Karapatan enraged by weekly killing spree

Another victim of extra-judicial killing this year has been identified.

The trend is an alarming signal of the rising suppression of legitimate protests against the Aquino administration's anti-poor policies, especially in the rural communities.

The most recent incident happened on February 5 when two unidentified men on-board a red motorcycle overtook and shot a peasant leader 41-year-old Julieto Lauron, who was with indigenous peoples organizer Nermie Lapatis on their way to the village of Haindangon, Valencia City.

Lauron immediately died after he was hit in the neck, chest, and stomach. Lapatis was hit in the right knee. The assailants quickly escaped.

A few days before he was killed, Lauron was elected chairperson of the local chapter of Kahugpungan sa mga Mag-uuma (Kasama or Association of Farmers) of Vintar village; while Lapatis was elected secretary general. In the assembly, two unidentified men were reported seen taking pictures of participants.

Lapatis had recently moved to Valencia City from Magkalungay Village in San Fernando town, Bukidnon because of threats against her life. As an organizer among indigenous peoples in Bukidnon, she campaigned against the entry of large scale mining companies in the area.

A day before Lauron was killed, on February 6, in Brgy San Pascual, Libon, Albay, Rosauro Rayteran and his son Rasty, 18 were killed by unidentified men riding in tandem. Rosauro was a member of Albay People's Organization and Bayan Muna Partylist. He had been receiving death threats prior to the killing.

The other victims this year were:

•Marcelo Monterona, Barangay Elizalde, Maco town, Compostela Valley, killed on January 5.

•Arman Padino, Hacienda Dolores in Pampanga, died on January 13.

•Henry C. Orbina, Cabid-an, Sorsogon City, killed on January 30.

Karapatan said all those killed were from the provinces identified as priority areas of the government's counter insurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan; the same areas targeted by Gloria Arroyo's Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL).

Only a beleaguered regime-one that is drawing flak by the minute for its blatant attacks against the poor-stands to gain from the silencing of its critics and those who face these attacks head-on through its opposition. The government should be made to answer for the killings and other human rights violations.

Cristina Palabay

Karapatan secretary general

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people's organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people's rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.