PAMALAKAYA joins call to revoke peasant activist Angie Ipong’s warrant of arrest
Manila, Philippines — The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Monday lambasted the Warrant of Arrest issued agaist agro-ecology expert and peasant advocate Angie Ipong, which was signed in June 6, 2018 at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 7, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, for murder case.
In a statement, PAMALAKAYA said the case against Ipong is clearly baseless and fabricated, and part of the Duterte government’s political persecution campaign and vilification against progressive organizations, activists, and even legitimate opposition.
“We denounce the fabricated, trumped-up charged against Ipong. She has been with the farmers and agricultural workers promoting agro-ecology and agrarian reform. The government only wants to stop our colleague from doing her noble advocacy as well as to incite fear and intimidation among other activists who are taking the same path as Ipong,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.
Hicap, former Anakpawis Party-list solon added that “this kind of political persecution is part of the entire repressive policies of the Duterte government, which targets political opponents of the administration,”
“We demand that the name of Ipong as well as other activists be removed from the warrant of arrest in the name of social justice and democratic freedom,” ended Hicap. ###
