1 Panay Update, February 2015

A quarterly publication of Panay Council for People’s Development (PCPD), a consortium of Development NGOs in Panay established in 1986 consisting of sectoral and multisectoral organizations particularly from environment, women,

peasants, health, fair trade, church, workers and urban poor.

Volume 6, No. 1 February 2015

The Cry for Justice Continues

s the year 2014 ended, the law enforcement authorities in Iloilo has not arrested any

suspect in the killing of Romeo Capalla, which occurred on March 15, 2014 at Oton, Iloilo.

The Special Task Group Capalla formed by the Iloilo Provincial Police Office, after some months of investigation filed charges of murder against a suspect, a member of the military-linked armed group RPA-ABB before the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office but the latter dismissed the charges for lack of evidence. No action was done by the police afterwards, leading to doubts as to its decisiveness to solve the crime and bring the perpetrators before the court of law.

The culpability of the RPA-ABB was compounded with the killing of Dionisio Garete, a sugarcane farmer associated with the local fair trade in Janiuay, Iloilo on May 28, 2014. The ineptness of the police authorities in solving the killing and its helplessness against the state-sponsored armed group RPA-ABB were again brought to the fore, and so were the terror and trepidation especially among the

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Local and international campaign for justice

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members of local fair trade organi-zations linked to Panay Fair Trade Center (PFTC).

The companions of Romeo Capalla in the fair trade movement, joined by human rights advocates and other concerned citizens persevered in the struggle for justice for Romeo Capalla and Dionisio Garete. They launched a series of activities to raise the call for justice. For the local organizations, there was an urgent need to deter the rampage of the

RPA-ABB, who seemed to possess a license to kill with impunity.

The burial of Romeo Capalla in Leon town, Iloilo and that of Dionisio Garete in Janiuay, Iloilo, attended by thousands, became strong statements against the killings. Monthly mass protest actions every 15th day of the month, marking the date when Romeo Capalla was gunned down, were occasions in calling for justice.

The International Fact-Finding and Solidarity Mission held in August 13-15, 2014 was a

highlight activities, bringing to the provincial authorities the concern not only of the local fair trade and human rights advocates but that of the international community. During the IFFSM, a fitting tribute to Romeo Capalla, a marker with his sculpted figure, was unveiled.

The struggle for justice for Romeo Capalla will continue as long as the perpetrators are not arrested and punished, and as long as the killings continue with impunity.#

Human Rights advocacy in Panay—alive despite the dangers even under Mr. Aquino

or decades now, human rights advocates in Panay never miss to

commemorate the inter-national human rights day. Many of them also victims of human rights violations of the 14 years of Martial Law of Marcos which ended in 1986, and five later administrations including that of Corazon Aquino who was brought to power by a people’s uprising in 1986.

This year, the event was not only one of the biggest gathering in recent years, around ten thousand for the three urban centers of Iloilo City (Iloilo Province), Roxas City (Capiz Province) and Kalibo (Aklan Province) but also emotional. In a span of nine months, two fair traders all from the island of Panay –Romeo Capalla and Dionisio Garete-were murdered and until now no suspects were ap-prehended. Mr. Romeo Capalla is the manager of the PFTC while Dionisio Garete is a farmer producer of sugar cane for

PFTC. Both were gunned down separately in March and May respectively last year by men pinpointed by colleagues and families either as hired guns or

members of RPA, a paramilitary group officially permitted by the government to carry firearms and conduct police operations in selected barangays. Both Romy and Dionisio are well loved and respected, not only by family and friends but also by colleagues and development workers ac-tive in social move-ments. Panaynons even the police believed that the murders were due to the political advocacies of Romy and Dionisio.

The chilling reality of the two murders hit hard on the Ilonggos, reminding them that the very first extra-judicial killing (EJK) under Mr. BS Aquino, took place in Panay Island in July 2010, in the province of Aklan when Fernando

Baldomero, a local government official and an activist was shot while preparing to send his son to school. Until now, the real culprit remain at large because family and

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friends believed that the killer is tasked by those in power.

Since Aquino’s term in 2010, around 221 extra-judicial killings were recorded. Most of the victims were farmers and activists. Almost all did not receive any justice.

As in the case of Romeo Capalla, the government’s res-ponse to demands of investigations were that of indifference. The Intl

FFM conducted in August 2014 to give a push to the investigation of the murders of Romeo and Dionisio uncovered the truth that the involved LGUs are not doing anything. Either their hands are tied or they are not interested enough to pursue the investigation of the killings.

