Fishers warn of great resistance against the monstrous, mad king in Malacanang
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) slams the incessant violations of civil and political rights perpetrated by President Rodrigo Duterte through his bloodlust military and security forces.
Citing the data of human rights group Karapatan, as of November 2017, there are a total of 113 cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) against political and human rights activists. 96 of those documented cases came from the peasant sector including the 2 fisherfolk leaders who were killed by elements of military in Guihulngan, Negros Occidental last July 24.
All the cases of EJKs are connected with the peasant’s struggle for their right to land and resistance against plunderous corporate projects in their farming and fishing communities.
“Farmers and fishers in the countryside who actively organize their ranks to oppose destructive corporate and government projects are being publicly red-tagged by the state forces as supporters or members of the armed group New People’s Army (NPA). Are they saying that membership from the NPA is the requirement to criticize and oppose the wrongdoings of the government and to defend our basic rights? We always live in fear of being displaced from our communities in exchange for corporate projects and if we resist, we will be subjected to military harassment,”
“Apart from the fascist orientation of the state forces, they undauntedly commit human rights abuses because of their commander-in-chief’s full assurance and guarantee that he would defend his troops if they commit such horrible crimes,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
The group said it is enough of the Duterte’ regime’s neglect to human rights, now is the high time to call for the ouster of the President who is out of control and has completely turned the whole country into vast killing fields where victims are innocent civilians.
“We had enough; enough of this monstrous, mad king in Malacanang. First he declared martial law in the whole Mindanao, followed by a total war against the people in the countryside, then the termination of peace talks, and now the crackdown against legal activists as a finisher for his extreme self-transformation as a fascist dictator,”
“Letting Duterte stay in power will breed thousands after thousands of extra judicial killings and human rights violations. We vow to launch a great resistance against this looming dictatorship until we completely remove him from power,” ended Hicap. ###
