Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume IV, Number 12 April 25 - May 1, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
Learning
Politics the Hard Way: Days
after Macapagal-Arroyo’s national security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, accused
Anak ng Bayan and other progressive party-list groups as front organizations of
the Communist Party, three of the youth party’s nominees were harassed
separately, with one of them hauled into jail and slapped with murder charges.
Despite the harassment, the young nominees of Anak Bayan – one of five groups
leading in pre-elections surveys – remain undaunted. BY
AUBREY MAKILAN The
nominees of the youth party Anak ng Bayan (Nation’s Youth) are finding out the
hard way the perils of politics. Its president and first nominee Apolinario
Alvarez was threatened at gunpoint during a campaign caravan in Camarines Sur
last week. Its third nominee, Ronalyn Olea, was hospitalized for several days
when a motorcycle-riding thief suspiciously targeted her bag and dragged her for
several meters, face up. Worst of all, its fifth nominee, Ronald Ian Evidente,
was arrested April 22 in Dumaguete City on a murder charge and is now behind
bars. Anak
ng Bayan condemned the arrest of Evidente by the Special Operations Group (SOG)
of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental on alleged murder
charges. Evidente,
27, a graduate of the Silliman University in Dumaguete, was on his way to meet
with Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) leaders in the area when SOG’s SPO1
Alberto Belingan and PO1 Alfonzo Enriquez arrested him. He is currently held at
the PNP Dumaguete jail. According
to reports, Evidente is facing a murder charge with still unknown complainants
under Criminal Case No.3829. Presiding Judge Rogaciano Rivera of the municipal
trial court in Sta. Catalina town issued the arrest order last March, with no
bail recommended. “Silencing”
militants
Evidente
said his arrest and detention is a “resurrection of the series of actions to
silence militant groups and individuals.” Security
Adviser Norberto Gonzales earlier accused progressive party-lists, including
Anak ng Bayan Youth Party, as front organizations of the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP). Gonzales’
accusation has been echoed in Negros by police officer Herbert Arinaza of the
provincial PNP, said Evidente. He
said that the local “cohorts” of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration are now
working to get not only him but also other militants in the province. “Gonzales
has no legal basis to link us with the CPP just because of our progressive
stance on sectoral and national issues,” said Alvarez. “In his desperation,
he is now resorting to underhanded and false criminal accusations to demonize
and prevent us from upholding the youth’s interests in Congress.” Not
the only one
Evidente
was not the only Anak ng Bayan nominee to experience harassment. Olea,
third nominee and outgoing national president of the College Editors Guild of
the Philippines (CEGP), was dragged by an unknown man on board a motorcycle last
week near the Anak ng Bayan office in Pampanga in what was ostensibly a bag
snatching incident. According to AnB, it was suspicious that despite the
presence of other youths, the rider went for Olea’s bag. The frail-bodied
student leader suffered bruises and was hospitalized for almost week. Alvarez
on the other hand was threatened at gunpoint when he was negotiating with the
military early this week during a Bicol-wide motorcade. The soldiers allegedly
fired at the participating vehicles in the motorcade, which at that time were
trying to drive away. The alleged shooting was done despite the presence of
civilians along the highway. Survey
topnotcher
Evidente,
who was shocked with the murder charge, told Bulatlat.com that on that
same day of the arrest, they were on a campaign sortie in Dumaguete City. With
his arrest, the scheduled campaign activity in Bais City was cancelled. “The
murder case against Ronald disregards due process and is clearly politically
motivated,” said Alvarez. The arrest warrant, which was issued a month ago,
was served during the party’s campaign sortie in the province. Meanwhile,
Bayan Muna Rep. Siegfred Deduro criticized President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for
her alleged “campaign of slander and demonization” against Bayan Muna and
its allied party-list groups even when she insists there is no state policy in
this regard. Alvarez
said that the arrest shows the “connivance between the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and Gonzales’ National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)
to disqualify the party-list.” The
youth party, along with Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Gabriela Women’s Party, has
been topping the surveys for party-lists. It ranked second in both the latest
Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS) surveys for party-list. Struggle
even behind bars
“These
attempts to silence us have only made the youth’s resolve stronger,” said
Alvarez. “We will not allow Gonzales or Malacañang to rob us of our right to
bring our fight for education and employment to Congress.” On
April 16, progressive party-lists, headed by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, filed
a P9.8 million-libel suit against Gonzales at the justice department. Meanwhile,
even behind bars, Evidente has urged the youth to persevere in the campaign and
continue the struggle for the sector’s emancipation. He also plans to file libel charges against police officer Arinaza. With reports from Karl G. Ombion/ Bulatlat.com We want to know what you think of this article.
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