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Peasant Leader Killed in Davao City, the 7th Extrajudicial Killing Under the New Administration

yonie
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MANILA – A farmer was shot dead in front of his child inside his house in sitio Narra, barangay Paquibato Proper in Davao City.

Naldo Labrador, 39, a member of Paquibato District Farmers’ Association (Padifa) and Farmers Association in Davao City- Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (FADC-KMP) was killed Sept. 3.

Labrador’s wife identified the perpetrator as Roberto “Kulot” Repe, a member of the Citizens’ Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu). Two unidentified men served as Repe’s look out. Pedro Arnado, chairman of KMP-SMR said the other two were soldiers of the 69th Infantry Battalion under the command of the 1003rd Brigade.

Labrador was the seventh activist killed under the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III. He was also the second victim of extrajudicial killing in Paquibato.

Arnado said Labrador was included in the Order of Battle because he was accused by the military of being a supporter of the New People’s Army (NPA). Davao region is one of the priority areas of the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL). In 2000, B/Gen. Eduardo del Rosario of the 10th ID also declared that Paquibato district would be NPA-free by the year 2005 and subsequently armed a group of indigenous peoples to fight the NPA.

Arnado also said three days after the incident, men in uniform visited the wake of Labrador. “They went inside where Labrador was buried and intimidated the family. The family members were all terrified,” Arnado told Bulatlat in a phone interview. Arnado also said that since then, the victim’s house was always visited, if not surrounded by men in uniform or in civilian clothes.

Labrador’s wife sought the help of the City Council. Arnado said Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio and Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said they would secure the family of the victim.

On Sept. 7, members of Padifa trooped to the City Council to attend a hearing on the two cases of extrajudicial killings and massive Cafgu recruitment of indigenous peoples in Paquibato.

On August 12, Julius Tamondes was killed while gathering their farm animals to evacuate to the village center when they were fired at allegedly by members of the Cafgu – Ata Tribal Association of Davao Inc. (Atadi) under Datu Ruben Labawan.

KMP and Pasaka, Pasaka, Regional Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao, assisted the victims and supported their demands for the local government’s intervention in the worsening human rights situation on Paquibato.

Members of KMP-SMR strongly condemned the killing of two farmers in Paquibato. “Within a month, two lives have already been lost under the pretext of the ‘pangayaw’ declared by the Cafgu-Atadi under the direct command of Datu Limbuttong or BGen. Eduardo Del Rosario,” Arnado said.

Pangayaw is tribal vendetta.

Arnado also criticized the extension of the OBL saying that Aquino is worse than his predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “It has only been 72 days since he assumed the presidency and yet almost every week people are being killed.”

Arnado also said the root cause of the conflict in Paquibato is the issue of land. Labawan, the chieftain allegedly mobilized by the soldiers, is claiming the nearly 32,000 hectares of land that he plans to sell to a Canadian multinational company to plant jathropa, banana and palm oil.

Arnado also said the military is using the issue of land ownership to provoke dispute between Bisaya and indigenous peoples. The population of Paquibato is composed of 50 percent indigenous peoples and 50 percent Bisaya.. “In Paquibato, military- backed and influential indigenous groups such as the Atadi being led by Labawan, who hold land titles, stake their claim to the land by force to the point of antagonizing farmers who have tilled such lands for 25 or 50 years,” said Arnado.

Arnado also expressed alarm regarding the plight of the farmers in the area especially with the comeback of Del Rosario as 1003rd chief since last year. Recounting the heydays of the Alsa Masa in Paquibato in the 1980’s, he said, “B/Gen Del Rosario gained the stars on his lapel for his success in sowing disunity among lumads by creating the para-military group Alamara. Now he is poised to resurrect the same atmosphere of chaos and violence in Paquibato at the expense of civilian lives, no matter if they violate the peoples’ civil and political rights. Justice for the victims in Paquibato can only be rightfully given if the berdugos (executioners)in the AFP are sentenced to rot in jail.” (Bulatlat.com)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TRAINS SIGHTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, ELECTION VIOLENCE in the PHILIPPINES

ICHRP Secretariat
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The European Parliament on 26 April trained its sights on the human rights situation in the Philippines when the Subcommittee on Human Rights invited several experts for an exchange of views on human rights in the Philippines in the context of the presidential, legislative and local elections on 10 May 2010.

