Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance/
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada
Statement

Release the 2 youth organizers illegally arrested by police, oust Philippine president Arroyo!

6 September 2006

Filipino-Canadian youth are outraged of the illegal arrests of Aprilyn Perido and Eloisa Tucay, two organizers of the militant group Anakbayan in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines on Monday, September 4, 2006. The two female organizers were illegally arrested by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Perido, 26, is an organizer of the provincial chapter of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), was among the nine complainants who testified before the public inquiry of the Commission on Human Rights on August 24 in Angeles City. Tucay, 24, is a student organizer of the progressive youth organization, Anakbayan.

As progressive Filipino youth in Canada, we believe the arrests of Perido and Tucay were politically motivated, as they were both actively involved in youth and student organizing and have been openly critical of Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s fake presidency and the worsening socio-economic crisis of the Philippines. Their illegal arrests are the latest in the string of violations allegedly perpetrated by the elements under the command of Major General Jovito Palparan, commander of the 7th Infantry Division operating in the Central Luzon region, whom human rights alliance group, Karapatan, has documented numerous gruesome human rights violations.

In May, Virgilio Perido, father of Aprilyn, was threatened by soldiers of the 48th IB under Lt. Elmer Taglinawan to “surrender” his two daughters and that if he doesn’t, they would “take care of them”. Karapatan also has documented 11 people killed and seven missing in the Nueva Ecija province since Palparan took over. Last month, residents of Nueva Ecija rushed to panic to get community tax certificates for fear of being branded as New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas if they did not have one.
 

These political killings, harrassment, and abductions happening in Philippines are Arroyo’s way of desperately holding on to her weakening power as an illegitimate president. More proof of Arroyo’s desperation to hold on to power is her launching of “Oplan Bantay Laya” (operation guard freedom), which seeks to stamp out the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People’s Army. Yet it is legal and democratic organizations, which have been the target of the military. Under Arroyo’s command, the military operation is cowardly abducting and killing those who are asserting their constitutional right to speak out against a failing socio-economic system and a corrupt government.

As Filipinos abroad, we are intensely affected by the gruesome acts that the Arroyo regime inflicts on our fellow compatriots in the Philippines, as we are forced to migrate from our homeland because of the worsening socio-economic conditions and human rights violations in the Philippines. There are over 3000 Filipinos who leave the Philippines everyday to find work abroad because of the economic and political crisis in the country. We have become the backbone of the Philippine economy through the remittances we are sending back home, which amounts to US $12.5 billion annually. The hard-earned remittances we intended to better the situation of our loved ones back home, are heartlessly being used to buy arms and hire soldiers that are violating the human rights of civilians.

It is for these reasons, we, as Filipino youth in Canada, are appalled and outraged of the human rights violations under the Arroyo regime, such as the latest illegal arrests of Perido and Tucay, fellow youth activists like us who are fighting for access to education and better future for the Filipino youth. We will not tire in exposing Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's tyranny and in demanding for her ouster. We will continue our struggle until there is genuine freedom, peace, and democracy in the Philippines.

Release the 2 students and others who have been illegally detained!
Education, Not Militarization!
Iskolar ng Bayan, Ngayon ay Lumalaban!
Stop the Killings Now! No to Arroyo’s “all-out-war”!
Oust the US-puppet Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo!
Genuine support and services for Filipino and other immigrant youth!