‘Arrest Estrada’ :Deposed president blamed for Mindanao atrocities

The militant Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance (MCPA) demanded yesterday the immediate arrest of former President Joseph Estrada and several of his allies for their alleged involvement in atrocities in Mindanao.

In a statement, Amirah Ali Lidasan, spokesperson of MCPA, said they are also demanding for the arrest of Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, former Philippine National Police chief Panfilo Lacson and former chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Jose Calimlim.

The MCPA accused the said officials of involvement in bombings, abductions and illegal arrests of Muslims during the Estrada administration’s so-called all-out war against Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels last year.

Lidasan added that the MCPA is also demanding the complete pull-out of the military in Mindanao and the dismantling of military zones in areas formerly controlled by the MILF.

"We are also demanding for indemnification for the victims of the all-out war, relief and rehabilitation of war victims in Mindanao, including the rechanneling of public funds for that purpose and the release of Muslim prisoners who were used as fall guys by Lacson," Lidasan said.

The MCPA is asking assistance from Muslim human rights lawyers, and organizations as well as from the Commission on Human Rights in filing charges against Estrada and his men for violating the rights of Muslims in Mindanao.

Lidasan also pointed out that if there are any wounds which new President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must heal, these are the wounds of the victims of Estrada’s all-out-war.

"This is the true healing process for the new administration, the healing of the wounds of the victims of Estrada’s oppressive administration. We hope that this administration has already learned from People Power, that any claim of victory shall be hallow, fleeting and at worse a goading for more war if justice will not prevail in our land, and if we let the ones responsible to roam freely," she said.

"The success of People Power II would only be meaningful if justice is given to those who were bombed, killed, displaced, abducted and used as fall guys for Estrada’s all-out-war," she added.

The MCPA urges Mrs. Arroyo not to retain Reyes and Mercado in her government and instead order them arrested along with Estrada.

"President Arroyo should not retain the services of Reyes and Mercado in the police, military and defense departments. Instead, she should arrest them along with Estrada, and hold them responsible for all the deaths, damages and other violations to the Moro and the rest of the Filipino people," she said.

Lidasan said they hope that Arroyo would listen to the people and recognize the people’s agenda presented to her in a discussion with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and political party Bayan Muna.