Four Anakpawis members killed since January 2006; breakdown of civil liberties under Arroyo administration

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE***

*21 February 2006*



*Four Anakpawis members killed since January 2006, Rep. Beltran says,
deplores breakdown of civil liberties under Arroyo administration ***



Four members of Anakpawis have been murdered since January 2006, Anakpawis
Rep. Crispin Beltran reported today, saying these cases were "indicative of
the deplorable breakdown of civil liberties under the Arroyo
administration".



Since January 2006, four (4) Anakpawis members or leaders throughout have
been murdered under suspicious and similar circumstances, Beltran said. At
least 22 members or leaders of Anakpawis have been similarly killed in 2005
alone.



Anakpawis Camarines Norte coordinator Abner Galan was shot dead by
motorcycle-riding men early January this year. Anakpawis member and Tritran
Bus Lines union leader Robert dela Cruz was also shot dead by
motorcycle-riding men in Lucena, Quezon last January 25.



Anakpawis-Burgos member Romeo Lleovet was abducted on February 8 by
suspected members of the 74th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army
along with two other farmers in Brgy. Burgos, Mulanay, Quezon and was found
dead the following day.



Latest in this list of suspicious summary executions was farmer-leader and
Anakpawis volunteer organizer Jay Allunar. Allunar, was shot at close range
by three armed men wearing bonnets and combat boots last February 5 in his
residence at Malasila, Makilala, Cotabato, according to reports from the
human rights group KARAPATAN.



Beltran condemned the murder of former Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Timog
Katagalugan (BAYAN-Southern Tagalog) staff Jensen Cristobal last Sunday
morning. Cristobal is also a member of Bayan Muna Partylist and works at the
Santa Rosa City Mayor's office as a Public Information Officer. Cristobal,
31 years old, single, just alighted a passenger bus from Santa Rosa, Laguna
when he was gunned down by 4 unidentified men in front of a Honda Center in
Paseo de Magallanes, Pasay City, at around 9 this morning. Cristobal died
from 6 bullet wounds from .38 and .45 caliber guns. The assassins aboard a
Honda Civic, with plate number UHD 416, immediately fled the crime scene.



"All these continuing killings of Anakpawis, BAYAN, and Bayan Muna members
and leaders in the provinces are alarming in their frequency and brazenness.
And up to now, Pres. Arroyo has maintained an ominous silence towards the
issue of political killings, despite alarms raised by peoples'
organizations, the Church, civil society, human rights organizations, and
the international community," Beltran said.



"It is high time that the Arroyo administration register its position on
these political killings of progressive party list leaders and members. The
President's continuing silence only affirms her tolerance of the killing of
activists," Beltran ended. ###