Saturday, May 21, 2011
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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.###
Saturday, May 21, 2011 0
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
January 22, 2011
For reference:
BISHOP DELFIN CALLAO, JR
300-5397
Davao City - The intensified militarization in Toril District, this city, is taking its toll on the civilians.
This was the observation of the peace group Exodus for Justice and Peace (EJP) after conducting a peace and service mission in Barangay Baracatan, Toril last Sunday (January 16).
Responding to the clamor of farmer communities here, members of the EJP held “Panaw Alang sa Kalinaw ug Tawhanong Katungod" (Journey for Peace and Human Rights), a peace and service mission that aims to uplift the morale of farmer residents of the district, as they now face the toll of the new internal security plan, Oplan Bayanihan.
EJP said reports from farmer communities that the military, in the form of Peace and Development Teams (PDTs), has massively militarized several barangays in Toril such as Brgys. Tibuloy, Lizada, Sentro Toril, Baracatan, Crossing Bayabas, Tubugan, and other areas.
“We are alarmed about the impact of the Aquino government’s PDTs on the democratic rights of the civilians. After Paquibato, the military has seemingly shifted its focus on Toril and right now, alarming cases of hamletting, and harassment by the 84th IB – 10th ID are reaching our office,” said Bishop Delfin Callao, Jr, a convenor of the EJP.
Recently, reports about military-perpetrated torture and harassment in Baracatan came out in news reports while a certain “Amanda,” a 17 yo. minor was used as a fake surrenderee of the military. Farmer leaders and residents also complained about military doing dubious censuses or profiling of residents.
Callao said the widely practiced “hamletting” of civilian communities is causing terrible impact on the socioeconomic and political way of life of the civilians and communities.
“We are saddened that the dynamic political life in the barangays is being overtaken by military rule. This is not the real meaning of ‘bayanihan.’ This instead is an attempt to mask the inhumane agenda of war by mouthing peace and development,” said Callao.
“What we denounce is the whole agenda of deception of Oplan Bayanihan crafted by the war generals. It is hard to believe that genuine peace can be reached through a mere face-lifting of the military’s legacy of using brute force against the civilians,” said Callao.
“We urge the government to address the root cause of the armed conflict by sincerely addressing the problems of landlessness, unjust wages,blatant abuse of democratic rights and lack of basic social services. The military’s peace and development teams can never provide land to the landless, jobs for the jobless and full access to basic social services,” he said.
EJP’s Panaw sa Toril provided medical, dental services to more than 300 residents. Children and women were also provided counseling and therapy. #
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 0
PRESS RELEASE
November 29, 2010
For reference:
Bishop Modesto Villasanta
0928-692-0141
DAVAO CITY – Exodus for Justice and Peace, an aggrupation of peace advocates, urged President Noy-noy Aqunio to focus on the genuine reforms in the national policies instead of merely replacing the Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL) with a new counter-insurgency campaign being implemented by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“As long as there are no changes in the national policies, and for as long as the people are still wallowing in discontent and crying for justice, the insugency and the armed conflict cannot be substantially addressed by replacing it with another oplan,” Bishop Modesto Villasanta of the Exodus for Justice and Peace said, in response to the reported new counter-insurgency plan to be unveiled to the public in January.
The bishop made the statement during a recent Regional Multisectoral Workshop on International Humanitarian Law and Peace Talks co-sponsored by the Southeastern Mindanao Regional Ecumenical Council.
According to Bishop Villasanta, “The purported new thrust of the AFP on human rights and good governance should be sharply scrutinized by all concerned parties, especially the church which continues to witness the AFP’s hand in the spate of extra-judicial killing, the culture of impunity and the worsening human rights condition in the country.”
“Let us take our lessons from the past regimes. Counter-insurgency programs are only meant to quell people's legitimate dissent and their cry for lands, employment, just wage, and prioritization of social services,” said Bishop Villasanta.
“We call on President Noynoy Aquino to genuinely address the root cause of insurgency by pursuing peace talks and negotiations with the National Democratic Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. These groups have legitimate demands for genuine land reform and national industrialization that will ensure the people of sustainable livelihood and employment free from exploitation and oppression,” he said.
The bishop also added that the Peace and Development Teams deployed recently by the AFP in several parts of Southern Mindanao will not address the problems besetting farmers but will instead instill among them fear and terror and prevent them from voicing out their sentiments to the government. #
We strongly condemn the threats on the life and freedom of Mr. Kelly Delgado and all other human rights defenders.
