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Monday, July 31, 2006
Fear of summary executions rise
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
* Bayan Muna's Ladica is the 714th victim since 2001
AMID the first political killing of a militant leader in Northern Mindanao under the Arroyo Administration, local militant groups voiced fears that the rate of these summary executions and other harassments in the region will escalate.
Karapatan lawyer Beverly Musni, Bayan Muna-Northern Mindanao Region's spokesperson Henry Trugillo and deputy secretary Kristine Lim said the death of Misamis Oriental Farmers' Association peasant leader Ernesto Ladica is the first local political killing under Arroyo's administration.
"But he (Ladica) is the 714th victim from 2001 to 2006 and the 114th member of the Bayan Muna who was gunned down under the same modus operandi," Musni said.
She added that there were already 353 frustrated murders involving militant leaders and members all over the country and 714 who were slain since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took her oath as President in 2001.
According to Musni, the spate of killings is a component of the Oplan Bantay Laya designed to crush the 37-year-old insurgency launched by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its New People's Army.
Musni said the summary killing of a mere peasant farmer in Misamis Oriental who was only expressing his sentiments against Arroyo's anti-people policies "gave face" the "pattern" of political killings in other parts of the country.
She said the profiles of almost all other assassins in the other parts in the country compared to that of Ladica's killers are the same.
"I just hope that this is the first and last in Misamis Oriental, in our region and in the entire country," she said.
Musni added, "Already, the political killings involved not only militant group members but also journalists, priests and lawyers among others."
Trugillo said Ladica was an active member of their Bayan-Muna group in hitting Arroyo for her anti-people policies, and thus, he has to be taken out.
"Ladica has helped so many people and especially Bayan Muna," he said.
"These political killings are a manifestation of a fake and desperate administration who just wants to hold on to its stolen position," Trugillo added.
Lim for her part admitted that there is now a "feeling of fear" because of this local slaying but that this will not deter them in their resolve to call for Arroyo's ouster.
"The killing of our fellow peasant leader has a chilling effect but we will still continue for already Arroyo is facing a political crisis," she said.
According to Maureen, Ladica's daughter, the person who shot her father was seen frequenting the 8th Infantry Battalion camp.
These groups are now calling for the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional director Florante Baguio and PNP Misamis Oriental provincial director Lyndel Desquitado to investigate Ladica's killing.
(July 31, 2006 issue)
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