DILG encouraging further violence by awarding Police involved in massacre

Photo by Williamor Magbanua/Inquirer Mindanao

Urban poor group Kadamay slams the awards given by the Department of Interior and Local Government to elements of the Philippine National Police who were behind the massacre of at least 3 farmers in Kidapawan City yesterday. Meanwhile, it called on the Aquino administration to surrender to the respective authorities the police officers who committed the heinous crimes.

According to Kadamay Chairperson Gloria “Ka Bea” Arellano, the move of the Aquino government to award those who were responsible behind yesterdays’ massacre is a reflection of the brunt of the Aquino government. For years it has used fascist and bloody hands to quell the resistance of protesting Filipinos to its anti-poor programs.

“The massacre in Kidapawan City is reminiscent not only of the Hacienda Luisita massacres but also of the violent dispersals conducted by the police to quell the barricades of the urban poor against demolition of homes,” said the leader.

“It is beyond offensive and has basically encouraged further violence directed against famers and poor Filipinos everywhere” added Arellano.

Kadamay noted that under the Aquino administration at least 18 urban poor residents who were active defending their communities have been murdered by SWAT and PNP authorities.

Arellano reminded the public that once there had been an effort by late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo to issue a temporary moratorium on the participation of elements of the PNP in violent dispersal of barricades. That was in the aftermath of a demolition of homes in Silverio Compound, Paranaque City, where an urban poor activist was shot dead by elements of PNP-SWAT.

“Late Secretary Robredo’s moratorium in the aftermath of Silverio demolition is a far cry from the actions of DILG Secretary Senen Sarmiento.” Arellano said.

“Only the ruling Liberal Party, where Sarmiento holds the position as the Secretary-General, and which now includes the wife of Jesse Robredo who runs for vice president, can stage such a fiasco that aims to deceive the public and to cover-up the brutality of the Aquino administration,” she added.

Kadamay on Monday will hold a big protest near San Juan Arena in time with the culmination of National Housing and Urban Development Summit which will ensue new sets of policies that Kadamay believes will only worsen the cases of demolition of urban poor communities and hasten privatization in the housing sector. At the same protest, Kadamay will also call on the Aquino government and the DILG to release farmers who were detained by the PNP and to arrest the policemen who were behind the recent killings in Kidapawan City. They will also call for justice for the 18 urban leaders murdered under Aquino.

“Poor Filipinos are the most vulnerable from state violence. They are not only victimized by massive impoverishment but by actual bullets,”

“The National Housing summit will only bring much more of this for the urban poor,” said Arellano. ###