Mr. Kelly Delgado has been a staunch human rights advocate who boldly exposed human rights violations perpetrated by the military on several occasions in Southern Mindanao Region including political killings, enforced disappearance, displacements, and harassments against legitimate dissenters. Because of his advocacy he gained the ire of military officers.
Threats on his life were made known through text messages sent to Charm Radio. Trumped-up charges were filed against him by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), 10th IDPA and by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Together with other human rights defender, Mr. Delgado was included in the Order of Battle (OB) list as target for “neutralization.” A Mission Order (MO) to physically eliminate him was already issued by the Eastern Mindanao Command under which are the 10th and 4th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Army.
We protest the attacks and threats against Mr. Delgado and other human rights defenders!
The false statement made by BGen. Eduardo del Rosario, commanding officer of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (1003rd IBPA), during a press conference held on September 21, 2010 was clearly meant to harass and discredit Mr. Delgado. He accused Mr. Delgado of ordering NPA members to kill Lt. Col Randolph Cabangbang. Such baseless accusations only reflect Del Rosario’s arrogance over due process of law in pointing out criminal suspects and his use of the media in sensationalizing the issue with the intention to harass Mr. Delgado.
If people like Mr. Kelly Delgado are silenced, who will speak in behalf of all human rights victims? Who will voice out the injustices and violations against human life? Only a few people are courageous enough to endure the threats and harassment that comes with the job.
As church people, we are commissioned by God to defend human dignity and the sanctity of life; to defend the oppressed and the marginalized. God created us in His own image, thus, we are all created equal. We have equal rights of existence and with equal rights over all resources that God provided for us.
Genesis 9:6 says,“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Impunity, therefore, is not to be tolerated!
We challenge the administration of President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino Jr. to abandon the counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), which is being used as a mechanism to systematically abuse and oppress leaders, activists and critics that they branded as “terrorists.”
We believe that P-Noy’s “daang matuwid” should not mean silencing legitimate dissent and the people’s clamor for justice and lasting peace. To trail “daang matuwid” is to uphold the rights of God’s creations - the right to a life with dignity and the right to fight for a just and democratic society.
July 21, 2010
June 12, 2010
An Appeal to Cease Militarization in COMVAL
to pave the way for the safe release of the four Prisoners of War
We, the family of the four Prisoners of War-- Corporals Marcial
Bawagan, Ariel Asumo, Eduardo Alcala, and militiaman Victor Pitogo,
who were held captive by the New People’s Army (NPA), and members and
leaders of different church groups, peace advocates, and from
different local government units appeal to the officials of the
military’s 10th Infantry Division to hear the clamor for a safe and
expeditious release of the four captives by suspending the military
operations in the hinterlands of Compostela Valley.
We are thankful that the POWs are being treated well by their captors.
We, however, note with concern that as the 10th ID soldiers continue
to scour the fields and conduct military offensives, the lives and
security of the four captives will be endangered, as well as the lives
and the safety of civilians in the villages.
As peace advocates from the church and as local officials, we believe
that the safest and most peaceful means that would expedite the
release of the POWs would be through a negotiated release and an
agreement for SOMO or Suspension of Military Operations. Any
increased hostilities in the field would only lengthen the days of
captivity and risk the lives of the POWs.
We also believe that heightened military operations will pose threats
to the human rights situation and safety of the civilian populace,
more than those of the POWs. Then again, as the previous years have
shown, bombardment of civilian communities have not brought about the
peace and real progress in these far-flung areas but have only
fomented the armed conflict prevailing in our country.
The rights of civilians and that of the POWs are already enshrined in
our basic tenets on international humanitarian law and international
protocols guiding the civil war in our country. We are hopeful that
the laws would protect the POWs and that of the civilians, by way of
vigilance of the local governments, the church and other
non-government entities, and most especially, by way of full
cooperation on the part of the 10th ID.
We, thus, reiterate our appeal to the officials of the Philippine
Army’s 10th Infantry Division to immediately stop its military
operation. We also appeal to the newly installed Benigno 'Noynoy'
Aquino administration to abandon the inhuman policy of all-out war
counter-insurgency program and instead, pursue the peace negotiations
in addressing the roots of the armed conflict.###
Signed:
Genie B. Bawagan
Lydie Belle D. Asumo
Jovelyn T. Alcala
Exodus for Justice and Peace
For Reference:
Rev. Jurie Jaime
09198161876
