SEVERAL local militants have gathered in Magsaysay Park, Cagayan de Oro City, to protest on the proposed extension of martial law in Mindanao and the worsening human rights violation as part of their celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Sunday, December 10.
Led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Karapatan-Northern Mindanao and Movement Against Tyranny, the rally and program in part of the commemoration will tackle the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ recommendation to extend martial in Mindanao, the termination of the peace negotiations with the communists and the extrajudicial killings amid war on drugs, among others.
Wildon Barros, secretary general of Bayan, said that according to the record of the Karapatan, the human rights violations in the Philippines have tripled under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Busa kami nanawagan nga undangan na ang martial law sa Mindanao kay mas mosamot pa ang paglapas sa tawhanong katungod kung ang martial law magpabilin, kung gani naa pa may proposal karon na mag extend ang martial law for another one year (That’s why we ask that the martial law in Mindanao be stop as it will only worsen the human rights violation if it remains, especially with the proposed one year extension),” Barros said.
The groups have also demanded to resume the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, saying that the continuing talks will be beneficial for the people as it will tackle on the socio-economic reform.
As for the war on drugs, Barros said they are in favor of the government’s fight against illegal drugs but only through the correct process and without any extrajudicial killings.
When asked on the President’s campaign on change, Barros said they haven’t seen nor felt any changes that can benefit the poeple in the Philippines.
“Walang nangyari sa kanyang ‘change is coming.’ Sa kanyang kilusang pagbabago, ang nangyari kilusang pabago-bago, pabago-bago yung isip nya, walang matino, walang fixed (Nothing happened to his ‘change is coming.’ In his campaign for change, what happened is his constant change of mind, nothing is clear, nothing is fixed),” Barros said, adding that the changes are all negative.
He also encouraged the public to be alert and aware of their democratic, political and cultural rights.
“Dapat mapalagaan natin, pag-ingatan natin at makibaka na baguhin ang isang lipunan na puno ng mga karahasan, puno ng huaman rights violaton... Kumilos tayo para sa tunay na pagbabago (We should take care of our rights and fight for change in our society that is full of violence and human rights violation... Let’s fight for the true change),” Barros said.