Cagayan de Oro City- Coinciding the appointment of Brig. Gen. Ricardo Visaya as general Officer-in-Charge of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division by President Benigno Aquino III replacing Major General Nestor Aňonuevo, was the abduction incident of Estelita T. Tacalan, farmer organizer, 60 years old, widow and a mother of three children. April 27, at around nine (9am) o’ clock in the morning, Estelita, left the headquarters of Makabayan, a coalition of progressive party list group located at Camaman-an Cagayan de Oro city following a meeting on electoral concerns and in preparation for May 1 Labor day activities. The previous day, she was supposed to be on her way to Misamis Oriental East to meet up with her colleagues and plan for the upcoming activities. But by 6pm, people begin to worry when her mobile phones were already out of reach. Following days, relatives, communities and possible areas of her presence were already contacted but unfortunately not a trace of her could be found.
Estelita, fondly called by many as “nanay neneng”, is a woman community organizer and health worker of peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Anakpawis partylist. Being a long time member of KMP she has been active in organizing farming communities in the rural areas and has been tireless in campaigning for genuine agrarian reform, human rights and social justice. Protesting against abuses of despotic landlord and lobbying peasant economic and political demands to local government units coupled with occasional state sponsored surveillance operations and harassment characterized much of Estelita’s work in KMP.
A few months ago, a suspected intelligence asset was observed asking questions on the whereabouts of Estelita.
“Her disappearance is due to her staunch opposition to the anti-peasant policies of President Aquino and of the cruel and inhuman conditions of the farmers in the grassroots.” says Richard C. Colao, Secretary General of KMP- Northern Mindanao Region. He added that the constant threat and attacks received by activists such as he and Estelita are occupational hazards. He asserts that as catalysts for change, nothing can stop them from taking the cause for genuine agrarian reform from the streets to the four walls of the parliaments even if it endangers their own lives. He says that he would not be surprised if state agents are under this attack.
Imminent attacks on peasant rights are perceived. In Misamis Oriental areas where KMP has been actively helping poor farmers in cases of agrarian abuses and human rights violations, other volunteers and members of KMP have experienced an increase in the number of tailings and surveillance operations done against them.
“We strongly condemn the said abduction by suspected state agents under the area of responsibility of General Visaya. The terrifying experience of the past anti-insurgency campaign, now Oplan Bayanihan, must not be resurrected under his current command. Due process and observance of fundamental rights enshrined in our constitution and agreement entered upon by the Government of the Philippines on International human rights conventions must be accorded to Estelita”, expounds Fr. Christopher Ablon of human rights watchdog, Karapatan.
Gen. Visaya and Gen. Palparan had been working closely in the past and share the same image of being human rights violators. When Gen Palparan was assigned in Central Luzon, Gen Visaya was then the commanding general of the 69th Infantry Battalion accused of being responsible for the Hacienda Luisita massacre in November 2004 and was linked to the abduction and torture of farmers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo in February 2006. Later he was also deployed as Civil Military Operation Battalion in Metro Manila communities from February to September 2007 where numerous cases of threats, harassment and intimidation occurred.
In 2007, on that same areas, during the stint of the bloody anti-insurgency campaign Oplan Bantay Laya, three (3) members of KMP were extra-judicial killed namely Dalmacio“Tatay Daki” Gandinao, Siche Gandinao and Gerry Ladica. The fourth victim Menencio Panjay had survived the slay attempt. UN rapporteur, Philip Alston had included these cases to his report.
“We appeal to Government officials and candidates, church leaders and concern citizens to help us in the call to surface ESTELITA TACALAN. We call on the family, friends and the organized farmers whom Estelita had lived with, not to be cowed by this desperate attempt to crush our ranks and our just cause. We will remain steadfast in our struggle for right to life, land and genuine social change”, concluded Colao.
For Ref:
Richard Colao (Mobile Number 09059632055)
KMP-NMR, Secretary General
Rev. Fr. Christopher Ablon (Mobile Number 09177916672)
Karapatan-NMR, Secretary general
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