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Justice to all victims of Human Rights violations of the GMA Regime!

By Cordillera Peoples Alliance

September 21, 2005

The Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration is fast crumbling with severe economic crises visibly manifested in equally intense political crises such that her last recourse is to cling to and magnify the Bush formula of state terrorism.

With her adherence to Bush’s “War on Terror”, the GMA regime is stained with the blood of people struggling for human rights, democratic rights, and social justice. It is marked with a reign of terror in both the urban and rural areas. In 2001 when GMA assumed the presidency, her militarist rule escalated human rights violations (HRVs) all over the country.

The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance has documented 101 cases of HRVs in the region, involving 2,111 individuals and an undetermined number of mineworkers from 2001 to present. Of this data, 14 civilians are victims of summary execution, 3 are victims of torture and eventually killed unarmed and captured members of the New Peoples Army; 57 are victims of abduction and detention; 117 physical injuries, one incident of mass evacuation, 20 mine workers/officers dismissed, 5 victims of rape, among others, all committed by the State’s armed forces.

The viciousness of the GMA regime is comparable to dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial Law years. The Marcos dictatorship has robbed this nation of a generation of bright women and men whose ideals shook the ruling few. GMA’s administration is no different. The true nature of this regime has been unmasked as a reign of undeclared Martial Law through worsening political repression and state terrorism. And the Cordillera region is not spared from this.

Similar to other indigenous peoples’ (IPs) territories, GMA’s militarist rule in the Cordillera region has paved the way for the aggressive sellout of land and resources to corporate greed. We draw the attention of the public to the fact that in areas of heavy military deployment are several applications for mining ventures, such as in Kalinga and Abra.

At present , 140 mining applications are being processed in the region, covering 1,434,770 hectares or more than 60% of the region’s total land area of 1.8 million hectares. Cordillera peoples are not short-sighted not to decipher the connection between development aggression and militarization. Statistics on incidences of human rights violations demonstrates a close linkage of militarization and the regime’s intent to exploit the rich natural resources of the region. A case in point is the recently concluded strike of the workers of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo). A task force of police and military units was authorized by DOLE to disperse with force, violence and arrogance the workers’ picketlines, peaceful assemblies and marches with their families and supporters. In the course of the 3 months strike, the striking workers suffered from more than 20 incidents of violent dispersal of picket lines and march-rallies. The strike ended with 19 officers terminated. This is clearly union busting.

While striking workers courageously brave the mining giant’s violence, farmers and their families in the rural areas of the Cordillera are contending with brigade- size military operations. On August 14, the 41st IB used 3 civilians as human shields in an encounter with the New Peoples Army, resulting to the death of civilian Francisco Tangbaoan and wounding of 2 others in Baay-Licuan town. The military operation that started during the Holy Week in 11 communities in North and Central Abra, then in the tri-boundaries of Mt. Province, Abra and Ilocos Sur in June. This has resulted to several cases of frustrated murder, illegal arrests, forcible entries and searches, divestment and destruction of properties, crops and livestock, not to mention economic dislocation and the disturbance of serenity and harmony within and among communities. In Kalinga, we are deeply concerned of the rape of teen-age twin sisters by an element of the 21st IB.

State terrorism does not only happen in the rural areas. Activists and militant organizations in the City are dealing head-on with curtailment of civil liberties and of late, political assassination. Advocates of human rights and civil liberties will certainly not forget the killing of Romeo Sanchez in Kayang street on March 9, 2004. This brutal murder of an activist did not ever happen in Baguio even during the height of student activism and marital law. Added to the murderous culture under the present regime is the killing of an Abrenian lady lawyer last week, also in the City.

Justice has to be rendered to all victims of HRVs. The toppling of Marcos in 1986 was a step forward in rendering justice to the victims of Martial Law. But the administrators after him and up to the present presidency failed to complete the process and instead continue to deny the victims indemnification arising from the final judgement of the US Court in the Human Rights Litigation against Marcos.

As we commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, we pay tribute to the martyrs who lay down their lives in our struggle for genuine freedom and democracy. The undeclared Martial Law of GMA must be challenged with rage and courage by the oppressed majority. We echo our demand for the ouster of GMA – a Human Rights Violator, a Trickster, a Crook – the number one promoter of state terrorism who has no regard for human rights and social justice.

Justice to Victims of Human Rights Violations!

Oust Gloria Macapagal Arroyo!

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