TV ad black prop against KMU popularizes state repression 

The brazenness by which extrajudicial killings are committed continues with the killing yesterday morning, of CELSO PUJAS, spokesperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Southern Mindanao, and Secretary-General of the Farmers Association of Davao City (FADC).  

Pujas was gunned down by two men aboard a motorcycle while he was buying cigarettes at a store near the KMP office at Davao City.  The report said that although wounded, Pujas managed to run back towards the KMP office but the assasin followed him and continued firing. 

This extrajudicial killing of an unarmed leader of progressive legal organizations  was  doubtless perpetrated with impunity by the military-police’s  death squad within the framework of government’s Oplan Bantay Laya under the US-dictated policy of “anti-terrorism”.  And under the command of the new AFP Chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano. 

In the past Arroyo repeatedly expressed her intense pleasure at her butcher type of generals like Jovito Palparan and Romeo Tolentino. Today, as reported recently in the news, she further exposes her utter contempt for human rights when her government offers cash rewards of P300,000 to soldiers and military units that could dismantle guerilla bases.  

This is the first time that troops are being given cash rewards for combat operations. Bounties for capture of rebel leaders have usually been given to civilian informers. The dangerous policy to offer soldiers rewards would surely increase human rights abuses. 

At the same time, Arroyo signals to the entire AFP and its numerous death squads attached to the various local military commands the escalation of armed attacks against the legal organizations like KMP, and murdering of unarmed civilians like Celso Pujas even in urban centers like Davao City.  Oplan Bantay Laya equates various people’s organizations with communist “front organizations” and are thus targets of “neutralizations” with corresponding “order of battle” deadlines. 

Moreover, it  has been observed that for the last few days a black propaganda against militant legal organizations, purportedly a patriotic commercial TV ad, have been shown in TV programs with  Mr. Shooli  (Jun Urbano) as lead actor. With flags of KMU and LFS providing ad backdrop, Jun Urbano warns off militant organizations  and disparage concerted mass actions  and people power-type mobilizations in affecting social changes. The commercial declares the illusory “pagbabago’y nasa sarili” or self- remoulding as alternative solution to Philippine crisis. 

By allowing himself to be used in such devious commercial, and in the context of the menacing Oplan Bantay Laya, Jun Urbano contributes in putting in danger the safety of the progressive  activists. And he could be held guilty and accountable in future extrajudicial killings by the military. 

This is reminiscent of a similar move in 2007 wherein an anti-KMU black propaganda full-length film VCD starring Bembol Roco were circulated in factories, communities and rally areas.    

No solution to the extrajudicial killing of Celso Pujas of KMP can be expected from PGMA, the tyrant herself, the practitioner of state terrorism. And no real and honest investigation can be expected from the PNP, the AFP and the department of justice because their preoccupation is to cover up and let the death squads continue their dirty and murderous acts and discredit the human rights organizations and fact-finding missions.  ###