“Duterte is the number one terrorist, threat to peace in the country” – fisherfolk
group
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) on the occasion of international human rights day officially declared President Rodrigo Duterte as the number one terrorist in the country for terrorizing the lives of the Filipino people, including killing thousands of innocent civilians in line with his bloody war on drugs and counterinsurgency program Oplan Kapayapaan.
Fisherfolk from Manila Bay joined thousands of activists led by human rights group Karapatan Alliance For The Advancement of People’s Rights on Sunday to expose the Duterte regime’s human rights abuses among ordinary civilians especially those who are staunch critics of his administration, now labeled by Duterte as “terrorists”.
PAMALAKAYA also denounced the killing of Aldrin Sese, the group’s provincial organizer in Masbate and was a member of its national council. Sese was gunned down by unknown gunmen last December 8 at 5am. Sese is the 3rd fisherfolk to be killed under Duterte’s counterinsurgency program.
“We call justice for Aldrin Sese! He was an active member of PAMALAKAYA and a fisherfolk organizer in the province of Masbate wherein the implementation of repressive fishing laws under the Fisheries Code of 1998 and conversion of fishing grounds into eco-tourism zones are highly prevalent. Sese was killed in line with President Duterte’s threat against legal activists whom he maliciously labeled as terrorists,”
“Rampant killings, human rights abuses, and other violation of civil rights have intensified under the Duterte regime through its bloody campaigns against the Filipino people; such as the Oplan Tokhang which has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 poor Filipinos, the total war and crackdown against activists that have already scored more than 100 lives from people’s organizations, mostly peasants,”
“The people had so much with fascist Duterte and his warmonger and killings machines. We call on the ouster of Duterte and throw him straight to jail over these grave abuses against the Filipino people,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.
There are at least 133 extra judicial killings related to Duterte’s counterinsurgency program as of press time according to Karapatan.
“We would be counting more bodies on a daily basis as long as Duterte stays in power,”
“The real terrorist is the one who kills ordinary civilians, uses weapons of mass destruction among civilian communities, and malevolently threatens the legitimate and even casual critics of the administration; thus the real terrorist is no other than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself. We call on the ouster of terrorist and mad man in Malacanang to save the lives of the Filipino people!” ended Hicap. ###
