Protestors at the human rights day rally at the Bacolod Public Plaza yesterday.
About 1,500 marched in the streets of Bacolod City yesterday to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the International Human Rights day. The farmers, government employees, service workers, youth, and members of progressive organizations who joined the march asked the government to immediately stop and address the problems of human rights violations.
Fred Caña, secretary general of Karapatan-Negros, said he was dismayed by the statement of Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, that there is zero human rights violations in Negros by the Army. He said Lactao is deceiving the Negrenses when many leaders of progressive organizations have been victims of trumped-up charges and were arrested without due process.
Because of the rampant filing of trumped-up charges, they and the National Union of People’s Lawyers filed a complaint before the Supreme Court last month questioning the judges and fiscals issuing warrants of arrest and orders without due process and proper investigation, Caña also said. Greg Ratin, chairman of BagongAlyansangMakabayan, said they want President Benigno Aquino III to have concrete answers to the call of the people to stop human rights violations. Ratin also gave the judiciary in Negros a rating of 3, claiming that judges and fiscals handling human rights cases were deemed to be biased, especially if the persons involved are leaders of progressive organizations.
At the rally yesterday, Philip Arles, the son of the late Judge Henry Arles who was assassinated in Ilog town in April this year, also supported the call to stop and address the problems of human rights violations. He said the violations are very rampant in Negros and have been tolerated and supported financially and logistically by people who are in power.
Six members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade were identified as primary suspects in the killing of the judge, that also allegedly involved Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, his father Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., and Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara. However, they have denied involvement in the crime.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2012/December/11/topstory7.htm
This is CPP-affiliated front group propaganda/protest activity. International Human Rights Day is always a key protest date for CPP front groups. Protest actions are conducted nationwide with participants numbering from just a handful up to over a thousand or more. Not like the old days under Marcos where the commies could routinely put thousands into the streets. In comparison, current demonstrations look downright anemic. Karapatan, National Union of People's Lawyers, and BAYAN are all CPP-influenced front organizations.
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