A FARMER covered by an arrest warrant against 30 leaders and members of people's organizations was arrested Monday, October 15.
Alfredo H. Abao of Balingasag Farmers Association in Misamis Oriental is currently detained at the Balingasag Police Station, according to Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Northern Mindanao (KMP).
Abao was arrested weeks after peasant leader Jerry Basahon of Misamis Oriental Farmers Association (MOFA) and women’s rights advocate Merlita Dorado of Gabriela- Misamis Oriental were arrested by virtue of the same warrant.
Most of the 30 people on the list covered by the arrest warrant are accused of murder or frustrated murder.
Both Basahon and Dorado were linked to the attack on Binuangan town police station last December 3.
Balingasag Farmers Association is the municipal chapter of MOFA, which in turn is the provincial chapter of peasant group KMP.
The KMP-Northern Mindanao condemned the incident, saying it is yet "another dirty tactic by the Duterte regime to clamp down on critics and human rights defenders who are pushing for the people's interests".