COMMITTEE FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF CONGRESSMAN CRISPIN BELTRAN
Canada

International Day of Action to Stop the Political Killings in the Philippines

September 21, 2006

Thirty four years ago today, former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law.  

Then as now, the Philippine President clung desperately to power after scandalous electoral cheating.

Then as now, the country was riddled with economic and political crisis.

Then as now, the Philippine Administration had deepened its reliance on the US government as that imperialist country waged economic and counter-insurgency wars against the world’s poorest.

Then as now, the Philippine President attacked the human and civil rights of the people, using the power of the police and military to violently disperse mass actions and shut down media opposition.

Then as now, the Philippine President tried to silence all forms of political opposition with bullets and arrests. During his 14 years of dictatorship, Marcos ordered the arbitrary arrest and detention of around 120,000 people; the extra-judicial execution of 1,500 activists; and the enforced disappearance of 769 individuals.  

Then as now, human rights violations were committed while the Philippine ‘justice’ system stood idly by. During President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s five years in power, there have been over 750 extra-judicial killings, 184 forced disappearances, and more arbitrary arrests and threatened arrests. Police and prosecutors have failed to solve any of these crimes and their lackluster attempts to do so have been criticized by groups such as the UN Development Program, the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, and Amnesty International.

Then as now, the Philippine President ordered the arrest of Crispin Beltran. In August, 1982, Ka Bel, then 49 years old, and Acting Secretary-General of the KMU labour-centre, was arrested along with KMU Chairperson Ka Bert Olalia and 41 others. Ka Bel was jailed for two years on sedition and rebellion charges that were eventually dismissed by the courts. Arroyo has again revived the use of ‘sedition and rebellion’ charges in her attempt to silence opposition law makers, and even striking workers. Despite any evidence to back the charges and his parliamentary immunity from charges, Congressman Beltran was arrested on February 25, 2006 after Arroyo declared a state of emergency in the Philippines.

Congressman Beltran has now been held in detention for almost seven months. Like so many other human rights activists in the Philippines who daily face political repression, Ka Bel has not been silenced.  He continues to make his voice heard in Congress – advocating for the poor majority and challenging the Arroyo regime’s anti-people policies and intensified use of state terror.   

This week, Congressman Beltran took on his political harassers in court. Accompanied by a protest caravan organized by the Philippine Free Ka Bel Movement, Congressman Beltran was escorted to the Office of the Ombudsman to file counter-charges against police and prosecutors for violation of his parliamentary immunity from arrest and for arbitrary detention.

Just as they did during the Marcos dictatorship, the Filipino people today resist the brutalities of the Arroyo regime. And people from around the world, inspired by their struggle against state terror and US imperialism, again stand in solidarity with the Filipino people.

Today we honour all those who have fallen victim to both Marcos’ and Arroyo’s repressive regimes. We renew our resolve to build genuine solidarity with the Filipino people in their fight against repression and for genuine human rights, democracy, and peace.  

Never again to Martial Law!
Stop the Political Killings!
End the Political Repression!
Justice for the Victims of State Terror!
Free All Political Prisoners!
Free Ka Bel!