Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao Region, Anakpawis Partylist, Free Ka Bel Movement and AnakPawis Rep. Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano gathered signatures at Bangkerohan market today to campaign for the immediate release of detained AnakPawis Rep. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran.

The palengke tour started at around 7:30 in the morning following the courtesy call paid to Bangkerohan Brgy. Capt. Edgar Ibuyan. Omar Bantayan, secretary general of KMU-SMR, said that it is most telling and significant that the call for the immediate release from detention of the militant representative has come from the broad sectors of the workers, peasants and urban poor.
“Who else in the Congress knows what the plight of the masses are more than Ka Bel? Starting as president of a taxi drivers’ union and then serving as chairman of KMU for 16 years, he has militantly advanced the interests and welfare of the workers. As one of the only six progressive representatives present in the 13th Congress, Ka Bel has championed the lives, experiences and dreams of the masses.”

“As a political vendetta against those who actively called for her ouster, the fake and desperate Gloria Arroyo went after leaders and members of progressive organizations and partylist representatives,” explained Bantayan on the Arroyo regime’s policy toward those critical of her. “Ka Bel is but one amongst thousands being terrorized by political persecution, harassment and even killings.”

Ka Paeng, meanwhile, cited his colleague’s experience as a congressman for the masses. He enumerated the many bills Ka Bel has sponsored and Anakpawis Partylist’s consistent stance against anti-people legislations and measures in the Congress dominated by the lieutenants of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo.

He said, “Ka Bel has always stood for the interest of the masses. We voted against the administration-sponsored Expanded Value Added Tax because we believed that it will direly affect the welfare of the toiling masses. We exposed and opposed the administration’s railroading of the Charter Change because we knew that it will benefit not the struggling Filipino people, but only the illegitimate Arroyo regime, her dogs in Congress and ultimately, the dictates of the imperialist United States.”

“We are campaigning for the enactment of the P125-across-the-board-nationwide wage hike in the House of Representatives, a bill which Ka Bel principally authored, because we know that it is the relief urgently needed by the working people,” the progressive representative added. “The bill has garnered popular support and we are sure that Ka Bel’s continued detention favors the capitalists and landlords in Congress.”

Foreign support poured as 17 countries sent messages of solidarity after Ka Bel’s arrest. Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment Chair Rep. Roseller Barrinaga admitted that without him, they are finding a hard time in deliberating wage and labor issues. “We need his important ideas. We are very interested for his release or transfer so we can proceed with the discussion of the P125 wage bill,” he said. Even the government’s own Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and other trade union alliances and labor centers issued support for Ka Bel, saying he is an important figure in the labor movement.

Workers, members of other progressive organizations and Anakpawis Partylist and supporters went around the market explaining the campaign to release Ka Bel and solicited signatures of support. Market-goers and stall owners dropped coins at the Free Ka Bel coin bank which will be opened in a ceremony during the celebration of Trade Union Day on November 30.
Ka Paeng also paid visits and talked to stall owners and market goers. “Murag naa na gyud bag-o nga Mr. Palengke (There might be a new Mr. Palengke),” commented one stall owner at the market as market-goers and on-lookers gathered around the lawmaker.

Ka Bel was arrested in February 25 this year by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group following Arroyo’s illegal and arbitrary issuing of Presidential Proclamation 1017. With no proof or evidence of inciting people to sedition and only the recycled 1982 rebellion case to show for, the Arroyo administration is still holding the 73-year old lawmaker in detention.