Wala pa ring katarungan sa Aurora

TRO Laban sa Mayor ng Casiguran (pabor sa IDC): Simbolo ng Kawalang Katarungan! Mga Pagkilos Laban sa Muling Operasyon ng Logging sa Aurora, Paiigtingin!

Mahigpit na kinokondena ng Multi-Sectoral Action Group (MSAG) Aurora, ang pagpapalabas ng TRO laban kay Casiguran, Aurora Mayor Reynaldo Bitong. Ang TRO na inisyu ni RTC Branch 66 Judge Soluren ay bunsod ng Petition for Mandamus, with prayer for TRO, na isinampa ng Industries Development Corporation (IDC) laban sa naturang Mayor. Nagsasaad ang TRO ng pagbabawal kay Mayor Bitong na:

• isara o ipag-utos ang pagsasara ng logpond, sawmill at veneer plant ng IDC na nasa Brgy. Dibacong, Casiguran, Aurora;
• hadlangan o ipag-utos na hadlangan ang pagpasok ng mga truck ng IDC o pagdadala ng troso ng mga ito mula sa Dilasag patungo sa planta nito sa Dibacong, Casiguran;
• pigilan/ pagbawalan o ipag-utos na bawalang pumasok sa trabaho ang mga kawani ng IDC; o
• anumang hakbang na makakahadlang sa operasyon ng IDC;

Ang kaso ay nagsimula matapos hindi bigyan o payagang mag-renew ni Mayor Bitong ng business/ Mayor’s Permit ang IDC. Ayon sa Mayor, walang maipakita ang kumpanya na kopya ng Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) para sa kanilang logpond, sawmill at veneer plant na nasa bayan ng Casiguran. Wala rin di umanong ibinigay na kopya ng kanilang Integrated Operational Plan (IOP) ang kumpanya upang may pagbatayan ang munisipalidad kung paano protektahan ang babayin ng Casiguran kung saan itinatapon ng IDC ang kanilang kusot (saw dust) at iba pang basura at ang paggamit ng kumpanya sa baybaying ito bilang daungan.

Ang IDC ay kumpanya ng logging na mahigit apatnapung (40) taon nang nagpapasasa sa kagubatan ng Aurora. Ito ang isa sa mga kumalbo at patuloy na pumapanot sa mga kabundukan ng Dinalungan, Casiguran at Dilasag (DICADI). Naging mainit ang pagtutol ng mga mamamayan ng Casiguran matapos makaranas ng matinding pagbaha ng putik at landslide noong Hulyo 2003, sa paghagupit ng Bagyong Harurot na sumira sa daang milyong halaga ng mga ari-arian at imprastraktura.

Pansamantalang nahinto ang operasyon ng IDC matapos ipag-utos ng DENR ang moro-morong “suspension” ng operasyon ng mga kumpanya ng logging sa buong bansa noong Disyembre 2004, matapos muling makaranaa ang Aurora ng mga flashflood. Sa kabila nito, ipinag-utos ni DENR Sec. Mike Defensor ang lifting ng harvesting operation ng IDC noong August 17, 2005 (isang araw matapos payagan ang muling operasyon ng San Jose Lumber sa Samar). Sa kabila ng TRO na ipinalabas ng hukuman, naninindigan ang mga mamamayan ng Dinalungan, Casiguran at Dilasag, na HADLANGAN ang anumang muling operasyon ng Industries Development Corporation (IDC) o anumang kumpanya ng logging sa kanilang bayan. Habang pinakikitunguhan ng lokal na pamahalaan ang usapin sa hukuman, paiigtingin naman ng Save DICADI Movement, sa pakikipatulungan ng Multi-Sectoral Action Group (MSAG) Aurora at mga kaalyadong organisasyon, ang pagsusulong ng mga pagkilos ng mamamayan upang hadlangan sa lahat ng paraan, ang muling operasyon ng mga kumpanya ng logging at pagtatangka ng pagmimina sa Aurora.

