On October 17, 2021 at 1 pm, Amihan-Cagayan Cristina Magistrado former organizer was arrested in her home in Binangonan Rizal and has been taken to Tuguegarao City with trumped-up charges against her, Taripnong Cagayan Valley reports.
State forces have been surveilling Magistrado in her home since 11:30 in the morning. Her arrest is part of a joint operation, and is reportedly based on a warrant filed in July 4, 2016 for “qualified assault upon an agent of a person in authority with attempted murder.”
Magistrado was interrogated in her home as well, and was taken to Tuguegarao City at around 7PM.
The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women demands the immediate release of Magistrado and other peasant women imprisoned for fabricated charges and planted evidence.
“Ang pag-aresto kay Cristina ay malinaw na pag-atake sa kababaihang magbubukid sa bansa,” Amihan National Chairperson Zenaida Soriano stated. “Sa halip na tulungan ang mga kababayan natin sa Norte na nasalanta ng Bagyong Maring, pinili ng gobyerno na pagkagastusan ang panreredtag at paglabag sa karapatang-pantao ng mga magsasaka!”
The attacks and harassment on peasant women and progressive groups persist as Duterte’s anti-insurgency campaign intensifies with the increasing budget allocation for the NTF-ELCAC. For the past 5 years under Duterte’s administration, state terror and red-tagging has put activists and community leaders in a tight chokehold.
Last August 15, eight Dumagat farmers were illegally arrested in Barangay Puray, Rodriguez Rizal by 30 PNP officers at 11 am. The same day, 30 policemen were also seen in Kasiglahan Village in Rodriguez whose residents are continuously being tagged with the Communist Party of the Philippines.
As of September 2021, 340 farmers were brutally murdered by state forces, and 44 of which were peasant women.
Amihan condemns the successive arrests of peasants, particularly women who unjustly suffer the deteriorating consequences of incarceration.
“Saan dadalhin ng militar si Cristina? Gusto ba nilang madagdagan lang ang mga kasong katulad ng kay Lindy Perocho na lumalala ang sakit sa loob ng preso dahil hindi makapagpagamot? O ni Adelaida Macusang na tuluyan nang namatay sa loob ng kulungan?” said Soriano.
The group calls to end the systematic attacks and human rights violations on peasant women and activists, citing the arrests of Genalyn Avelino, Amanda Echanis, Marilyn Chiva, Marivic Aguirre, Aileen Catamin, Marilou Catamin, Eleutricia Caro, and more.
Magistrado is currently under police custody in Cagayan Valley.
The unlawful arrest of Magistrado occurred only two days after the commemoration of the International Rural Women’s day.
“Sa rehimeng Duterte, itigil niyo na ang pang-aatake sa kababaihang magbubukid! Sa halip na pangalagaan niyo ang ating food producers ay sinasalaula niyo sila at nilalagay sa mas lalong kapahamakan. Sa halip na buhayin niyo ang taumbayan ay pinapatay niyo kami,” added Soriano.
Lakbayan protest will be held on October 21, Thursday, in Mendiola, to assert the demands of the peasantry for their right to land, financial aid, and justice for the killings and attacks against farmers.
Featured image courtesy of Amihan
