COURAGE Eastern Visayas Chair Gunned Down; Activists Death Toll Reaches 696 Under Gloria

The Chairperson of COURAGE Eastern Visayas and a member of COURAGE National Council was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in motorcycles in front of his house in Tacloban City, at about 7:00 this evening. Paquito "Pax" H. Diaz, Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Palo Leyte and also a media practitioner, was the 696th activist and the 3rd leader of COURAGE, the militant organization of government workers unions nationwide, who have been brutally murdered under the Arroyo administration.

In a statement, COURAGE National President Ferdinand Gaite condemned the Arroyo government’s policy of annihilation and all out war against the leaders and supporters of progressive peoples’ organization and those perceived by the administration as its enemies. "The killings must stop now, the people must rise against this culture of impunity and make accountable the perpetrators of these gruesome crime. Church workers, lawyers, students, labor leaders, and now government employees. It seems that nobody is being spared from these systematic killings and the fact that not even a single perpetrator is brought to the bar of justice all the more bolster our beliefs that blood is in Gloria’s hands".

Gaite said Diaz was the third leader of COURAGE who suffered the same brutal slaying. Last year, Sammy Dote, a municipal employee in Eastern Samar and Secretary General of COURAGE Samar, and early this year, Albert Terredaño of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Abra and Provincial Chairperson of COURAGE Abra were also shot dead by the same pattern – motorcycle riding gunmen in bonnets.

The leader added that Diaz earlier have already sought COURAGE assistance because of the death threats he was said to be receiving. That Diaz was on the "OB list" of the military was confirmed to him by no less than the police officers in Tacloban City. In fact, COURAGE has already officially requested the DAR Secretary to transfer Diaz to the Main office for security reasons.

COURAGE also assailed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) labeling of COURAGE as one of the CPP/NPA’s alleged "front organizations". "With the harassment and surveillance our leaders are now experiencing, the tag would mean another license for the so-called death squads to carry-out their mission orders".

"We call on all government employees to condemn the killings. Let us be on guard and continue to expose and oppose the rottenness of this administration. We must never be afraid for this is what they want, to perpetuate their rule of greed and terror. The cause for which Pax, Sammy and Albert have given up their lives for will not be forsaken. Tuloy ang laban!".

Kakilala Mo Ata Sila?

This was taken from a friend’s Frienster blog.

Noong June 26, dinukot si Karen Empeno at Sherlyn Cadapan kasama si Manuel Merino. Si Karen at Sherlyn ay parehong taga-UP. Si Karen nga, Socio pa. Praxis din siya at LFS. Si Sherlyn naman ay taga-CHK. Parang eroplanong nag-crash pa din sakin ito nung nabalitaan ko. Alam ko na ginigipit ang mga taong nasa labas ng akademya. Pero hanggang noong Huwebes, nang malaman ko yung kela Karen, tsaka ko pa lang naramdaman ang totoong galit sa mga ganitong nangyayari. Hindi na lamang mga konsepto sa isang diskurso sa dyaryo o sa klase ang mga taong dinudukot at ginigipit ni Arroyo. Kapareho na natin sila ng profile. Kung hindi man natin sila kilala, kakilala sila ng mga kakilala natin. Hindi na sila abstract. Hindi tayo ligtas,marahas talaga ang panahon at ang ating kaligtasan ay nakasalalay sa ating pagsagot sa mga ganitong sitwasyon. Palayain si Karen at Sherlyn! Ibagsak ang rehimen ni Arroyo!


UP Students Abducted in Central Luzon
Two students from the University of the Philippines (UP) - Diliman and a peasant organizer were abducted in Hagonoy, Bulacan las Monday.

Ms. Karen Empeño, a BA Sociology student of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy and a member of the League of Filipino Students-UP Diliman, Ms. Sherlyn Cadapan, an award-winning triathlete from the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) and a former representative to the University Student Council of UP Diliman, together with Mr. Manuel Merino, were abducted by suspected military men at around 2 a.m, July 26.