Sa tukoy, pasisiglahin ng MSAG Aurora ang paglulunsad ng mga pag-aaral sa malawak ng bilang ng mamamayan kaugnay sa usapin ng logging at mining; palalakasin ang mga organisasyon at pormasyong nagsusulong ng laban sa malawakang logging; at pasisigabuhin ang mga pagkilos mula sa petisyon hanggang sa iba’t ibang porma ng mga kilos-protesta at malawakang mobilisasyon. Kabilang na sa mga aktibidad na ito ay ang ilulunsad na Provincial Conference on Logging and Mining sa December 12 at 13, 2005.

Muli, pinag-iibayo ng MSAG Aurora ang panawagan para

1. Wakasan na ang anumang uri ng komersyal na operasyon ng logging sa buong lalawigan ng Aurora. Nangangahulugan ito ng pagkansela o pagbawi sa anumang uri ng permit (TLA/ IFMA/ SPLTL/ CBFM) ng mga konsesyunaryo at pagpapatigil sa operasyon ng mga sawmill: (1) Pacific Timber Export Corporation (PATECO) sa Dilasag; (2)Industries Development Corporation (IDC) sa Dinalungan, Casiguran at Dilasag; (3) RCC Lumber sa Dinalungan;(4) Toplite Lumber sa Dipaculao;(5) Verdant Agro-Forest Development Corporation (VAFDC) sa Dipaculao; (6) Inter-Pacific Forest Resources Corporation (IFRC) sa San Luis at Dingalan; (7) Benson Realty Development Corporation sa San Luis; (8) San Roque Sawmill Corporation sa San Luis; at(9) Green Circle Properties Corporation sa Dingalan;
2. Imbistigahan ang mga tiwaling opisyal at kawani ng mga kinauukulang ahensya partikular ang DENR at papanagutin sila sa mga pagpapabaya at pakikipagsabwatan sa mga mapanira ng kalikasan.
3. Isabatas ang Large-Scale Commercial o Corporate Log Ban sa Aurora. Matapos kanselahin ang logging permit, hwag nang magbigay pa ng kahit anong instrumento para sa komersyal na operasyon ng logging. Dagdag dito, dapat ding patawan ng bayad pinsala ang mga kumpanyang nagpasasa at sumira sa kagubatan ng Aurora; at papanagutin sila sa mga nasirang ari-arian at buhay ng mga biktima ng mga nakaraang pagbaha.
4. Magkaroon ng Tunay at Komprehensibong Rehabilitation Program partikular sa mga lugar na sinalanta ng mga kumpanya ng logging. Sa kagyat ay kailangang maideklara ang mga watershed, lalo na ang mga nasa kritikal na yugto ng pagkasira. Kaakibat din nito ang puspusang rehabilitasyon at pagpapaunlad ng mga ito.
5. Kailangang magbalangkas ang pangmatagalang plano para sa tunay pangangalaga at rehabilitasyon ng kalikasan. Dapat ding tiyakin na ang ahensya sa pagpapatupad nito ay tunay na nagmamalasakit sa kapakanan ng higit na nakararaming mamamayan at hindi ng iilan at mga dayuhan.

(END)

Reference:
Multi-Sectoral Action Group (MSAG) Aurora
c/o BATARIS Formation Center
Baler 3200 Aurora

On Human Rights Report 2005

This story was taken here

Militant group accuses government of rights abuses
First posted 08:18pm (Mla time) Dec 02, 2005
By
Agence France-Presse

A HUMAN rights group accused Friday the government of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of using political killings to eliminate its opponents and maintain power.

Rights group Karapatan said 2005 was one of the worst years for human rights abuses in the Philippines since the days of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted in 1986.

In its "Human Rights Report 2005", the non-governmental organization accused the Arroyo administration of the "wanton use of repression and state terror" to stay in power.

Karapatan, a left-leaning group opposed to Arroyo, said it had documented 874 cases of rights violations against 99,011 individuals across the country between January and November 30.

