Protest killings in Philippines

Photo: Bev Tang

Following are excerpts from a press release by BAYAN-USA in Los Angeles.

A lively crowd of over fifty Filipinos and their supporters amassed in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles on Sept. 21 demanding an end to the killings, torture and abductions in the Philippines. Shouting “Stop the killings in the Philippines� and “Never again to Martial Law,� they likened the Macapagal Arroyo regime to the cruel and inhumane Marcos dictatorship’s declaration of Martial Law 34 years ago.

Performers from a cultural group, Habi Arts, acted out the roles of Arroyo as “the dictator,� her puppet master Uncle Sam as “the oppressor� and General Jovito Palparan as “the butcher.�

Reminding the crowd that the rising death toll of 754 political killings is not just a number, emcee Kuusela Hilo, a member of Anakbayan Los Angeles, stated, “When you look at the pictures of these victims, don’t forget that they are also someone’s daughter or son, these are people that wanted a better future for all our families…�

Spokespeople from the International Action Center, Koreans Against War and Neoliberalism, March 25th Coalition, Confederation of Iranians, South Central Farmers, Sen Gil Cedillo’s office and others gave militant statements of solidarity linking the struggle in the Philippines to the struggles of immigrant families in the US and the farmers and communities of South Central Farm and Pyeongtaek, Korea.