Probe on alleged abduction of 2 militant leaders urged

Militants are asking Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to look into the alleged abduction of two organizers of separate party-list groups by elements of police and military last Thursday.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan provincial coordinator Arman Perez is urging Osmeña to look into the matter as the incident happened in his area of jurisdiction.

Militants alleged that Hermis Beethoven Avila, an organizer of Kabataan party-list and Preciousa Daño, a coordinator of Bayan in the second district of Cebu, were picked up by elements of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in different places in Cebu City on Thursday.

Avila was arrested right after he arrived in Pier 5 10 a.m. Thursday, while Daño was apprehended at the vicinity of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral that afternoon.

They only learned later during interrogation that there was a warrant of arrest issued against them for being implicated in an encounter between the government troops and the rebels in Tabuelan town in March 2006.

"We urge Mayor Osmeña to look into the incident because it happened under his area of jurisdiction," Perez said.

He also said that they appreciate the mayor''s respect for their right to peaceful assembly for allowing them to express their concerns to the government.

"We remind the local chief executives for respect on militants rights for peaceful assembly. They should allow us to express our concerns because we do it within the framework of the law," Perez said.

It can be recalled that Osmeña allowing militant groups to hold rallies in Cebu City even if the national government has ordered for a "no permit-no rally policy."

In fact, he chose Bayan as one of the awardees of the Special Mayor''s Award during the city''s Charter Day last February for the group''s contribution to the peaceful conduct of the 12th ASEAN Summit in January.

Meanwhile, Perez said that with what happened to Avila and Daño they are planning to file criminal and administrative charges against the authorities.

He said that the incident was obviously politically motivated because Bayan has been a consistent number one party-list in the past elections. Kabataan, a party-list group representing the youth, is also affiliated with Bayan.

"This is part of the Arroyo administration''s move to harass our members and prevent us from winning in the coming May 14 elections," Perez stressed.

Further, Perez said that if the same thing will happen again to their other members, they have no one else to blame but the military because it has reportedly been strongly campaigning against their group and linking them to the underground movement so they will have reason to go after Bayan members. - Wenna A. Berondo/MEEV