A fact sheet prepared by a human rights group in Central Luzon, tells how the three were abducted. The report says a 14 year old witnessed the abduction by hooded men who identified themselves as "vigilantes," forcibly entering the house where the three were staying. Here is the full text of the report:

Fact-sheet
TIPO NG PAGLABAG: Pagdukot, Pambubugbog, Pananakot

MGA BIKTIMA
1. Manuel Merino
2. Shierlyn Capalan
3. Karen Impeno

PETSA AT ORAS NG PANGYAYARI: Hunyo 26, 2006 alas 2:00 ng umaga

LUGAR NG PANGYAYARI: Purok 6, Brgy. San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulakan

MGA PINAGHIHINALAANG MAY KAGAGAWAN: Mga labinlimang kataong nakasibilyan, mga nakabonnet ng itim at nagpakilalang mga vigilante group daw sila.

BUOD NG PANGYAYARI:
Noong Hunyo 26, 2006, Lunes, alas 2:00 ng umaga ay sapilitang pumasok ang anim na mga di kilalang kalalakihang sibilyan armado ng mahahabang baril sa bahay ni Ginoong William Halili Ramos.

Anim na sibilyang naka-bonnet ng itim armado ng mahahabang baril ang kumatok sa kanilang bahay. Nag-alalang buksan ng huli ang pinto, sumilip muna siya sa bintana kasama ng kaniyang anak na si Wilfredo Ramos 14 na taong gulang. Nang di agad niya nabuksan ang pinto ay sumigaw ang isa na "bumaba ang lahat ng mga tao sa loob ng bahay kapag hindi ninyo binuksan bibilangan ko kayo!" Dito na napilitang buksan ni Ginoong Ramos ang pinto.

Pagkabukas ng pinto, agad siyang hinablot ng isang malaking lalaki, ibinalya pahiga sa semento piniringan at inilabas ng bahay kasama ang anak na si Wilfredo. Si Manuel Merino na noo'y nasa itaas ng bahay ay bumaba kaya nang makita siya ng mga armadong kalalakihan ay agad siyang binayo sa tiyan gamit ang mahabang baril kung saan ang puluhan ng baril ang pinambayo. Pagkabagsak sa semento ay itinali siya, inilabas sa bahay at isinakay sa pampasaherong dyip na nakahimpil sa humigit kumulang 100 meter mula sa bahay nila Ginoong Ramos.

Ang batang si Wilfredo na noo'y nasa labas din ng bahay ay nakitang bitbit na din ng armadong kalalakihan sina Karen at Sherlyn. Ang dalawa ay kinuha sa bahay ng kanyang tiyahin, isang bahay ang pagitan mula sa kanilang bahay. Duon natulog ang mga nabanggit. Hinubaran si Karen ng pang-itaas na damit at ginamit na pampering sa kanya. Isinakay sila sa nabanggit ding sasakyan. Bumaybay ang sasakyan direksiyon patungo sa Iba, Hagonoy.

Unity Statement: Youth And Students Demand The Immediate Release Of Sherlyn Cadapan And Karen Empeno

WE, YOUTH AND STUDENTS from different colleges, universities, organizations, communities and individuals, demand for the immediate release of our fellow students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño.

On June 26, bonnet-wearing armed men, suspected as elements of the 7th Infantry Division, forcibly entered a house of local folk in Hagonoy, Bulacan and took Sherlyn and Karen, together with a companion. Sherlyn, who is reportedly pregnant, was hit in the stomach as she was shouting for help. Meanwhile, the armed men removed Karen's shirt and used it to cover her face. They dragged the two women outside and took them away in a vehicle.

Until now, Sherlyn and Karen have not yet surfaced. While the military denied their involvement in their forced disappearance, Major Gen. Jovito Palparan, head of the 7 th ID, immediately accused them as members of the New People's Army. He insultingly added that the people of Bulacan are happy they disappeared because they are rebels.

Sherlyn and Karen are simple yet multi-talented students who went to Bulacan to conduct research on the peasant situation in the province. They are also known student leaders before they decided to learn more outside the four walls of the classroom in the University.

Sherlyn is an award-winning triathlete and a former College of Human Kinetics representative to the UP Diliman Student Council. Karen, on the other hand, is a Sociology major who is also an active member of UP Praxis and UP Zambaleños. Both are members of Anakbayan and League of Filipino Students, consecutively.

Karen and Sherlyn are the latest youth victims of the Arroyo government's hysteria, violence and policy of state terror. In its desperation to remain in power, the government has unleashed a wave of terror to eliminate and persecute its "enemies." Arroyo's dictator-like rule has claimed 692 victims of extrajudicial killings, 179 forced disappearances and hundres of other human rights violations, the worst after the dark days of Martial Law.

