La Union rights lawyer survives slay try

ANGELES CITY — A Bayan Muna leader and human rights lawyer, who ran for vice mayor of Aringay, La Union in last year’s elections but lost, was shot in front of his office in the town last Tuesday but survived with six gunshot wounds.

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said lawyer Charles Juloya was on his way to the wake of Romeo Sanchez, Bayan Muna Ilocos coordinator who was killed in Baguio City last March 9, when he was attacked by a lone gunman.

Mariano said Juloya was the convenor of the "Justice for Romy Sanchez Movement" and was slated to talk with other militant leaders in Ilocos on the day he was shot. Sanchez was laid to rest yesterday in San Fernando City, La Union.

Earlier, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Central Luzon appealed to "civil libertarians" to help stop the killings of militant leaders in the region and elsewhere in the country. Bayan has blamed the military for the killings, which the latter has vehemently denied.

Last March 17, Victor Concepcion, secretary general of the Bayan-allied farmers’ group Aguman da reng Maglalautang Capampangan, was gunned down in this city.

Bayan said Concepcion was the 13th militant leader slain in Central Luzon since last January.

Last March 3, Tarlac City councilor Abelardo Ladera, also a Bayan Muna leader, was shot dead. — With Artemio Dumlao, Benjie Villa and James Mananghaya