Members of Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas clarified that the fresh animal blood they poured on her portrait during the rally last week does not mean they are out to kill her.
"Instead of addressing the issues raised by farmers and fisherfolks in a rally last Friday commemorating World Food Day, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia resorted to cheap PR trick by alleging sans proof that militants are out to kill her," KMP said in a statement.
In their rally in commemoration of the World Food Day last week, farmers and fisherfolk demanded the implementation of true land reform and basic services, assistance for the farmers and an end to political killings.
"Indeed Gwen is afraid of her own shadow. The fresh animal blood we poured on her portrait with the caption 'fascist governor' is symbolic of our strong condemnation of her militarist politics and bloodied human rights record. Her apologists got it all wrong. We are more than happy to engage Gwen politically and debunk her outmoded ideas in confronting the three decade-old communist rebellion than have her dead," they said.
Nick Abasolo, KMP-Cebu spokesman said that by declaring an all-out war and publicly tagging legitimate people's organizations as the "legal fronts" of the communist rebels, Garcia is encouraging politically motivated extra-judicial killings.
"It's ironic that Gwen protested disproportionately with our use of blood as symbolism when her policies in reality smells of blood and gunpowder," he added.
Abasolo also did not spare the governor's brother, Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia, telling him to quit his post and write fiction about conspiracy theories.
"Pablo John has some imagination. It's a good start. But we doubt that his wrong interpretation of our blood rite will be a hit in Cebu's box office of public opinion," Abasolo said.
KMP-Cebu plans to sustain its protests against the all-out policy of the Garcia administration. - Wenna A. Berondo