CONTACT PERSON: Executive Director Belinda Formanes
THE REAL ENDANGERED SPECIE
The recent spate of killings that have targeted activist-organizers have placed them in the country’s most endangered species list. According to newspaper accounts, at least 123 activists have already been liquidated since President Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001.
In the agrarian front alone, 13 peasant leaders from the Pambansang Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA) were murdered in cold blood, the most prominent of whom was UNORKA Secretary General Enrico “Ka Eric” Cabanit who was felled by still unidentified assassins last 24 April 2006 in Panabo, Davao del Norte.
The list also includes:
1. Felizardo Benitez, who died on 20 March 2004 in San Narciso, Quezon;
2. Raymundo Tejino, who was murdered on 4 February 2003 also in San Narciso, Quezon;
3. Edwin Vender, who was killed in June 1998 in San Narciso, Quezon;
4. Rodrigo Romero, who was gunned down on 3 October 2003 in San Narciso, Quezon;
5. Danilo Felipe, who was killed in August 2000 in Guimba, Nueva Ecija;
6. Lito Bayudan, who died on 6 May 2004 in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija;
7. Junie Gaylan, who was shot to death on 8 March 2003 in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental;
8. Alex Aquino, who died in 2004 in Bulacan;
9. Dominador Morales, who was killed on 6 January 2003 in Panabo, Davao City;
10. Hernan Baria, who was gunned down on 23 July 2005 in Balasan, Iloilo;
11. Vicente Denila, who was killed on 27 March 2006 in Tanjay City; and
12. Jimmy Mirafuentes, who died in April 2006 in Albay.
In five (5) of these cases, landlord goons were identified as perpetrators, while responsibility for three (3) of these murders were placed on the New People’s Army (NPA). However, even state authorities were also imputed, with elements from the Philippine National Police (PNP) being identified as perpetrators in two (2) of these cases.