Groups call for justice amid killings in Negros

 From the Visayan Daily Star (Sep 22, 2020): Groups call for justice amid killings in Negros

Progressive groups yesterday demanded justice for the victims of killings in the Negros Island, as they marked the 48th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

In an online protest yesterday, the groups cried for justice for the deaths of activist Zara Alvarez, lawyer Ben Ramos, Escalante City Councilor Bernardino Patigas, and other victims.

John Milton Lozande, secretary-general of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, said that like the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, there had been a lot of killings under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

He also said the Duterte administration has curtailed the freedom of the press by shutting down ABS-CBN and threatening Rappler.

The League of Filipino Students–Bacolod said it stands in solidarity with other progressive groups in honoring the lives of Filipino martyrs, who exhibited bravery and selflessness in fighting for justice and freedom.

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, co-chair of the Church People-Workers Solidarity, said that they are paying tribute to the thousands of modern-day martyrs who offered their lives for the cause of peace, justice, and freedom as they denounced the recently-signed Anti-Terrorism Law that they claimed weaponizes the state to commit blatant, unmitigated, and persisting human violations and attack people’s civil, political and democratic rights.

Ka Juanito Magbanua, spokesperson of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army, said they called on the Filipinos to resist the new Martial Law of the Duterte regime.

https://www.visayandailystar.com/2020/September/22/topstory10.htm