Human rights activists long involved in the defense of human rights point out that pattern of

systematic HRVs occur not because of ignorance and negligence on the part of state forces but rather, in the course of counterinsurgency operations in the country. Lines are blurred among state forces who the enemy of the state are because the people they are supposed to serve and protect are also the very ones opposing the policies of the state.

One year after the strongest typhoon to hit land, Panaynons struggles to rise from the devastation and asks Aquino’s government--Where are the rehab funds?

ast year 2013,November 8, typhoon Haiyan with winds reaching 250 kilometers per

hour swept away thousands of homes, infrastructure and livelihood of more than 2million people in northern Panay, or around fifty percent of the island’s population. Hours earlier, Haiyan passed by the eastern province of Leyte with storm surges and winds that left many coastal barangays flat and a death toll of more than ten thousand people.

Back to the present—for twelve months since December 8, various loose but very extensive network of survivors of typhoon Haiyan from the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan have been religiously marking every eighth of each month with symbolical concerted actions-- some picket of around one hundred but people turned in their thousands, a dialogue with the local government units of just some leaders but hundreds of people insisted to be presented too. In July 2013, when Aquino delivered his state of the nation boasting of the more than 6% economic growth demon-

strations were twice bigger than the previous years in Panay island.

All these grumblings from the grounds point to one question—where are the rehab funds? Aquino’s P170 billion comprehensive reha-bilitation program was approved only last Oct 2013-nearly a year after the disaster. Since the 1st half of 2013, the govern-ment has flaunted its Pph10-30 thousand scheme for assistance to partially and totally damaged homes but until now, only funds from NGOs and other international humanitarian organi-zations have reached the people.

The latest news—only those earning below P15, 000 a month and with lots in allowed zones

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can receive the as-sistance. Families with destroyed homes in the new declared “no dwell zone” areas—practically majority of the victims – cannot access the grant unless they relocate to “safer” zones, which the local government units have to define yet. More news-- many victims complain that political alignment—example those against the ruling Liberal Party of President Aquino-- are least prioritized.

Meanwhile, parallel efforts from the different NGOs and the victims themselves with aid from international humanitarian agen-cies sprouted. Mustering strength in cooperation, a bridge in Isla Moto Aklan was rebuilt likewise in Cuartero, Capiz. School buildings were repaired in Buruanga, Aklan. Some fishing boats were replaced

in Northern Iloilo sturdier than those show-cased by the govern-ment. Women and children were not only treated to psychosocial therapy sessions but also encou-raged to be empowered. Unre-lenting expose of the halfhearted and ano-malous oil spill clean-up in Estancia, Iloilo forced the government to pay some attention .Homes and livelihood were replaced in Roxas City and Kalibo, in Indigenuos Peoples (IPs) communities, other far-flung vil-lages at the foot of the Madia-as Range and where the people chose to take matters in their own hands. The efforts covered a quarter of a million people. Big achievements and breaking grounds indeed.

Last week exactly the day before New Year, typhoon Seniang, a slow moving and less powerful

typhoon but with heavy rains, submerged the main rice producing towns of Capiz from the overflowing Panay River. Aklan River flooded Kalibo and other neighboring towns in nearly five feet of water. The government has no funds even just for emergency food.

With rehab funds to be released in no definite time, and emergency funds lacking, the so called Filipino’s high resiliency quotient may be nearing a breaking point. But then, with an alternative already in the way promoted by social movements, Haiyan un-masked the government’s inca-pacity while providing the people the opportunity to discover their strength.#

2014--- Panaynons continue to rise up from the devastation of Haiyan and other disastrous policies

f there is one thing so satisfying in Panay last year, it is not that a 6-

lane-highway in Iloilo City is now under construction, nor that Roxas City (Capiz) has malls sprouting even in its remotest area, nor that an international airport is underway in Caticlan (Aklan), but that a greater segment of the population are being critical and have seen the wisdom in organizing themselves, taking charge, struggling and working for demands that the Aquino government choose to set aside or implement with the intention of media mileage rather than substance.

Yes, the impact of a 21-storey building in the almost flat urban terrain in Iloilo City may well represent the illusion of deve-lopment — 6.8% yearly according

to the eco-nomics of the Aquino go-vernment but in spite of the pervasive growth hype, around 68% of the Fili-pinos do not want another term for Aquino.

