Militant farmers urge Aquino to order military to present activists

MANILA, Philippines - Militant farmers yesterday urged incoming president Sen. Benigno Noynoy Aquino III to immediately order the military to present peasant activists who became victims of enforced disappearances under the Arroyo administration.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Tanggol Magsasaka are particularly concerned about Nilo Arado, secretary-general of Pahagpong sa mga Mag-uuma sa Panay, and Jonas Burgos of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB).

Aquino bannered change and his parents are icons of democracy, thus he should primarily work for human rights and serve justice to victims of rights abuses, said Antonio Flores, KMP spokesperson and Tanggol Magsasaka co-convenor.

Today is the 1,163rd day since Arado disappeared on April 12, 2007, when he was kidnapped together with human rights defender Luisa Dominado in Barangay Cabanbanan, Oton town of Iloilo province.

Arado was a witness at the Senate inquiry in October 2005 regarding the P728-million fertilizer fund scam involving former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, a well-known ally of President Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

Jonas Burgos, an agriculturist-organizer of AMB, was kidnapped at Ever Gotesco on April 28, 2007 while having lunch at Hapag Kainan. He was forcibly taken by seven males and one female posing as cops and Burgos kept shouting Aktibista lang po ako (I am just an activist) to catch public attention.

A mall guard witnessed the incident and said Burgos was carried into a vehicle with plate number TAB-194. Since then, there has been no news about his whereabouts and his mother Editha Burgos and his family have been continuously searching for him.

These are just two of the systematic attacks on the rights of peasants who struggle for genuine land reform. The Arroyo government implemented Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL) that is composed of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and filing of fabricated charges. This should be a main concern of the incoming Aquino administration, to serve justice and promote democracy, neutralize fascism and abuse of those who have authority, said Flores in a statement.

On Aug. 21, 2007, Aquino delivered a privilege speech at the Senate calling for an end to unexplained killings and enforced disappearances.

He also said that the military is involved in Burgos disappearance as the plate number of the vehicle used when he was taken was traced to a military camp of the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Norzagaray, Bulacan.