The release of its report comes a day after the murder of journalist George Benaojan, 27, who was gunned down in the central island of Cebu on Thursday.

He became the 10th journalist to have been murdered in the Philippines this year and the 73rd journalist murdered in the country since democracy was restored following the overthrow of Marcos.

Karapatan secretary general Marie Hilao-Enriquez said the number of political killings of journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and community leaders "surpasses that of any regime after Martial Law".

"The number of cases of political killings increased by more than 100 percent compared to the 63 victims in 2004," the report said.

"Of the 150 victims of political killings, 80 were confirmed activists critical of the Arroyo regime.

"The remaining 68 were not known to be affiliated with any political party or organization but were suspected by the military to be sympathizers, supporters, friends or relatives of Communist or Muslim rebels."

The group also cited the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, which says 36 journalists have been murdered since Arroyo came to power in 2001.

"In almost all cases of political assassinations and extrajudicial killings, military elements and or paramilitary death squads and vigilante groups were the primary suspects. To date, none of the killings under the Arroyo regime has been solved," Enriquez said.

The government could not immediately be contacted for comment, but it has previously said such charges are overblown, often by leftist groups with ties to communist guerrillas.

Church-people not safe

Press Statement
Nobyembre 28,2005

TAONG-SIMBAHAN, HINDI LIGTAS SA PAGHAHASIK NG TERORISMO NG ESTADO!

Apatot, San Esteban – Dakong alas-diyes ng gabi ng Nobyembre 28, matapos manggaling sa isang Paralegal Training ng Ilocos Human Rights Advocates bilang Resource Speaker, si Pepe Manegdeg, Coordinator ng Rural Missionaries of the Philippines(RMP) ng Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines(AMRSP) para sa Ilocos at Cordillera Region ay binaril at pinatay ng mga di pa nakikilalang armadong kalalakihan na lulan ng motorsiklo sa National Highway sa lugar na ito.

Ayon sa traysikel drayber na naghatid kay Manegdeg sa highway mula sa naturang training, dalawang lalaki ang nakaabang na sa waiting shed kung saan bumaba si Manegdeg upang mag-abang ng bus papuntang Manila. Susunduin ni Manegdeg sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) ang kanyang maybahay na parating galing abroad. Dagdag pa, pagbaba ni Manegdeg mula sa traysikel na sinakyan, bigla itong sinunggaban ng isa sa mga lalaking nakaabang habang ang isa pa ay nagsilbing look out. Ayon sa mga saksi, bago sinunggaban si Manegdeg ay nakipag-usap pa ang isa sa kanyang cellphone at tinanong ang kausap ng “Sir, kukunin na ba namin ito?” Pagbaba ng cellphone ng lalaki ay sabay sunggab kay Manegdeg. Nang pumalag at tinangkang tumakbo ni Manegdeg, ayon sa iba pang mga saksi ay pinaputukan ito ng anim na beses. Lima ang tumama sa iba’t ibang parte ng katawan ni Manegdeg.

Ayon pa sa mga saksi, pagkatapos pagbabarilin at patayin si Manegdeg ng dalawang kalalakihan, isinakay ang ginamit na motorsiklo sa isang puting pick-up palabas at palayo sa lugar na pinangyarihan. Iniwan ang bangkay ni Manegdeg sa tabi ng daan matapos itong kaladkarin.

“Ang karumaldumal na pagpaslang kay Pepe ay malinaw na larawan ng karahasan ng estado. Si Pepe Manegdeg ay kilalang matapat na church worker na taos-pusong tumutulong sa pagtataguyod at pakikipaglaban para sa karapatang pantao,” ayon sa PCPR.

Idinagdag din ng IHRA na ang nangyari kay Manegdeg ay ilan lamang sa mga napakarami nang kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang-pantao sa ilalim ng rehimen ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo na kung saan ay nagpapakita ng marahas na pamamaraan ng estado upang patahimikin at supilin ang mga indibidual o mga grupo na puspusang nagtataguyod sa karapatang pantao.

Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) - ILOCOS

Condemn political killings!

Click here for related photos

STATEMENT OF CONDEMNATION ON POLITICAL KILLINGS

THIS NOVEMBER, the shocking news about eight massacred farmers in Palo, Leyte and the weekly assassination of activists highlighted anew the alarming rate of military atrocities and political killings under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government. November 7, 13, 18, 19 and 21, these were the names of more victims: Mr. Jose Ducalang (Bayan Muna Coordinator- Ormoc City); Mr. Bienvenido Bajado (Council Member of Bayan Eastern Visayas and Council Member of Karapatan Eastern Samar); Mr. Ricardo Uy (Chairperson of Bayan Muna Sorsogon, President of Sorsogon Independent Media Reporters and member of Manindugan, a Sorsogon-based human rights alliance); Mr.
Errol Sending (member of Bayan Muna Pampanga and the urban poor group Kadamay); and Rommel Arcilla (a former activist and a worker of PELCO).

In the morning of November 29, we received news of the latest victim: Jose “Pepe” Manegdeg, shot dead around 10 pm of November 28 in Ilocos Sur.

Pepe’s involvements, as in the case of many victims of political killings under Arroyo, made him a target of the state’s policy of physically eliminating perceived enemies of the government: He was a Bayan Muna coordinator and lay member of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), a church-based peasant advocacy group. He also served as staff of the Research, Information, Documentation of the Clergy-Laity Formation Program (CLFP), an ecumenical network in the Cordillera, and as a co-worker of the Ecology Program of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. Pepe is known for his active role in anti-mining and anti-dam campaigns such as the Save the Abra River Movement (STARM). Pepe was also the Editor-in-Chief
of Kenosis, a publication that has projected peasant issues and struggles and a member of the Editorial Board of Writing on the Wall, a publication featuring local, national and international issues.

Pepe was a dedicated advocate of human rights especially for the farmers and indigenous peoples of the Cordillera. His gentle laugh and warm smile were enough to light up any day. His love of justice and of people engaged him in community organize organizing: empowering the poor to stand for their rights while fostering healthy relationships and a positive communal spirit.

Pepe’s co-workers could always trust that his verbal commitment was equivalent to a
task completed. At the same time, Pepe was an unwavering family man. He loved sharing stories about his two daughters Andrea and Dodo whom he adored. His love for his partner in life, Dom-An, was unquestionable.

We of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) echo the cries for justice of Dom-An, Andrea, Dodo and all the co-workers and friends of Pepe. We condemn the Arroyo government for killing another activist church worker. Arroyo and her army of assassins must be held accountable for stealing human lives just as she must be held accountable for stealing the elections and pushing the Filipino majority into deeper poverty.

November 2, at the funeral mass and burial of Ka Ricardo Ramos, the beloved leader of the Hacienda Luisita workers who was killed by suspected military forces on October 25, his family and co-workers cried out for justice and immediate end to the state’s policy of killing leaders and members of the progressive party list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela Women’s Party, peasant and labor leaders, human rights defenders, churchpeople, lawyers and members of cause-oriented organizations. Today, we cry out again: STOP POLITICAL KILLINGS! JUSTICE FOR JOSE ‘PEPE’ MANEGDEG AND ALL VICTIMS OF STATE TERRORISM!

Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR)
29 November 2005

Reference: Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm
PCPR Spokesperson

Ms Amie Dural
PCPR Secretary General

Contact: 4107623
===========

FACT SHEET

Case: Summary Execution

Name of Victim: JOSE ‘PEPE’ MANEGDEG III, 37 years old, male, married and a native of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. He is the regional coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Ilocos and Cordillera. He was also the former coordinator of the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD).

His wife Florence Umaming Macagne and two (2) daughters survive him.

Place of Incident: along the national highway at Barangay Apatot, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur.

