Another ANAKPAWIS leader gunned down

During summit on extrajudicial killings, political murders continue

“Because no one gets punished for the murders, the culture of impunity remains and the murder last Tuesday of Charlie Solayao, 51 years old, Chairperson of ANAKPAWIS-Tacloban underscore this grim reality and despite the Summit on Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearance good intentions, it cannot serve as panacea to the ongoing bloodbath.”

This was the statement today by Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center as they condemn the death of another activist in the hands of death squads.

“Unless the brawns and the brains behind the continued extra-judicial killings are made to pay for their crimes, we cannot expect any let-up on spilling of blood by activists and opponents of the Arroyo regime. The murder of Charlie during a high-profile summit on killings and disappearances indicate things are bound to get worse before it gets better," stated Labog.

“Despite the overwhelming concern by various groups on the continued extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances, Arroyo still has not made a categorical statement to put an end to the killings and merely talks against the issue but the body language says otherwise, as evident on her last State of the Nation Address (SoNA) praising Gen. Jovito ‘the butcher’ Palparan who lays a trail of blood wherever he is assigned," stressed Labog.

Terror law endangers summit results

The labor leader clarified any advancement made during the summit will be endangered by the implementation of the new terror law. “The anti-terror law and its implementers will arrogantly just pull the rug right under any possible headway made during the summit initiated by the Supreme Court (SC) since warrantless arrests, illegal detention and eavesdropping have been made legal by the new terror law,” opined Labog.

Labog explained that under the terror law, strikes by workers can be considered as a “terrorist act” and those who participate or plan for a strike can be arrested without warrant due to mere suspicion of committing a terrorist act and these workers can be illegal detained and held incommunicado by police or the military.

“The situation of workers rights even before this new terror law has been dismal, to say the least, and with this new law, there will be more weapons to deny working people their fundamental rights,” stated Labog.

Arroyo to deliver bloodied report card during SoNA

“On Monday, July 23, 2007, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will deliver her 7th State of the Nation Address (SoNA) and we are to expect nothing short of lies on the state of the economy, peace and order and the human rights situation in the country,” said Labog.

According to Labog, any cheers from the partisan crowd in the halls of Congress during Arroyo’s SoNA will be drowned by the cries of justice for the almost 900 victims of extra-judicial killings and close to 200 cases of enforced disappearances.

“Arroyo will try to gloss over the bleak situation of workers and their families, the continued migration of our brothers and sisters due to lack of opportunity and the worsening human rights situation in the country but the whole country and the world knows what really is going on. She will be delivering a bloodied report card,” ended Labog.