AN URBAN poor group in Northern Mindanao on Wednesday, September 5, condemned the supposed attacks of the Duterte administration to silence its critics, activists and progressive groups that opposed the 'anti-people and anti-poor' policies of the government.
The Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) in Northern Mindanao, in a statement, said the revocation of Senator Antonio Trillanes' amnesty is one of the moves of the Duterte administration to 'silence dissent' and muzzle those who speak against the president and his leadership.
Kadamay-Northern Mindanao chairperson Francisco Pagayaman said this is also a tactic of the Duterte government to divert its supposed failure to solve the problems in the country such as the 'rice crisis', unabated price increases of commodities and services, illicit drugs, lack of employment opportunities, among others.
"Marcos sauna, Duterte karon. Dagway kini sa diktadura diin tanang kritiko gusto niyang pitolon matuman lang ang iyang ambisyon nga magpabilin sa gahum (Marcos then, Duterte now, Its the face of dictatorship where all critics are silenced just to fulfil his ambitions to remain in power)," Pagayaman said.
Pagayaman cited an incident last August 28, where at least four suspected members of the army's 4th Infantry Division (4ID), in full battle gear, swooped down on the house of certain Neil Mark Dichos, a Kadamay local chapter leader in Sta. Cruz, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
He said the suspected government soldiers showed a suspicious “search warrant” and pictures of four personalities while asking the latter's whereabouts.
Pagayaman said he was among the personalities in the photos brought by the military.
The urban poor leader added that around 15-20 people were arrested the following day after being mistaken to be members of the Kadamay in the said town during a gathering of Duterte supporters called Hugpong Pagbabago.
Pagayaman said the group was 'threatened' by the authorities not to join the “leftist” groups like Kadamay because it supports the New Peoples Army (NPA) and to refrain from organizing assembly without prior approval from the police or the local government unit.
"Bangis, nasudnon ug sistematiko kini nga pagpitol ilabina sa ilalom sa Martial Law sa Mindanao. Dili kami mahadlok ug dili kami mohunong sa among kawsa tungod kay makatarunganon man kini. Walay dautan sa pakigbisog alang sa atong katungod nga mabuhi nga disente(Strong, national and systematic curtailing under the Martila Law in Mindanao. We are not afraid and we will not stop in our cause because it is just. There’s nothing wrong with fighting for the right to live a decent life)," Pagayaman said.
"Madumdoman nga gipitol usab sa gobyernong Duterte si Senador Leila Delima, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, gibuhi ang tumo-tumo nga kaso batok sa mga progresibong Makabayan personalities sama ni former congressman Satur Ocampo, Lisa Maza, Rafael Mariano, Teddy Casino ug uban pa,"he added.
The data of the human rights group Karapatan-Northern Mindanao showed around 145 people fell victims of extra-judicial killings in the entire island.
Of said figure, 55 cases happened under the implementation of Martial Law in the region; three of which are murder cases while 78 people faced trumped-up charges and were deprived of their rights.
On the other hand, 720 people were forced to surrender and 1,287 were victims of forced evacuation.