Date of Incident: November 28, 2005, at around 10:00 pm

Perpetrators: unidentified assassins believed to be members of the military

Accounts of the Incident:

Unidentified assassins shot dead at a little past 10 o’clock pm (November 28, 2005), JOSE ‘PEPE’ MANEGDEG III in Apatot, Ilocos Sur. Manegdeg is the coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Cordillera and Ilocos. He was also the former coordinator of the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera Region (RECCORD) and currently an editorial staff of its publication Writing on the Wall.

He was a speaker-trainer of a Paralegal Training Seminar at the Ursa Major Resort in Apatot, Ilocos Sur. The Ilocos Human Rights Alliance (IHRA)- KARAPATAN sponsored the Training.

According to his co-trainees, he left the Training Seminar at about 10:00 pm and took a tricycle to the highway where he was to take a bus to Manila. He was to meet his wife who would be arriving from Hong Kong this afternoon.

Manegdeg alighted at the waiting shed in the highway. Suddenly, a van approached and a man from the van shot at Manegdeg. Gunshots were heard by the tricycle driver who was about to leave the area. Fearing for his life, he sped off, and returned to the resort and informed Manegdeg’s companions.

His colleagues at the resort immediately contacted the police and went to the scene of the killing. They found his body approximately 15 meters from the waiting shed. His bag, cell phone and other belongings were missing. A surface inspection of the body indicated twenty-two (22) bullet wounds from a .45 semi-automatic pistol.

Manegdeg was shot barely a year after the killing of Romy Sanchez who was also summarily executed March 9 this year at Kayang St., Baguio City.

His body is still in Sta. Maria undergoing autopsy. His family and friends will bring his remains to Baguio probably tonight at the Cathedral of the Resurrection (Episcopal Diocese of North Central Philippines, Magsaysay Ave.) for the wake.

In a similar incident in Abra at 9:00 a.m. today, unidentified men riding a motorcycle shot ALBERT TERREDANO, a volunteer staff of the Cordillera Indigenous Peoples’ Legal Center (DINTEG). He sustained two (2) gunshot wounds that pierced his lungs. Fortunately, he survived the shooting and is now confined in a hospital in Bangued.

Prepared by:
Beverly L. Longid
Vice-Chairperson
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA)


Press release

The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) holds the US-Arroyo Regime responsible for the killing of Jose ‘Pepe’ Manegdeg III. This is a clear move to silence the people’s opposition and critique to her regime.

She has unleashed her death squads to go on a killing rampage against the people by attacking members of legitimate peoples’ organizations.

Arroyo’s hands are tainted with the blood of her countless victims. This sham President has done nothing to bring the perpetrators to justice. In fact, she has encouraged the political killings by promoting rabid killers such as Gen. Jovito Palparan. She is legalizing repression and harassment by certifying the passage of an Anti-Terrorism Bill and issuing Executive Orders such as the Calibrated Pre-emptive Response.

With the escalation of political executions, there is no other recourse for the people but to seek redress and demand immediate justice from the Arroyo government. The killing of Pepe Manegdeg by Arroyo’s death squad is one grim reality and reason why we must not allow her to stay in power.


Reference:

Beverly L. Longid
Vice-Chairperson
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA)

JOSE ‘PEPE’ RIVERA MANEGDEG III
(27 August 1968 - 28 November 2005)


1987-1994 Staff, Clergy-Laity Formation Program (CLFP)-Northern Luzon
1988-1992 Editor-in-Chief, Kenosis Ecumenical Publications (CLFP Publication)
1993-1997 Basic Christian Community-Community Organizing (BCC-CO)- Northern Luzon assigned to Cagayan Valley
1998 Staff, Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD)
2000-2004 Regional Coordinator, RECCORD
2004-2005 Regional Coordinator, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP)-Cordillera and Ilocos
2005 Staff, Regional Development Center-Katinnulong dagiti Umili iti Amianan (RDC-KADUAMI)
Editorial Staff, Writing on the Wall (Official Publication of the Northern Luzon Forum for Church and Society)

Jose "Pepe" Manegdeg killed

November 29, 2005

Dear all,

I cry for justice as I read this email. Pepe is a co-worker or mine. We worked together for the Rural Missionaries in the Philippines under the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines. The last time I met him was in the first quarter of 2004 before I left for the seminary here in the US. We had a conference then. It was a church peasant conference held in Baguio in one of nun's convents. Different congregations, priest, nuns and pastors where there. Bishop Carlito Cenzon, the Bishop of Baguio was there and shared with us his biblico-theological reflection. Pepe was incharge in doing all the legwork and invitations with the help of his friends.

