PANTUKAN, COMPOSTELA VALLEY–Compostela Valley is turning into a military garrison and the soldiers under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are showing their brand of fascism aiming to repress and manipulate local residents.
This is the statement of Nimfa Gulaja, spokesperson for Anakpawis-Compostela Valley, today, as elements of the 28th Infantry Battalion-AFP continue on conducting mass meetings (pulong-pulong) in the province’s neighborhood districts.
Reports have reached the Anakpawis headquarters that on April 25, the 28th IB-AFP had a pulong-pulong with the residents in Brgy. Bongabong, and have scheduled other meetings in the different barangays.
Despite the military’s denial, according to Gulaja, the residents who were compelled to attend out of fear would attest that the military is relentless in its campaign to discredit progressive groups and partylists including a local candidate in Pantukan Belen Galleto who is endorsing Anakpawis Partylist by linking them to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
The 28th IB-AFP has been showing the local populace the military-brainchild presentation “Knowing your Enemy.” The said presentation has tagged Anakpawis and its allied partylists, the CBCP, FLAG and NUJP among others as fronts of the CPP-NPA.
“Even Anakpawis leaders were called by the military for a pulong-pulong last April 15, where the soldiers lectured them about the order of battle. Tataw kaayo nga garapalan na ang pagpanghadlok nga ginahimo sa mga militar batok sa among han-ay,” Gulaja said.
The progressive partylist reiterates its call for the immediate pull-out of the military in the area to stop bloodshed as perpetrated by the fascist AFP. The military has yet to be prosecuted for killing nine year-old Grecil; and the two farmers, Auling Bugahod and Elias Mabundas who were killed last April 25 at the military checkpoint in New Bataan. #
****** INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to Davao Today for publication. Please email your materials to davaotoday@gmail.com. Davao Today reserves the right to edit or refuse material for publication. *****
2007 Elections