Oplan Bantay Laya, Arroyo's counter-insurgency program, blatantly makes no distinction between the armed revolutionary movement and the legal democratic organizations, making them all vulnerable to human rights violations.

We hereby demand that Sherlyn, Karen and all the missing immediately be resurfaced, and the abductors release them unharmed. We strongly call for an end to the extrajudicial killings by the military's "death squads." No amount of denial shall convince us that it is not the military, Palparan, and Arroyo, their commander-in-chief, are the ones liable for this mad killing spree and terror.

We condemn and hold no less than the Arroyo government and the military for the numerous human rights violations. We cry for an end to this bloodshed. We immediately call for an end to the Arroyo government.

Hinggil Sa Pagdakip Kina Karen Empeno At Sherlyn Cadapan

Pambansang Komiteng Tagapagpaganap, League of Filipino Students (July 3, 2006)

Noong Hunyo 26, bandang alas-2 ng madaling araw, sapilitang pinasok ng mga armadong elemento na pinaghihinalaang kasapi ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang tinutuluyang bahay nina Karen Empeno at Sherlyn Cadapan sa Hagonoy, Bulacan at dinampot sila kasama ang isang lalaking si Manuel Merino na taga-Bulakan.

Sina Karen at Sher ay parehong mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) – Diliman na nagsasagawa ng kanilang pagsasaliksik sa mga magsasaka sa Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL). Si Karen ay isang mag-aaral ng BA Sociology sa College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at si Sher, isang 'award-winning' triathlete, ay dating College Representative ng College of Human Kinetics. Pareho silang naiulat na kasapi ng LFS.

Iginapos umano ang mga tao sa kanilang bahay na tinuluyan, at kinaladkad si Karen, She at Manuel sa isang pamapasaherong jip at ibinyahe patungong HQ ng militar sa Iba, Zambales. Si Karen umano ay tinanggalan pa ng pang-itaas na siyang pinantakip sa kanyang mga mata at si Sher naman ay binigwasan. Ayon sa kanyang ina, kasalukuyang buntis si Sher.

Sa kabila ng malinaw na testimonya at mga ebidensiya na nagtuturong militar ang dumampot kina Karen at She, buong karuwagang itinatanggi nina Palparan at ng militar sa Central Luzon na nasa kanila ang dalawa, kasabay naman ng pagsasabi na kumpirmadong umanong mga NPA ang mga dinukot at masaya umano ang mga tao na wala na sila. Sa kabilang banda naman, labis ang pangamba at pagdadalamhati ng mga kaibigan at pamilya ng dalawa.

Sina Karen at Sher ay mga kabataang biktima ng all-out war at Oplan Bantay Laya ng rehimen. Ilan lamang sila sa napakarami ng mga biniktima ng mga pamamaslang at ng pagdukot nitong mga nakaraang mga buwan. At ngayon, tila rumururok sang karuwagan ng AFP at ni Arroyo pagkat mula sa pagpaslang, tumataas ngayon ang bilang ng mga dinadampot at mga "forced disappearances."

Ang todong giyera ng rehimen ay nakikita na ngayon bilang todong kawalanghiyaan ng rehimen sa kabataan. Matapos tayong agawan ng badyet para sa ating edukasyon at suhayan ang pagtataas ng halaga ng ating edukasyon, ngayo'y tayo ang binibiktima sa kampanya ng rehimen para makapanatili sa kapangyarihan.

Tinatawagan ang lahat na magsagawa ng todo-largang kampanya para ipanawagan ang pagpapalaya kina Karen at Sher at labanan ang buhong na giyera na ipinapakana ng rehimen. Lahat ay inaaasahang gawin ang iba't ibang pamamaraan para ipalaganap sa masang mag-aaral at sambayanan ang sinapit ng dalawa, at magkaroon ng iba't ibang paraan para ipanawagan ang kagyat nilang paglaya.

Gawin natin ang iba't ibang pamamaraan para mairehistro ang ating protesta: signature campaign, candle lighting/noise barrage, mga assembly, martsa rali at iba pa. Maglabas din ng maraming mga poster at teaser na nananawagan sa paglaya ng dalawa.

Sa darating na July 7, itinakdang pambansang araw ng protesta, bibitbitin nating mayor na panawagan ang pagpapalaya kay Karen at Sher at pagtigil sa todong giyera ng rehimen.