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AFP’s Oplan Bantay Laya targets militants — CPA

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 28) — Amid the lifting of Presidential Proclamation 1017, militant organizations in the Cordillera are wary of government forces’ alleged political assassination plots against leaders of progressive partylist and people’s organizations critical to the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) regime here. The said forces are particularly the military intelligence group (MIG) and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) in a statement disclosed that they received “reliable information” that “military’s death squads” are targeting leaders of partylists and people’s organizations in the Cordillera for liquidation.

CPA’s statement said, the hit list included CPA Chair Joan Carling and Secretary General Windel Bolinget; Bayan Muna’s National Vice-chair Manuel Loste and Jose Cawiding; Alyansa ti Pesante iti Taeng Kordilyera (Apit Tako) Chair Julian Gayumba and Secretary General Fernando Mangili; and Mankayan-Quirino-Tadian-Cervantes Danggayan a Gunglo (Maquitacdeg) Secretary General Xavier Akien.

The militant group stressed that these leaders are not criminals but “peace loving people” and “servants of the people”.

“They (militant leaders) are shot near their houses, offices, or while going to and from these places that implies surveillance was conducted prior to the actual assassination,” the statement said. CPA stressed the similarity of militants’ killings nationwide only prove that these are centrally directed with definite targets, objectives and certain timeframes.

“Such is the desperation of this (GMA) crumbling regime that has embarked on a murder campaign to keep itself in power,” the CPA statement further read.

A Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) power point presentation revealed that political repression and killings are part of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime’s national policy being carried out under the Armed Forces of the Philippine’s (AFP) Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL).

The CHRA presentation showed that OBL aims to destroy armed groups the regime perceives as threats to national security such as the Abu Sayaff and the New People’s Army. However, CPA said OBL also targets leaders and members of partylist groups and people’s organizations the government brands as communist fronts.

CPA said the PP 1017 was only lifted in name because civil liberties and press freedom curtailment continue. The group also condemned GMA for implementing “fascist” policies to stay in power. CPA also holds GMA responsible for her “dastardly crimes” against the people.

Meanwhile, the Center for Indigenous Peoples Development of Bangladesh in a letter urged GMA “not to resort to unlawful activities and respect republican law. CIPD in the same letter said that CPA is an international indigenous people’s (IP) organization and “any action against CPA would be considered as an action against international IP communities. # via NORDIS

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