Statement of Condolences and Condemnation to the Brutal Murder of Comrade NOLI CAPULONG

Today, May 27, 2006, a few minutes to 6pm, bullets felled Comrade Noli Capulong by unknown assailants.

The workers under the banner of genuine, militant and anti-imperialist unionism in the region led by Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog), extend their condolences to Ka Noli’s bereaved family, friends, comrades and those he left in his untimely death.

Ka Noli is now one of the victims of evidently endless political killings of leaders and activists of progressive partylists and organisations.

An active church worker, Ka Noli selflessly stood to his faith to serve the poor and marginalised. Ka Noli, in turn, took several commitments to advance the cause and interest of the exploited. He chairs the Christian Witness and Service Committee of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Calamba, Laguna. He is the spokesperson of the Southern Tagalog Environmental Action Movement (STEAM). As convenor of Christian Movement for Good Government (CMGG) and Movement of Concerned Citizens for Civil Liberties (MCCCL), Ka Noli showed dedication to weed out and expose the state’s corruption and worked to establish a society founded on justice and respect for civil rights of the people.

Before he was murdered, he served as a regional staff of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Timog Katagalugan (New Patriotic Alliance-Southern Tagalog) and deputy secretary-general of partylist Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog.

Ka Noli is also close to the hearts of the workers in the region. He actively participated in their strikes and mobilizations. Recently, he shared with the workers in their educational discussions. Sharply, he talked and clarified the effects of Charter Change as opposed to the sugar-coated offer of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. These activities paved the way for him to become one of the proponents of UCCP’s Church-Labor Committee in Calamba. He delivered a speech in the recent regional mobilisation of May Day 2006.

Despite these extremely overwhelming responsibilities, Ka Noli remained a tireless and humble leader.

While dusk overcast and bonnets guised the assailants, only those who oppose his conviction to serve the people and those who harbor murderers will ensure that Ka Noli dies instantly with 4 bullets to his head and body.

Ka Noli is 47th of the progressive leaders, activists and journalists killed this year and 135th among those killed in the Southern Tagalog region since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in 2001. After the murder of Karapatan-TK secretary-general Eden Marcellana, KASAMA-TK chairperson Eddie Gumanoy and PAMANTIK chairperson and Anakpawis Partylist regional chairperson Diosdado Fortuna, Ka Noli is the 4th regional leader killed during the Arroyo administration.

He now belongs to the hundreds killed crying for justice.

PAMANTIK-KMU strongly condemns the brutal killing of Ka Noli! No one is held responsible in this gruesome murder but the fake, oppressive and blood-thirsty US- Arroyo regime.

The people whose lives he touched and led to reason will further advance what Ka Noli believed in and stood for. The people fighting will carry out what he had started.

Justice to Ka Noli Capulong!

Justice to all victims of human rights abuses!

Oppose and fight against political oppression and killings!

Oust the fake, oppressive and executioner Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo!