The Peoples Action on September 21 strongly condemns the raid by General Calimlim and his men on the office of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD) last September 18, 2000.
We denounce the military’s branding of the staff and leaders of KPD as terrorists out to destabilize the government. Such tactic and the planting of evidences to justify arrest of those who take on people’s issues, has been the practice of the military under the Marcos Dictatorship.
KPD is a legal organization and its leaders and workers have tirelessly exposed the government’s anti-poor and anti-people policies. This harassment on people’s organizations is very much similar to the harassments done by the Marcos dictatorship in the hope of silencing the opposition. We fear that this raid is but the tip of the iceberg of the military’s plan to harass peoples organizations. Workers in some of our organizations have expressed alarm at the overt surveillance of some of our offices.
Tomorrow, we will be commemorating the 28 year of the declaration of Martial Law and it saddens us that its instruments of repression and oppression are very much alive and are being used by the Estrada regime against the people.
That the raid came a few days before planned protest actions by various groups can only be interpreted as a warning that those who will stage rallies are enemies of the state and shall be dealt with accordingly. It was perhaps a reminder to protesters that the state will not hesitate to use brute force as it has done to protests during the President’s “State of the Nation Address” last July.
President Estrada is very much mistaken if he thinks that he can bully us and stop us from mounting protests on September 21. Marcos imprisoned tens of thousands of people but in the end was toppled down by the people. This is a lesson not so difficult to grasp that Pres. Estrada can easily learn if only he will take the time to study it.
Far from dissuading us, these arrests only make us more determined to unite in our struggle to protest against the anti-people and repressive policies of the Estrada regime. It will inspire us to be more determined to work for a democratic and pro-people government.
People’s Action on September 21
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)
Philippine Jubilee 2000
Alab Katipunan (AK)
BISIG, Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD)
Lean Alejandro Foundation (LFF)
PANDAYAN
Resource Center for People’s Development (RCPD)
Sosyalistang Partido ng Paggawa (SPP)
The detained KPD members are:
- Emilio Canlas
- Luis de Vera
- Lolita dela Cruz
- Guia Colagong
- Djoannalyn Janier
- Milette Morante
- Joel Morante
- Mitzi Chan
- Ruth Pambid
- Ed Magahis
- Emily Fajardo
- Ismael Gloria