Pepe is a light hearted person who finds joy in mingling with people. He was a typical church worker who always shares his joys, pains with us and shares also his jokes among us to make us laugh. I saw Pepe as an enthusiastic person who would always find time to listen to you. Being the national representative of the RMP in
regional meetings I was delighted to hear from him. So much experience and stories to listen to and learn. Such interaction with him was so important for me as he speaks with dedication and passion. His insights were of so much value for us. I had a high regard of him in the manner how he writes and how he organizes his thoughts.
Indeed we was a prolefic writer I knew among lay members in Luzon. He was adept in discussing important issues from a unique perspective, a perspective coming from an indigenous people as he was one. I remembered we had a lively discussion with him especially Ka Daning was with us who spoke on behalf of the peasants. He would have
piercing comments that already summed up ideas that we have put accross and discussed. In that meeting too, I remembered asking him to finally accept being elected as the RMP's regional coordinator, noting he was so popular among the nuns and priests. At first he begged off knowing how enormous was the responsiblity but
later when unanimously elected by all, had humbly accepted the task knowing he now has to travel from Ilocos, Isabela and the Cordilleras to oversee and implement church programs for the peasants.

During that night, that was after that hectic conference, had an occassion to talk to him on a wide array of issues. I clearly remembered we had to sit under the light of the moon that was around 11:00 in the evening in the convent's garden and share
our individual faith journeys, how our families make it amid our busy work serving the peasants in the rural areas, how we would understand church position on different issues, how to see theological issues at hand confronting us and the nature of the church we where in and would have endless discussion how to concientize church people. I remembered him follwing me up on the list of funding agencies as he had project proposals in line for peasant, livelihood projects that will sustain and empower them as well also the church people. He shared with me his own stories how hard it was to go around organizing church people with no money for transportation at all, solely depending support of friends around. Crisscrossing the mountains in the Cordillerras was no joke at all, that is only to talk to church people and encourange them to continue in their ministry among the poorest of the poor. No wonder he was well loved even by the St. Claire nuns. His spirit of service for others and selfless dedication had made him well respected. He spoke with authority. His authority comes from experience. Pepe was well adept in church organizing. How can he not be, when he was an ex-seminarian. He left the seminary to find God, probably God among the people. He followed the hard way, carrying that heavy cross, giving himself for others. He was in no doubt spiritually adept. He followed Jesus ministry among the poor. For me, his untimely death did not silence
him. His voice now echoes a million times in the hearts of the poor, the poor people, espeically the peasants longing for justice and freedom, for land. His death had only sparked the fire of justice. His death showed an ethic of selflessly dedication for others, an ethic Jesus had well demonstated. Pepe was a true church worker whose life significance is heavier a million times of all the Cordillera mountains combined.

As we grieve of his death, we remind ourselves of our responsibility to continue his works, follow his ethic of selfless dedication for others, of service among the poor, deprived and the oppressed. His death also reminds us we can never follow Christ unless we serve others. Pepe's life demonstrated how it is to be Christ like in service for the poor, deprived and the oppressed.

Let us feel Pepe's presence among the struggling people working and longing for justice and freedom. Among the poor peasants, poor worker in factories, among the middle class in cities and even among church workers which he belongs. His spirit is still with us today. He is among us now. In everyones hearts.

With ferment prayers and hope,

Arn Lou Mutia
San Francisco Theological Seminary
San Anselmo CA, 94960

note: please send your letters of suppor and concern to :
pcpr_nat@tri-isys.com, rmphilsnoc@yahoo.com