It is not surprising because under Mr. Aquino, more than half of the Filipino families are experiencing hunger, and more than a quarter of the labor force are unemployed. Extra-judicial killings (EJK) under Mrs. Arroyo have not been decisively confronted, but in

fact, Mr. Aquino added 221 EJKs in his term. Even the campaign against corruption were perceived by the people as uneven—3 senators from the opposition are in jail but no ally of the president was incarcerated even countless

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incidents were raised. Lawmakers from the grassroots pointed out that more than half of the Php2.6 trillion 2015 budget of the Philippine government may be well classified as pork—because of its lump sum nature with sole discretion from Mr. Aquino for allocation even when the Supreme Court already declared such type of budgeting as constitutional.

The million people march in august 2013 which unexpectedly gathered nearly half a million rallyists in metro Manila, morphed into multi forms of protests—from street actions, to lobby, to legal suits and after a year—in August 2014—the people’s initiative to abolish pork (a signature base [PIAP] approached of 12% of the electorate to amend the cons-titution) was launched participated in by almost all sectors of Philippine society. Most active were members of the religious and cause oriented groups including partylists from the grassroots.

Panaynons were one of the most active in campaigning for PIAP especially those from Haiyan ravaged areas because pro pork lawmakers are using Haiyan as an excuse and disasters for lump sum allocations in the national budget.

The people’s movement to demand for rehab funds continue to

gain grounds. Since December 8 last 2013, more than 30 rallies and demonstrations ranging from a few hundreds up to around fifteen thousand were launched from all the provinces in the island. After twelve months, number of protesters continue to double and triple particularly in areas devastated by Haiyan.

Countless petitions and dia-logues were also conducted to present the victims’ basic demand for assistance particularly for rebui-lding their houses and livelihood. Until now, government res-ponses are all promises and the most that the victims got were emergency food packs way back in December 2013.

A transport strike took place in April 2014 in Capiz compli-mented by pickets in other parts of the island as part of the nationwide coordinated protest against the planned implementation of Depart-ment of Transportation and Com-munications order imposing penal-ties for traffic violations to as much as one million pesos. Critics point

out that such exactions are too heavy-handed es-pecially for Hai-yan devastated areas and need congressional ap-proval.

The far-mers are con-tinually restive because even without Haiyan and other typ-hoons, agricul-ture in the island

had reached a plateau. With Haiyan, the island has to import rice from one which experts rice to other provinces in the country. In 2008, Frank brought a Php8 billion da-mage on agriculture in the island.

The promised bail out did not come during Arroyo’s term and farmers are also skeptical with the promised rehabilitation fund for Haiyan under Mr. Aquino. In fact, the farmers are more indebted under Mr. Aquino and impending full liberalization of agriculture in 2016 may be more harmful than that of Haiyan.

Demand for moratorium in debt payment so that more funds can be allocated to social services such as for education to repair classrooms fell on deaf ears even as students and their teachers requested that more subsidy is needed to prevent tuition hikes since higher educational institu-tions registered drastic drops in enrolment especially in areas affected by Haiyan.

Come New Year, the people are hopeful that the long denied funds can at last be given to them. Meanwhile, the survivors continue to organize and develop income generating projects, determined to rise up not only from the devastation but also to make a leap to a better society.#

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Panay IPs say no to mega dam construction

ALINOG, Iloilo, Philippines – At least three upland barangays of Calinog,

where the Php11.2 billion Jalaur mega dam is to be built, say no to dam construction in their consensus building from December last year up to last week of January this year.

The three villages are Garangan, Masaroy, and Agcalaga (GMA), all in the town of Calinog in Iloilo Province.

The 2 villages of Garangan and Masaroy did not agree on the dam construction due to low compensation cost to farmers’ destroyed crops and livelihood sources.

In another village, Agca-laga, some community members passed a resolution of non-consent during the consensus building, a part of the 2nd Free, Prior and Informed Process (FPIC 2) being conducted by the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP).

The FPIC 2 process for the dam construction was conducted by the NCIP from November 16-30 last year. The consensus that followed two weeks after lasted several weeks until last month.

“The project will kill us. It will take away our ancestral lands, the basis of our life,” said Berna Castor, one of the signatory whose more than 10-hectare ancestral land will be totally submerged in water once the dam is constructed.

“Until now, even during the FPIC 2 process, the proponent did not discuss comprehensively the issue of submersion and dislo-cation of our sources of livelihood and homes. The detailed relocation plan is merely a presentation of the relocation site and it is not feasible for everyone to stay there given

that the area will be submerged also,” Castor added.

