process? the current issues concerning human rights and other people’s FOOTNOTES FROM THE PAST 15 June 12, 1898: Declaration issues. of Subservience For more details, please get in touch with KARAPATAN. LITERARY 16 The Storm by Chikoy Pura Vol. 3 No. 2 April - June 2007 FHR Publisher: Marie Hilao-Enriquez FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Managing Editor: Ruth G. Cervantes Editorial Staff: Lovella de Castro Dee Ayroso DJ Acierto Any part of this magazine may be reproduced with the Girlie Padilla Contributor: Atty. Rex J. M.A. Fernandez permission of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject editorial or advertising FHR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS is published by KARAPATAN material. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights #1 Maaralin St., artwork will not be returned unless accpompanied by Central District, Quezon City, Telefax: 4354146, e-mail: [email protected] self-addressed stamped envelopes. Publisher website: www.karapatan.org assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 2 FOR HUMAN RIGHTS April - June 2007 COVER STORY ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BAYAN MUNA: a battlecry lives on ... from page 1 Bayan Muna provincial office in Northern Samar Operation Plan Freedom Watch, the AFP’s counter- was lobbed with a homemade Molotov bomb with a insurgency program, considers Bayan Muna as a military newsletter used as the bomb’s wick. In communist “front organization” and is thus a target nearby Eastern Samar, the provincial office was for “neutralization.” burned down. The party’s provincial office in Tarlac, Despite this, the party has managed to top the Central Luzon was also burned down in 2006. 2001 and 2004 party list elections, garnering the maximum three seats in the House of Representa- Alternative Left party tives. In the recent 2007 polls, it placed second, It is not difficult to see who are behind these getting enough votes for three seats if not for a attacks and why it is being done. COMELEC (Commission on Elections) ruling that Formed in 1999 to represent the impoverished, limited all party list groups, except the number one oppressed and marginalized sectors of Philippine placer, to only two seats per party. society, Bayan Muna’s members include ordinary workers, farmers, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous Attacks on Bayan Muna peoples, women, youth, professionals and small The first victim of the politically-motivated killings entrepreneurs. under the Arroyo regime was Bayan Muna organizer It’s mass character and definitively Left politics Ramon Ternida, 20, who was gunned down on 15 puts it at odds with the traditional forces that have April 2001, at Bgy. Masipit, Calapan City, Mindoro lorded it over Philippine politics – big business and Oriental. From then on, more prominent party landlord interests, political dynasties, corrupt politi- leaders, including elected public officials, were cians and government officials, the police and killed. military establishment. These are very powerful On 13 February 2004, a few months before the forces that are most resistant to the politics of May 2004 elections, Naujan Vice Mayor Atty. Juvy people empowerment and social change that the party espouses. Bayan Muna’s mem- bers and elected repre- sentatives are among the Arroyo regime’s staunchest critics and have actively sought the President’s impeach- ment, resignation or ouster. The party’s progres- sive vision has earned for its members the tag “enemies of the state” as far as the Arroyo regime and its military is concerned. Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL) or ... turn to next page ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ April - June 2007 FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 3 COVER STORY ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Magsino was gunned down together with Bayan recently dismissed all the rebellion cases filed by Muna member Leima Fortu in Naujan town, the Department of Justice against representatives Mindoro Oriental. The crime happened half a kilo- and leaders of Bayan Muna and other progressive meter away from a detachment of the Army’s 204th parties Anakpawis and Gabriela. In its ruling, the Infantry Brigade. Prior to the incident, Magsino was Supreme Court said that state prosecutors failed the subject of military threats and harassment due to show probable cause and violated due process to her active campaign against the heavy troop in pursuing its case. deployment and operations in Mindoro Island. A multiple-murder case was filed in Leyte On 3 March 2005, Tarlac City Councilor and province against Bayan Muna congressman Satur Bayan Muna provincial chairpersonAbelardo Ladera Ocampo based on the discovery by the AFP of an was also killed. Ladera took an active role in the alleged mass grave of victims of an internal purge workers’ and peasants’ struggle at the Hacienda within the Communist Party. Ocampo was ar- Luisita. Prior to the incident, a powerpoint presenta- rested but was subsequently released and tion prepared by AFP Northen Luzon Command granted bail by the Supreme Court on 3 April after identified Ladera as “a top-ranking member of the 18 days of detention, indicating that the evidence Communist Party of the Philippines” and thus a was weak. target for neutraliza- Early this year, a disqualification case was filed tion. at the Commission on Elections against Bayan Rodolfo Alvarado, Muna, Anakpawis and the Gabriela Women’s Bayan Muna 6th nomi- Party by three widows whose husbands were nee for Congress in the allegedly ordered killed by the parties’ representa- 2004 elections, was tives. The case was dismissed in June 2007. gunned down near his home on 31 December Triumph in the 2007 polls 2006. Rodolfo was in Despite all the challenges hurled against the his car when he was party, Bayan Muna appears headed for greater shot. victory. The most recent In a press statement right after the May 2007 victim was Mario polls, Rep. Ocampo said, “We prevailed over huge “Mayong” Auxilio, stumbling blocks. We triumphed over the all-out Secretary General of attacks from the entire machinery of the Arroyo Bayan Muna-Bohol. He government, including the military, which aimed was shot on 15 June to decimate our ranks in Congress. This is our 2007. Mayong suc- third and most heroic fight, because we prevailed cumbed to three over the entire machinery of government and gunshot wounds two came out winners.” days later. The intent is clear. The attacks against Bayan Muna and other progressive partylist groups are a “Legal offensive” desperate but vain attempt to control the Filipino Since last year, people’s growing disgust against the country’s Bayan Muna’s congres- corrupt political system. “We were able to foil the sional representatives demented objectives of the Arroyo administration and party leaders have to totally remove us from Congress and to destroy been charged with our partylist organizations,” added Ocampo. From top: Atty. Juvy Magsino, fabricated criminal Bayan Muna’s name speaks for itself: victory Leima Fortu, Abelardo Ladera cases. In fact, the for the people. FHR Supreme Court just ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 4 FOR HUMAN RIGHTS April - June 2007 FEATURES ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ‘Coercion, corruption and violence’: People’s IOM reports irregularities, rights