ADVERTISEMENT
The amazing lives of the “Lacub martyrs” give their loved ones the courage, hope and inspiration to seek justice.
Two people were killed, while two went missing in three separate incidents during heavy military operations in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.
Families of the “Lacub martyrs” went to Manila to redress their grievance against the “war crimes” committed by the military in its operations in Abra in September.
After the military arrested agriculturist Dominiciano Muya of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, they presented him as a top-rank communist rebel with a P4.8 million reward for his head.
“It is clear that this government is not a government of the people but of the corrupt and liars." -- Mrs. Erlinda Cadapan, mother of missing UP student Sherlyn
"Three years is too long for justice to be delayed. We will not accept this complacently; we fear that without public pressure, the case will remain unresolved, similar to the thousands of extra-judicial killings." – Marie Sol Villalon of the Promotion of Church People's Response
"We will ensure that Palparan's conviction will not go down the drain, unlike other human rights cases that the department has handled." – Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general
“The military positioned themselves among us civilians. We did not want them to join us, but they insisted. We did not want to go to with them back to the Poblacion but they forced us.” – A Lacub resident interviewed by the National Solidarity Mission to Abra
"The Church once more expresses its deep disappointment towards the country's judicial system. We note that despite wide media attention, despite the publicly announced promises of national police officers to solve the crime, and despite the proximity of the crime scene to Hacienda Luisita owned by the president's family; the mediocre case of robbery with homicide turned out to a complete sham with the case dismissal handed down by the Tarlac City Regional Trial Court in June 4. 2014."
I don’t have enemies nor have I hurt anybody. Who else would have the ulterior motive to kill activists? Isn’t it the military?”-- Dexter Ian Selebrado, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilpinas organizer
“Gerald [Salonga] was subjected to a 13-hour interrogation. His captors warned that they would harm his mother if he does not admit that he’s a member of the New People’s Army (NPA).”
“Colonel Reuben Espartinez is using the judicial process to pursue his caprices.” - Dr. Alex Montes
"It has been four years and so far we have nothing but motions. Palparan may be long gone but this case would be far from over." – Concepcion Empeño, mother of disappeared UP student Karen
“To support a choice of detention facility – as with any other decision in life – there must be validated, adequate, relevant, and objective data. To invoke demons and ghosts from the past, real or imaginary, to avoid the Spartan conditions, rigors and limitations of an ordinary civilian jail – and get away with it with impunity – is to thumb one's nose against the justice system.” – National Union of Peoples Lawyers, in a motion for Palparan’s transfer
While many Filipinos are losing sense of the lessons of Martial Law and the Marcos dictatorship, activists and some history teachers are still keeping the light on the subject.
“There is a probability that rules of engagement were violated, that there could have been excessive use of force and that even if the members of the NPA had no more capacity to fight back, they were still slain or ‘no quarter’ was given during the conduct of the AFP military operations.”-- Cordillera Human Rights Alliance
Are political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa better off now, under a supposed democracy, than during Martial Law?
“If States are really in good faith in adopting the UNDRIP and adhering to international human rights standards, why did they not accept and consider our proposal and call for an end to militarization of indigenous peoples and their territories?” – Windel Bolinget, Cordillera Peoples Alliance
“The people will always resist. Aquino is treading the path of authoritarian rule by seeking a second term and by wanting to clip the powers of the Supreme Court while keeping Congress in his pockets.” -- Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of Bayan
“His death is the face of martial law in our country today. He suffered and died because of the cruelty and injustice of this government that speaks of ‘democracy’ but denies the rights of political prisoners.” – Cristina Guevarra, secretary general of Hustisya
A community of readers and supporters that help us sustain our operations through microdonations for as low as $1.