Press Release
October 27, 2011
Five years ago, on October 26, my parents, Federico and Nelly Intise were abducted by armed men believed to be government operatives in General Santos City.
Five years had passed now, I still worry, with dim hopes on their whereabouts, or if they’re still alive. This is my recollection while in Arakan Valley, North Cotabato accompanying Satur Ocampo to look into the situation of the forcibly evacuated peasant after the death of Italian missionary Father Fausto ‘Pops’ Tentorio, PIME.
As current Secretary General of the group HUSTISYA in Southern Mindanao, I have lived to witness how fascist the government is – my parents being victims of constant harassments and threats even during the time of Marcos, until the administration of the Arroyo government.
The death of Father Pops and a few days later of a peasant Ramon Batoy, and the hamletting of poor peasant communities in Sitios Upper Lumbo and Agila of Barangay Cabalantian in Arakan Valley, North Cotabato, there is not doubt that the current administration treats activists, peasant and lumad struggles.
To this date, the Aquino government remains dumb and deaf to the 55 cases of extrajudicial killings and six cases of enforced disappearances. What a shame and a deception indeed, for Aquino to talk and bank in so much on their being icons of democracy, when in fact, a fascist state still reigns.
So long as this government keep the people in the deepest pits of poverty, their lives harder and their communities under continued threats of militarization, our rights violated, our struggles repressed, many of us, victims and families, will speak out and fight against oppression.
They took my parents, killed and abducted several activists under the implementation of counter-insurgency programs including Oplan Bantay Laya and now Oplan Bayanihan.
The hands of this government are stained with blood from the thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights violations.
I, and the rest of the other sons and daughters of victims of state repression will continue what our parents, colleagues died fighting for – a lasting peace based on social justice.
Bayan Intise
Secretary General
HUSTISYA Southern Mindanao
