BAYAN MUNA Message of Condolence to the Claver Family and the Indigenous People of the Cordillera

Bayan Muna extends its deepest condolences to the Claver family and the Indigenous People of the Cordillera who have again lost one of its own – Alice Omengan-Claver to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s notorious death squads.

Two months after the political killing of Bayan Muna-Kalinga Vice Chair Rafael Markus Bangit on June 8 in Isabela, the murderous Arroyo regime has targeted Bayan Muna-Kalinga Chairperson Dr. Constancio “Chandu” Claver, Jr. The attack on July 31 ended with the death of Dr. Claver’s 42 -year old wife, Alice in Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga.

The perpetrators of these high crimes are no doubt from the regime’s security forces out to murder those who are critical of the current administration and the exploitative system that lays waste to our resources and our people.

Like all other provinces in the country, police and military units maintain death squads who do target research and liquidate civilians who help the local populace in various social and livelihood endeavors that government has primarily neglected through the decades.

We shall not be cowed by these high crimes committed by the Macapagal-Arroyo with impunity. We shall steadfastly uphold and fight for the rights, interests and welfare of the people.

The authorities can deny the existence of a national policy mandating extrajudicial killings. But the pattern of the political killings in the country only show that we have a killing fields in the making – with critics of the illegitimate president the prime targets.

Let us stand our ground. We must fight the Macapagal-Arroyo fascist regime that violates all international treaties, humanitarian and human rights laws that the Philippines is a party to.

In order to render justice to Alice Omengan-Claver, Rafael Markus Bangit and close to a thousand civilian victims of extra-judicial killings nationwide, in order to put a stop to the killings, we must work harder to remove the dictator from Malacanang and bring about a transition council.

We call on the Indigenous People of the Cordillera to continue in efforts to stop the killings in the Philippines, work for justice, and exert all efforts to push government to stop these grave violations of human rights.

Hundreds of our compatriots have killed. The US-Macapagal-Arroyo’s violence goes unabated against the Filipino people.

Let our grief be transformed into anger! Let us rage against the fascist dictator and her death squads!

Solidarity to the Cordilleran Struggle for Ancestral Domain and Self-Determination!
Stop the Killings!
Oust the US-Macapagal-Arroyo Regime!
A Just and Lasting Peace for the Filipino people!

Rep. Joel Virador
Bayan Muna PartyList
Quezon City, Philippines
August 3, 2006