Fr. Jacob Segurola of La Granja says he has known Aniceta Rojo since then and could not believe that she has anything to do with false allegations of murder and other cases hurled against her.*(Owen S. Bayog/NDB photo)
A movement for the release of church worker, Anecito Rojo, one of more than a dozen members and officers of cause-oriented groups (COGs), sectoral organizations human rights defenders’ and partylist political parties, was organized with low church workers, sympathizers, and pro-democracy organizations declaring their support for her and her family, with the announcement made at the Negros Press Club (NPC) led by Bacolod Diocese stalwart, Fr. Ireneo "Baby" Gordonciollo.
Presiding during the press conference were organizers, Fr. Gordoncillo, Fr. Jacob Secugula, her husband, Rodel Rojo and daughter, Roan Tuayon. Numerous members of human rights and cause-oriented groups were present during the press conference.
Data provided by organizers showed that criminal charges linking her to alleged New People’s Army (NPA) punitive operations, have been filed by the Cadiz City Prosecutor’s Office, two cases; and San Carlos City Prosecutor’s Office (one case) and later elevated to the Regional Trial Court in Cadiz, Branch 60, and in San Carlos City. Cheche Rojo filed her counteraffidavit on the San Carlos City case filed against her but Prosecutor Hernane Jardeleza has not ruled on it yet.
In one of the cases filed in Branch 60 in Cadiz, she did not receive a subpoena and therefore, has not filed her counter-affidavit as a response to the cases filed. And in one of the cases specifically in San Carlos City, she was erroneously named as Anecito Rojo. All these cases, the Free Cheche Movement said, were trumped-up charges cooked up by the military and police and with the collaboration of the prosecutors. Fr. Ireneo Gordoncillo, Rojo’s former superior as a church worker said, months back, Rojo had been working as a worker in Bago City.
In a statement distributed by the Free Cheche Movement, it said that they are one in the belief that Cheche Rojo is innocent of the criminal charges filed against her by the Philippine Army (PA), for the death of one of its officers in 2010.
On her work record in the Bacolod Diocese, she started working with the research, documentation and programs desk of the Institute for Socio-Pastoral Concerns in 1989, during which she became a member of the Promotion for Church People’s Response (PCPR).
Continuing the movement said they also knew her as an active organizer of the Basic Christian Communities-Community Organizing of the Diocese of Bacolod City in 1992 during which she was tasked to organize communities and eventually became in-charge of the BCG International Solidarity Desk.
Continuing her church work, she became a bookkeeper for the Center for People’s Resources in 2004, before becoming a volunteer worker and a counsel for the violence against women program of the General Alliance Binding Women for Reform, Integrity, Equality, Leadership and Action (GABRIELA).
She also worked for the Rural Assistance Program Incorporated as its administrative officer in which people-oriented programs for the farmers were implemented.
But on top of her work, she is also a mother to five children who are now bereft of a mother.
While working in the Bago City parish, she was arrested by intelligence operatives of the PNP’s Regional Intelligence Unit on December 7, 2912, forcibly, even dragged into a waiting van.
The Free Cheche Movement declared that her case must be speedily prosecuted as they believe she would be freed because she was innocent of the charges filed against her and many others.
Fr. Ireneo Gordoncillo theorized that behind all these is the military which wants to eliminate all kinds of protests by running after activists and church workers. Also, the armed guerillas of the NPAs cannot be seen nor arrested and whom the military believes are their allies are persecuted and prosecuted. But, the government is sadly mistaken because soldiers are only responsible for increasing the number of armed guerillas opposing the government.
Jesse Arcillas, a church worker himself lamented the injustices being done church workers like Aniceta Rojo, who cannot even lift an M-16 rifle. Fr. Jacob Secugula said the government has persecuted a helpless church worker who has given of her services to the church unselfishly.
For husband, Rodel and daughter Roan Tuayon, they said she has been an ideal mother to her children and that they cannot imagine how she could be guilty of the crimes attributed by the government through the army, police and prosecutor’s office.
Activities of the Free Cheche Rojo Movement now includes a visit to her in the Cadiz City BJMP jail, letter already sent to President Benigno Aquino, III; also a letter sent to Vice-President Jejomar Binay, to DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima, Congressman Neri Colmenares and two Gabriela congresswoman SC Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Mrs. Editha Burgos, mother of a disappeared victim, reported to have been abducted by the military, Joseph Jonas Burgos, son of well-known journalist, Jose Burgos Jr.
http://www.ndb-online.com/012613/local-news/january-26-2013
Well, there is little doubt that "Cheche" has a long track record of working with or for established CPP front organizations or with church organizations that sympathize with the "national democratic movement" (read CPP/NDF).
ReplyDeleteThe PCPR is a CPP-associated front comprised of church workers and is a member of the main umbrella front organization BAYAN (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-New Patriotic Alliance).
GABRIELA is the main CPP-linked front focused on women's issues. The group functions as a sectoral front for women but also is engaged in the political process through GABRIELA Women's Party (GWP), a CPP-associated party-list political party that has managed to seat several representatives in the Philippine congress. GABRIELA is also a member of BAYAN.
The question is whether she crossed the line and transitioned from the legal mass struggle over into the armed struggle associated with the New People's Army (NPA). It is not unusual for such a transition to occur among those true believers engaged in the legal struggle.
Being a member of church affiliated groups does not necessarily exclude an individual from becoming a member of the clandestine NPA. There are a number of NPA leaders who have in the past been Catholic priests and who now hold key positions in the underground movement. Fr. Frank Fernandez, the current leader of the CPP/NDF/NPA in Negros, is a good example.