National Statement of Overseas Filipinos in Canada

Overseas Filipino-Canadians condemn Arroyo regime’s illegal arrest of progressive Philippine parliamentarian and trade union leader

February 25, 2006

We, overseas Filipino workers, women and youth in Canada, condemn the illegal and warrantless arrest of progressive partylist parliamentarian, Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, by the Arroyo regime.  Ka Bel, a beloved and respected trade union leader who sits in the Philippine Congress for the progressive political party Anakpawis, is currently being detained at Camp Crame, Manila, after being arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bulacan early on February 25, 2006.

Coming just a day after the fake President’s declaration of a state of emergency under Proclamation 1017, the Arroyo regime is apparently seeking to justify his arrest by reviving a 21-year-old charge of “sedition” and by saying that they needed to “speed up” pending investigations.  However, Ka Bel’s lawyer, Attorney Romeo Capulong, states that the sedition case has long ago been quashed.

We can see through these lies and tyranny.  We view Beltran’s arrest as clearly, in the words of his attorney, Romeo Capulong, “an act of political harassment.”  An outspoken leader in the national democratic movement, who participated in the rallies on the 20^th anniversary of the ouster of the dictator Marcos and is a human rights victim of martial law, this heinous act of the Arroyo regime indicates its desperation as the people’s protests calling for Arroyo’s ouster grow.  It is an attempt to sow fear amongst the people and suppress their legitimate and democratic rights to protest.

We call on the Arroyo regime to immediately and unconditionally release Ka Bel and to desist from harassment against other progressive leaders and mass activists.
Ka Bel’s arrest, the attempted arrest of Bayan Muna Congressman Satur Ocampo and other progressive politicians is a sign of the Arroyo regime’s crackdown against all forms of dissent and opposition.  Starting with the cancellation of rally permits, violent dispersals of peaceful rallies, arrests of rallyists, the attempted takeover of the Manila Tribune and other media outlets, the denigration of the Filipino people’s civil, political and human rights is just beginning.  PNP Chief Director Lomibao admitted that under General Order 5 the police can make more warrantless arrests and will implement standards for media.  There is now de facto martial law in our beloved homeland in the guise of Proclamation 1017.

Let us come together as overseas Filipinos to educate ourselves about the rapidly changing situation of crisis in our homeland.  Now is the time to educate ourselves, defend our people’s rights and to say once and for all that President Arroyo must go!  We call on all patriotic and progressive Filipinos in Canada to support the call for Arroyo’s immediate ouster and the call to form a people’s transition council that will work to pave the way for a new government that will build a genuine just and lasting peace for our people.

Immediately and unconditionally release Crispin Beltran!
Stop the harassment of progressive leaders!
Defend the people’s civil and political rights!
Never again to martial law!  Resist the state of emergency with people’s power!
Oust GMA now! Form the people’s transition council!
Long live the Filipino people’s struggle for national and social liberation!

Statement issued by:

National
National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada
SIKLAB Canada (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of  Overseas Filipino Workers)

Vancouver
 Philippine Women Centre of B.C.
 SIKLAB Vancouver (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers)
Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC) – Vancouver
Filipino Nurses Support Group

Toronto
Philippine Women Centre of Ontario
SIKLAB Ontario (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of  Overseas Filipino Workers)
Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC) – Toronto

Ottawa
Pilipinong Migrante sa Canada (PMSC)

Montreal
PINAY
Kabataang Montreal
SIKLAB Montreal (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers)
Philippine Women Centre of Quebec