The Jalaur mega dam, a project being implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), is perceived to provide electricity, potable water and irrigation water supply.

But TUMANDUK Organi-zation, composed of indigenous peoples from Tapaz and Jamindan of Capiz Province and Calinog and Lambunao of Iloilo Province, has long been opposing the project since 2011.

“We have nothing to gain from this project, but only the destruction of our lives, and livelihood, and the continued land grabbing scheme of the government from us,” the group’s chairperson Marevic Aguirre said.

“The project will displace 17,000 IPs both upland and lowland. Ancestral burial grounds, coffee and banana plantations, the rivers and forest, will be all lost from us,” she continued.

A hundred per cent (100%) “yes” from all community members

is needed to get the consensus of the community before construction starts.

Mega dam construction according to local officials will take place end of February or early March.—Posted on February 1, 2015 by Panay Today.

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Mendiola Massacre: 28 Years of Mother to Son Injustices to Farmers

LOILO CITY – Farmers and activists march today from St. Clements Church to Iloilo Pro-

vincial Capitol to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Mendiola Mas-sacre, demand justice to all victims of extra-judicial killings and fascism and call for the implementation of genuine agrarian reform program.

“It has been twenty eight years since the Mendiola Mas-sacre, but justice is still elusive, the killing of farmers continues and the call for genuine agrarian reform has been unheard.” said Jessica Emperwa, spokesperson of PAMANGGAS.

On January 22, 1987, an estimated 10,000 – 15,000 farmers and their supporters marched to Mendiola Bridge to demand then President Cory Aquino to imple-ment genuine agrarian reform when state forces opened fire to the protesters. Immediately 13 people were dead and 39 were wounded.

“Since the tragic event, farmers are still landless, landgrabbing is prevalent and the repression and killings of farmers continue. Farmers are hoping for land since Cory was put into power, now that her son became the president, farmers’ hopes remain a dream.”, added Jessica Emperwa.

PAMANGGAS cited the failure of government’s land reform program, from Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), Cory’s land reform program, to CARP-er (Extension with Reforms), implemented during Noynoy, in distributing lands to the farmers.

According to IBON Foundation, 3 of 4 farmers can’t pay for their land, 9 of 10 supposed farmer’s beneficiaries don’t own land tilled. “CARP to CARP-er never fulfilled its promise of distributing lands to the farmers. Many farmers are still landless and landgrabbing of landlords and multinational companies is prevalent”, said Emperwa.

The group said that in Panay, the government is the biggest landgrabber of all such as in the cases of Tumandok (Indi-genous People) of Tapaz and Jamindan and farmers in Bung-suan, Dumarao, Capiz wherein their land is being claimed by the 3rd Infantry Division of Philippine Army as its army reservation area and the Philippine National Police as its training camp.

According to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), 66 percent of lands distributed under Aquino are government lands and not those controlled by powerful landlords.

“The Aquino government has been inutile to the plight of farmers and implementation of genuine ag-rarian reform program. The government of Aquino is not sincere in implementing genuine agrarian reform. It never intends to break the monopoly of land of big landlords in the country because he himself is a landlord”, added Jessica Emperwa. The group states as an example the Hacienda

Luisita which is owned by the family of Noynoy Aquino. Hacienda Luisita is not yet distributed to the farmers even with the Supreme Court ruling and the family of Noynoy being paid through Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which was declared unconstitutional.

The group also assailed the government’s response on calls of farmers for genuine land reform. “While we farmers are calling for genuine land reform, the government’s response is the deployment of government troops to our community. Our community is being militarized. We are being threatened and some of us were filed with trumped up charges”, added Emperwa referring to 32 indigenous farmers of Nayawan, Tapaz, Capiz. These 32 farmers were filed with trumped up charges by the government.

The group blames the government’s Oplan Bayanihan as the main reason why this atrocities to farmers were created. The group also lambasted the government for its inaction and slow response on killings of farmers and farmer leaders. In Panay, cases of farmer leaders such as Nilo Arado, Romy Capalla and Dionisio Garete were hardly moving on with zero conviction.

According to the human rights’ group Karapatan, there are a total of 98 peasants killed under the Aquino government from July 2010– December 2013.

“We call for the ouster of the haciendero Noynoy Aquino whose policies have never benefitted the farmers. We call for the implementation of genuine agrarian reform program. We demand justice for all victims of extra-judicial killings”, said Emperwa. #

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