Saturday, May 21, 2011
Peace group to lead national peace and mercy mission;
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| From Duyog sa Panaw 2011 |
Davao City – Clergy-led peace group Exodus for Justice and Peace (EJP) will spearhead a National Interfaith Peace and Mercy Mission, Duyog sa Panaw, from May 21-23, 2001 to look into recent cases of extra-judicial killings and reported human rights violations in Southern Mindanao.
Bishop Delfin Callao, convenor of EJP, said that Duyog sa Panaw will visit Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and Pantukan, Compostela Valley for two highlight cases of extra-judicial killings in the region.
Bishop Callao cited the documentation by human rights group Karapatan, an alliance for the advancement of people’s rights, that in Sta. Cruz, a B’laan tribal chieftain Rudy Dejos, vice-chairperson of Zone-1 Farmers Association (ZOFA) and his son Rody Rick Dejos, who is also a member of ZOFA, were tortured and brutally killed in broad daylight last February 27, 2011. The report also indicated that suspected members and agents of the 39th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Oliver Artuz carried out the barbaric crime. ZOFA is affiliated to the progressive peasant organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
Two weeks after the Dejos incident, Santos Manrique in Pantukan, Compostela Valley was shot dead by four unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen at his residence in Brgy. Kingking last April 12, 2011. Manrique was a barangay councilor and was the chairperson of the progressive environmental group Panalipdan.
Bishop Modesto Villasanta of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines and convenor of EJP pointed out that before their deaths “it was clear that they were active in their respective causes – land, national patrimony and the environment.”
“In the face of these extra-judicial killings and at least 53 documented instances of human rights violations, the 10th Infantry Division (ID) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continues to shamelessly brag about their ‘peace and development outreach programs’,” added Bishop Villasanta.
“Reports and testimonies from families of victims of extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations would reveal the deception and true intent of the military’s counterinsurgency program via Oplan Bayanihan. The policy continues to attempt to stifle people’s dissent, and to suppress the peasants’ struggle for land, and people’s struggle against poverty. Definitely not the kind of peace we seek,” Bishop Villasanta said.
Residents in different communities in armed conflict areas and even in villages here in Davao City, Callao added, continue to be intimidated and harassed by military presence by tagging them as supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) and by forcing civilians to become members of the Barangay Defense System (BDS).
“There are also many cases wherein innocent civilians are illegally arrested by state agents and are presented as NPA surrenderees,” said Callao.
“It worries us that these incidents seem to be just a continuation of the much-hated Oplan Bantay Laya, which wrecked thousands of lives and properties. Thus, our call is for the government to end the implementation of these counterinsurgency programs and to address the real causes of armed conflict in its place. It is high time that we give way for genuine peace; one that is based on justice,” Callao said.
A national delegation from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, Promotion of Church People’s Response and Karapatan will join EJP in solidarity with the families and in the documentation of the said cases.###
This post was written by: Exodus for Justice and Peace
Exodus for Justice and Peace is a clergy-led peace group. Follow EJP on Twitter
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