THE STATE OF NATIONAL TERROR IN THE PHILIPPINES

    In a recent report, the International Federation of Journalists noted that next to Iraq, "the Philippines is now the most dangerous place to work for journalists."  Journalists, whether in print or broadcast who are exposing government corruption or who are allowing the opposition to give their side, are being threatened openly by government and military officials.

     But the extent of the state of national terror in the Philippines today nowhere approximates the viciousness and official impunity that is being directed against members of Philippine social movements and non-government organizations. Since 2001, motorcycle-riding death squads have assassinated with impunity members, leaders and coordinators of grassroots community organizations. These death squads have targeted those whom the military and police forces have publicly accused as "communists" or "communist sympathizers" and included in their so-called "order of battle" lists.   No less than the 2005 U.S. State Department report on the human rights situation in the country has expressed alarm on these "killings of community activists, church workers, lawyers and members of leftist political parties, particularly the left-wing political party Bayan Muna." 

     Below is a listing of these extrajudicial political killings of community activists by death squads in the Philippines that occurred from April 2001 to March 16, 2006, under the watch of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo:

Bayan Muna Muna Party         Date Assassinated    Location(province)   

     1. Ramon Ternida                April 15, 2001        Mindoro Oriental

     2. Isidro Manlangit               April 27, 2001        Ligao City, Albay

     3. Peter Dangiwan               April 30, 2001        Kalingan

     4. Juanita Mesias Jr.            May 13, 2001         Leyte 

     5. Ricardo Romero               June 2, 2001         Laguna

     6. Camenia Abatan              June 23, 2001       Davao del Norte

     7. Constancio Gadon           June 24, 2001        Mindoro Oriental  

     8. Roberto Nepa                  June 24, 2001        Davao del Norte

     9. Milagros Belga                July 22, 2001         Laguna

    10. Erwin Bacarra                 August 1, 2001      Mindoro Oriental  

    11. Wilfredo Mananghaya    Sept. 20, 2001       Bulacan

    12. Rolando Cabagay           Oct. 6, 2001           Mindoro Oriental

    13. Roger Fernando              Oct. 8, 2001           Mindoro Oriental

    14. Felipe Lapa                     Oct. 25, 2001         Laguna

    15. Nicanor delos Santos       Dec. 8, 2001          Antipolo City

    16. Emilio Santillan               March 12, 2002      Mindoro Oriental

    17. Ildefonso Brucal               March 20, 2002      Mindoro Oriental  

    18. Warlito Nagasao               March 20, 2002      Isabela

    19. Expedito Albarillo             April 8, 2002          Mindoro Oriental

    20. Manuela Albarillo             April 8, 2002          Mindoro Oriental

    21. Osias Magarzo                  May 8, 2002           Mindoro Oriental

    22. Ruben Apolinar                 May 20, 2002         Mindoro Oriental

    23. Rodriga Apolinar               May 20, 2002         Mindoro Oriental

    24. Nina Angela Apolinar        May 20, 2002         Mindoro Oriental

    25. Edilberto Napoles, Jr.        May 28, 2002         Mindoro Oriental

    26. Eduardo Mordido               June 27, 2002        Mindoro Oriental

    27. Rizza Concha                    August 24,2002      Cebu

    28. Oscar Sacdalan                 Nov. 23,2002          Mindoro Oriental

    29. Vedasco Lalong-Isip          Nov. 23, 2002         Mindoro Oriental

    30. Anthony Martinez               Nov. 23, 2002        Mindoro Oriental

    31. Jake Soriano                      May 15, 2003         Isabela

    32.  Vicente Bico                      Nov. 6, 2003          San Pablo, Laguna

    33. Romy Malabanan               Dec. 23, 2003         Bay, Laguna

    34. Felix Rosquites                   Jan. 8, 2004           Davao del Norte

    35. Juvy Magsino                      Feb. 13, 2004         Mindoro Oriental

    36. Leyma Fortu                        Feb. 13, 2004         Mindoro Oriental

    37. Rodolfo Gogo                      April 1, 2004          Compostela Valley

    38. Jesus Bongalon                   April 1, 2004          Bato, Camarines Sur

    39. Charlie M. Davao                 April 24, 2004        Compostela Valley