MEP Heidi Hautala of Finland (third from right) presides over the meeting of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights. To her left is Atty. Leila de Lima of the Philippine government's Commission on Human Rights. At right is Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Enrique A. Manalo

Invited to speak during the meeting were Atty. Leila de Lima, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights of the government of the Republic of the Philippines; Dr. Angie M. Gonzales of the Filipino Refugees in the Netherlands (FREN) and the International Coordinating Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICCHRP); Dr. Sophie Richardson of the US-based Human Rights Watch; and Mr. Rolf Timans, Head of the Human Rights Unit of the European Commission.

Also present during the meeting was the Ambassador of the Philippines to Belgium Enrique A. Manalo and other members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights.

Expressing serious concern over the election-related massacre on 23 November 2009 of 57 civilians, among them 32 journalists, in Maguindanao in southern Philippines, and about the several hundreds of unresolved assassinations and enforced disappearances of political dissenters, the Subcommittee welcomed the opportunity to exchange views with the experts. MEP Heidi Hautala of Finland, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, declared that the Members of the European Parliament are greatly interested on the issues of human rights violations in the Philippines and in the activities of human rights organizations regarding the issues.

In her presentation, Dr. Angie Gonzales informed the European Parliament about the elitist and inherently undemocratic electoral contests in the Philippines. “To be able to participate in any electoral contest,” she explained, “one needs to be a member of the rich and the powerful… (Political parties) represent the interests of Spanish colonial-era feudal lords and US-allied compradors, both competing to be the trusted steward of US colonial power in the Philippines.”

Dr. Angie M. Gonzales (left) at the meeting of the European Parliament's Sub-Committee on Human Rights, 26 April 2010, focusing on the human rights situation in the Philippines within the context of the 10 May elections. At right is Mr. Rolf Timans, Head of the Human Rights Unit of the European Commission.

“Once elected,” she continued, “many of these officials use their public office and funds to increase their personal wealth and political influence. It is therefore not surprising that an incumbent official will violently fight off rivals, even if they belong to the same political party.” She pointed out that the warring political factions involved in the 23 November massacre belong to the ruling party of Gloria Arroyo.

Dr. Gonzales also deplored the often violent intervention of military and police forces – with the tacit approval of the Arroyo government – in the electoral exercise. “Leaders and supporters of opposition groups are often targets of vilification, harassment and threats, illegal arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings.” She continued, “From January 2001 to December 2009, 197 leaders of five Party-Lists had been assassinated; and 22 leaders of four Party-Lists had been victimized by enforced disappearance.”

Atty. de Lima, Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights confirmed that there is a high rate of election-related violence in the country. She also pointed out that a culture of impunity continues to exist in the Philippines, in a situation where perpetrators of human rights violations go unpunished.

Asked about how the CHR manages to do its work amidst the difficult circumstances in the country, Atty. De Lima acknowledged the important role played by independent human rights groups and victims’ organizations.

In a telephone broadcast from the US, Dr. Sophie Richardson of the Human Rights Watch presented the findings of their group about the Philippines. She expressed grave concern over the number of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances occurring in the country, and the pointed out that most of these cases remain unsolved.

Meanwhile, Mr. Rolf Timans of the European Commission admitted that the human rights situation in the Philippines is a cause of concern, especially with the number of human rights violations and the prevailing culture of impunity. He pointed out though that the Commission has high hopes for the Philippines and is supporting several projects on human rights, including the €3,9 million European Union-Philippines Justice Support Programme (EPJUST).

Responding to the presentations, MEP Barbara Lochbihler of Germany proposed that the European Parliament request the candidates running for public office in the Philippines to declare their positions regarding the respect of human rights and the implementation of genuine land reform. She proposed further that the Parliament follow-up on these declarations once the candidates are elected.

Dr. Gonzales appealed to the European Parliament to directly support and help protect human rights defenders, human rights victims and their organizations. She also urged the EU to continue calling the attention of the Philippine government to its international obligations in promoting the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Filipino nation.

“As long as the international community continues in supporting human rights work in the Philippines,” she concluded, “then I can continue hoping that Filipino political refugees and migrant workers around the world can one day finally come home in peace.”
[Boyen Baleva, FREN News]

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