Despite GMA’s condemnation

Political killings continue to intensify!

Press Release
By KARAPATAN
July 31, 2006

QUEZON CITY, Philippines  –  At 6:00 am today, Rei Mon Guran, 21, spokesperson of League of Filipino Students in Aquinas University in Legazpi City was shot to death in Bulan, Sorsogon by an unidentified gunman. Guran was shot four times and sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

An hour later, Dr. Chandu Clavier, Bayan Muna Chairman in Kalinga and his wife, Alice, also a Bayan Muna supporter were shot in front of St. Toni’s College by two unidentified gunmen on board a black van. They were rushed to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital, but, at 1:00 pm today, Alice was pronounced dead.

One week after Mrs. Arroyo condemned the extrajudicial killings, attacks against the Filipinos’ right to life continues on an almost daily basis. On July 26, Ernesto Ladica, a Bayan Muna member from Salay, Misamis Oriental was killed. On July 28, Alberto Gonzales of Lopez, Quezon was also shot to death. And on July 30, Mario Florendo, a Bayan Muna member was shot inside his house at Brgy. Paritas, Lupao Nueva Ecija.

“Indeed, this regime has no respect for human rights; Arroyo’s pronouncements in her State of the Nation Address were just for show to quell the criticisms the regime is getting for the killings and its gruesome record of human rights violations,” said Jigs Clamor, Deputy Secretary of KARAPATAN.

From 2001 to date, victims of extrajudical killings have swelled to 717. For this year alone, only on its 7th month, the victims have risen to 121 already.

“Not a single case was ever resolved. As expected, Task Force Usig was a cosmetic effort of the Arroyo administration and has been proven inutile,” Clamor added.

“We can no longer hold our ire to these crimes being committed against our fellow Filipinos. Political persecution continues to persist under the US-Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regime. We are calling on all life-loving Filipinos to demand an independent investigative body to hold the perpetrators accountable for these killings and obtain justice for the victims. Like Marcos, the people must be able to remove the fake president and prevent her from bringing further harm to our country,” Clamor concluded.