Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance–Vancouver, British Columbia
Kabataang Montreal–Montreal, Quebec
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada–Toronto, Ontario
Statement

Filipino-Canadian Youth Statement Condemning the Killing of Pedro Angko

For release, June 2, 2006

Filipino youth in Canada strongly condemn the killing of Anakbayan organizer Pedro Angkon, who was shot and killed by suspected members of the Philippine military on May 16, 2006.
 
Ankon organized with Anakbayan in Negros Oriental for over the last 5 years, and was also actively campaigning for the Bayan Muna Partylist. He was gunned down by two unidentified suspects, while working at his vulcanizing shop in Barangay Hilaitan, an upland barangay of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. The gunmen where pretending to be customers at Angkon's shop when they shot him 5 times in the chest, side and arm.
 
Because of his involvement in progressive youth organizations and partylists, we believe Angkon's death was a politically motivated murder. The circumstances of his death are akin to other recent political killings, including that of Chris Hugo, coordinator for the Bicol region of the League of Filipino Students, shot and killed on March 19, 2006. Both of these killings, among others, follow the same pattern involving unidentified, masked motorcycle gunmen.
 
Prior to his death, Angkon, along with 4 other members of progressive and militant organizations in Guihulngan where placed on the Order of Battle of the 11 th Infantry Battalion, under the command of Lt. Col. Jesus Manaquil.
 
As young Filipinos in Canada, we are appalled and outraged by the death of Pedro Angkon. We vehemently denounce the targeting of youth and student activists in the Philippines. The ongoing political repression and continuing state-enacted violence against activists and organizers continues to worsen under the sadistic and corrupt Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regime. Since GMA came into power in 2001, there have been over 603 reported political killings.
 
Pedro Angkon's death is a recent example. He stands among others as martyrs, reminders of the urgent need to stand firm against repression and to uphold our basic human rights. We demand that there be a thorough investigation in to the death of Pedro Angkon and that justice be done to him and other victims of state terror.
 
Justice for Pedro Angkon!
Justice for all victims of state terror in the Philippines!
Stop the Political Killings now!
Long Live International Solidarity!
 
 
Statement of:
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance – Vancouver, British Columbia
Kabataang Montreal – Montreal, Quebec
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada – Toronto, Ontario