Peasant organizers Dana Marie Marcellana and Christian Relao from Katipunan ng Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK) were illegally arrested today, June 25, at 1AM in their San Diego, San Pablo residence, Karapatan-TK reports.
Marcellana and Relao were brought to the San Pablo Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) by military forces alongside police elements from Philippine National Police Regional Mobile Force Battalion – Region IVA and San Pablo Police. The pair are facing trumped-up charges on murder, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, and rebellion.
Marcellana is the eldest daughter of former KASAMA-TK spokesperson Orly Marcellana and former Karapatan-TK’s secretary-general Eden Marcellana. Ka Eden was abducted and killed in 2003 in Oriental Mindoro, alongside Eddie Gumanoy, a member of KASAMA-TK.
Ka Eden and Gumanoy’s killings come a day after the conduction of a fact-finding mission of progressive groups in some parts of Oriental Mindoro due to cases of human rights violations of the 204th Infantry Battalion. The 204th was previously headed by Gen. Jovito Palparan who is charged with the abduction of activists Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan from UP Diliman.
Farmers’ Development Center’s (FARDEC) program coordinator Carmilo Tabada and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Pastor Nathaniel Vallente were likewise arrested in Bohol today. Pastor Vallente was illegally arrested at 3AM in his home in Mabini, Bohol whereas Tabada was arrested at 1 in the morning in Trinidad, Bohol. Tabada has been at the receiving end of threats from the state forces, labelling FARDEC as “communist terrorist front organization.” Both were planted with explosives and firearms as justification for their illegal arrests.
Karapatan Secretary General Palabay raised the human rights watchdog’s condemnation of the subsequent arrests conducted. Palabay further stated that such attacks are the Duterte administration’s desperate attempts in cracking down on dissent.
“These are shameless fascist attacks on peasant advocates, church workers, and humanitarian organizations who are merely aiding the marginalized in society,” Palabay asserted.
Palabay demands that these series of deadly attacks be immediately put to a halt, and called to drop the trumped-up charges filed against Marcellana, Relao, Pastor Vallente, and Tabada.
