Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
Statement

ON PHILIPPINE CONGRESSMAN SATUR OCAMPO’S RELEASE:  THE GOOD NEWS AND THE SOBER NEWS

April 6, 2007

Bayan Muna (People First) party-list Congressman Satur Ocampo, his clenched fist raised in victory, walked out of jail to the rousing embrace of family, supporters and friends.  Halfway around the world, in Canada, we were also watching and cheering.  For progressive and peace-loving Filipino-Canadians and Canadians, Ocampo is a symbol of the resilience of the Filipino people’s struggle for national democracy and a just and lasting peace in the face of increasing political repression and state terror.  We salute him, his family, friends and supporters, the Bayan Muna party-list and his colleagues amongst the Batasan 6 (the group of progressive parliamentarians targeted by the Arroyo regime with false and baseless charges) for their resolute struggle for his freedom.

Ocampo was arrested on March 16, 2007 at the Philippine Supreme Court building when he challenged multiple murder charges against him, including the warrant of arrest, with a petition before the Supreme Court.  After 18 days in detention, the Supreme Court ordered his immediate release after posting a P100, 000 cash bond.  His detention was the latest attempt by the Arroyo regime to suppress the basic masses that Ocampo and his colleagues represent.  

The SOBER news is that Ocampo, a “free” man on provisional liberty, still faces multiple murder charges.  These alleged murders were allegedly committed in the island of Leyte in 1984.  The government and the military choose to ignore that Ocampo was a political prisoner at that time under the Marcos dictatorship.  Surely, he could not have been in two places at once!

Will the Supreme Court honour Amnesty Proclamations No.2 and No. 80 ordered by then President Corazon Aquino after the popular uprising in EDSA in 1986?  These amnesty proclamations forgave crimes with a “political complexion” and released political prisoners in the spirit of national reconciliation and as a prelude to the peace talks.  These proclamations extinguished the alleged offenses committed by those who were part of movements against the Marcos regime.  Can the judiciary, or President Gloria Arroyo, undo a commitment to freedom resolved 21 years ago?

Thus, we call on all peace-loving and progressive Canadians and Filipino-Canadians to remain vigilant to further attempts by the Arroyo regime to subject Ocampo and his colleagues to political harassment and repression.

With the elections fast approaching in May, Ocampo and his colleagues should be free to campaign and advance the people’s agenda.  For example, Ocampo and his colleagues have been important advocates for migrant workers’ rights; for peace and human rights; and for national sovereignty against foreign domination.  It is imperative that the interests of the basic masses they represent be present in the next Congress.

The growing mass support for the progressive party-list candidates since 2001 has been met with continuing state repression, terror and black propaganda.  More than 150 coordinators, leaders and members affiliated with the Bayan Muna coalition parties have been brutally assassinated or abducted by the military or its agents.  Several candidates in the progressive party-lists were murdered within days of filing their candidacy for the May 2007 election.  What the government and the military cannot kill or render missing, it will arrest on trumped up charges and detain.  It seeks not only to marginalize progressive party list organizations; it seeks to annihilate them and all genuine, militant opposition who are increasingly seen as the genuine representatives of the Filipino people.  Despite increasing international pressure, including the recent verdict against the Arroyo regime of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal in the Hague, the atrocious campaign of state terror continues.

Until his release, Ocampo was the second progressive parliamentarian and lawmaker from the so-called Batasan 6 in detention.  Congressman Crispin Beltran of the Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) party-list was arrested on trumped up charges of rebellion allegedly committed during the Marcos dictatorship over 25 years ago.  Despite ill health, Beltran has been in military custody for the last 16 months.  He is currently fasting to protest his continued detention and in solidarity with other political prisoners in the Philippines.  With Ocampo’s release, there is no reason for Beltran’s continued detention.

We condemn all forms of political repression and state terror in the Philippines and call on the Canadian government to withdraw its support for the illegitimate and repressive Arroyo regime by immediately cutting all foreign aid to the Philippines and re-directing it to genuine grassroots organizations struggling for national democracy and a just and lasting peace.

Justice for Congressman Satur  Ocampo!
Immediate and Unconditional Release of Congressman Crispin Beltran!
Stop the political persecution of progressive and pro-people party-list parties Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women and Anakpawis!
No to political repression and state terror in the Philippines!
Stop Canadian government support to the repressive Arroyo regime and redirect aid to the people!
Long live international solidarity!

Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
April 6, 2007