Bayambang Municipal Administrator Raymundo Bautista demanded the surrender of College of Arts and Letters student Lance Dayrit on Wednesday, May 4, UP SAPUL reports.
Bautista approached Dayrit’s mother, labelling him a rebel that had to be turned over to the Mayor.
Last May 2, Monday, Brgy. Captain Rodelito F. Bautista approached Dayrit’s mother to tell her that Dayrit was on a list of government targets.
He said that operatives were already prepared to arrest Dayrit and that they only stopped because he told them to back off.
Dayrit condemned the intimidation, saying “malinaw ito na tahasang pag-atake sa karapatan ng mamamayan na mag-organisa at yung usaping ng due process. Kung mayroon silang sinasabi at mayroon silang ebidensiya, bakit hindi sila magsampa ng kaso?”
Bautista, who claimed to be a former intelligence operative as well, said that they approached him because it was his “territory” and they wanted to ask for a go-ahead first.
According to Dayrit’s mother, Bautista said that she was harboring a fugitive and that she was lucky they asked him first because many other activists—most of whom were allegedly UP students—had already been arrested.
Cases like these for UP students are not new, as many others have been surveilled, harassed, and arrested under the Duterte administration.
USC Chairperson Jonas Abadilla had a similar experience last April 30, when members of the Muntinlupa City PNP went to his house to ask about Abadilla’s location and family background. He said that state forces started making unsolicited visits to his home in November last year.
Bautista, however, assured her that Dayrit would not be harmed.
“Ang implication ay kung wala akong kilala, kung hindi niya kilala ang magulang ko, dinampot na ako,” said Dayrit.
Bautista called again at 6:24 AM on Tuesday, May 3, to look for Dayrit. He asked when they could talk to him, as they only had two more days.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit may sinabing two days. Hindi namin alam kung anong mangyayari kapag lumipas yung two days,” Dayrit stated.
He also asked Dayrit’s mother to warn him against telling his “comrades” because it might attract unwanted attention from the authorities.
Dayrit believes that state forces targeted him because he is a multi-sectoral organizer.
He is currently a member of UP Samahan ng Agham Pampulitika (UP SAPUL), UP Sandigan para sa Ikauunlad ng Kamalayang maka-Araling Pilipino (UP SIKAP), Bahaghari UPD, and Katribu UPD.
He also thinks that the intimidation is linked to the NTF-ELCAC’s forced surrenders in Pangasinan where he also did organizational work.
According to USC Councilor and Defend UP Network Convenor Andrew Ronquillo, they are in continuous talks with the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, and the Security Committee about the incident.
The College of Arts and Letters has also been notified and is set to release a statement about the incident.
“Kasama sa action steps ay pagtukoy ano ‘yung immediate resources na meron si Lance para i-assess kung ano ang kaya pang mabigay ng OVCSA,” said Ronquillo.
They are also in contact with Free Legal Assistance Group Lawyer and Associate Professor Theodore Te to explore potential legal remedies for Lance and his family’s protection.
Ugnayang Tanggol KAPP Convenor Julian Formadero condemned the attacks on Lance Dayrit, saying that fascist agents of the state undoubtedly targeted Dayrit because he was a former peasant organizer.
“Bilang kasamahan sa SAPUL, nakikisimpatya kami sa kalagayan ni Lance at hangad namin ang kanyang seguridad. Ginagawa ng samahan ang lahat ng kaya niyo para sa kaniyang ibayong pag-iingat,” said Formadero.
UTAK fears that attacks by the state on UP students like Dayrit will only increase, especially with the looming threat of a Marcos-Duterte tandem victory. However, they said that they will not back down because of state intimidation.
“Hibang ang mga pasista kung akala nilang masisindak nila sa psywar ang mga konsensiya ng bayan. Sa pagtindi ng harassment at mga atake, asahang lalo pang lalakas ang paglaban at pagdepensa natin sa komunidad ng KAPP,” UTAK said in a statement.
Featured image courtesy of pangasinan.gov.ph
