TextThe militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) decried the recent spate of killings of progressives happening in the whole country, the most recent of which was of Atty. Felidido Dacut, Bayan Muna coordinator for Eastern Visayas, in Tacloban City. This happened just a day after Philippine Independent Church priest, Fr. William Tadena, was shot in La Paz, Tarlac. Thirteen progressives have been killed and 5 were abducted in Central Luzon alone in the span of 2 months. Killings and abductions also abound in Northern Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

According to Ka Willy Marbella, spokesperson of KMP, “ what the military is doing is beyond words, this is barbarity at its lowest form. The military is killing innocent civilians and they are doing it with impunity,”

“We are being treated by the AFP as fair game to hunt and slaughter. What is worse, though, is that it seems that they have the blessing of Malacanang. If not, then why is Gloria doing nothing to stop the military attacks against us,” added the peasant leader.

“We are now enjoining all of our freedom loving country men to stand up and join us against this latest affront not only at our civil liberties but to our very lives. All indications show that Gloria is even worse than Marcos,” said Marbella.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of the group, “did Gloria declare Martial law and did not announce it, because as things are going, it is as if Martial rule is at its peak nowadays, is this the essence of her so-called strong republic? Gloria must now step in and stop the killings,”

“If the military and their masters think that they can intimidate us into submission by these atrocities, they are dead wrong. As long as oppression and exploitation prevails we will not stop with the struggle,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 16 March 2005