    40. Ganadi Pinamaylan             April 24, 2004        Compostela Valley

    41. Charlie Utag                         April 24, 2004        Compostela Valley

    42. Rogelio Perez                      April 29, 2004         Pagbilao, Quezon

    43. Conrado Katigbak                May 13, 2004          Pagbilao, Quezon

    44. Henry Buduan                      May 13, 2004          Compostela Valley

    45. Merly Cabatay                      June 9, 2004           Pagbilao, Quezon

    46. Pablito Ignacio                     Jan. 11, 2005          Sn Ildefonso, Bulacan

    47. Ronnie Almoete,                  Feb. 6, 2005            Lucena City, Quezon 

    48. Abel Ladera                          March 3, 2005        Tarlac City, Tarlac 

    49. Romy Sanchez                      March 9, 2005        Baguio City, Benguet   

    50. Atty. Felidito C. Dacut            March 14, 2005      Tacloban City, Leyte

    51. Alfredo Davis                         April 16, 2005         Tacloban City, Leyte

    52. Eddie Dimaano                      May 19, 2005          Camarines Sur

    53. Norman Bocar                        Sept. 1, 2005          Eastern Samar

    54. Florante Collantes                 Oct. 15, 2005           Camiling, Tarlac

    55. Francisco Rivera                    Oct. 26, 2005           Angeles,  Pampanga

    56. Bievenido Bajado                  Nov. 13, 2005          Eastern Samar

    57. Ricardo Uy,                            Nov. 18, 2005           Sorsogon

    58. Erol Sending                          Nov. 19, 2005           Angeles, Pampanga

    59. Rommel Arcilla                      Nov. 21, 2005          Flrdablanca,Pampanga

    60. Jessie Alcantara                     Dec. 16, 2005          Sn Ildefonso,Bulacan

    61. Victorina Gomez                     Dec. 16, 2005          Mexico, Pampanga

    62. Romeo Atienza                       Dec. 16, 2005           Mexico, Pampanga

    63. Allan Atillano Villacencio       Dec. 28 , 2005          Tuburan, Cebu

    64. Armando Leabres                   Jan. 11, 2006           Sn.Ildefonso,Bulacan

    65. Maximo Frivaldo                     Jan. 30, 2006           Irosin, Sorsogon

    66. Antonio Alde,                          Jan. 30, 2006           Borongan, Samar

    67. Napoleon Pornasdoro             Feb. 27, 2006           Lucena, Quezon

    68. Danilo Supena                        Nov. 20, 2005           Quezon

    69. Maribel Supena                       Nov. 20, 2005           Quezon  

    70. Rogelio Concepcion                  March 7, 2006        Bulacan

          (shot and abducted)

    71. Santiago Teodoro                    March 9, 2006          Malolos,Bulacan

ANAKPAWIS

     72. Pedro Pesares                         November 2003        Compostela Valley

     73. Olimpio Crame                                                         Bohol

     74. Eddie Gumanoy                       April 21, 2003            Oriental Mindoro

     75. Adrian Alegria                         Feb. 18, 2004             Occidental Mindoro

     76. Edwin Mascarina                     April 15, 2004             Oriental Mindoro

     77. Isaias Manano Jr.                    April 28, 2004             Mindoro Oriental

     78. Samuel Bandilla                     October 15, 2004         Tacloban, Leyte

     79. Ellasar Monsalud                     Dec. 4, 2004                Zamboanga delSur

     80. Concepcion Monsalud             Dec. 4, 2004                Zamboanga delSur

     81. Charlie Monsalud                    Dec. 4, 2004                Zamboanga delSur

     82. Marcelino Beltran                    Dec. 8, 2004                Sta.Ignacia,Tarlac

     83. Edmundo Salcedo                   Dec. 10, 2004              Camarines Sur

     84. Francisco Gatdula                   Dec. 24, 2004              Occidental Mindoro

     85. Pedro Lazona                          Jan. 22, 2005              Tarlac

     86. Crispin Amasona                      Feb. 15, 2005              Dingalan,Aurora

     87. Ernesto Bang                            March 10, 2005           Camarines Norte

     88. Jose Guiriba                             March 12, 2005           Dansol, Sorsogon

     89. Joel Tolla Reyes                       March 16, 2005           Camarines Norte

     90. Henry Flores                             March 16, 2005           Mandaue ,Cebu

     91. Victor Concepcion                    March 17, 2005           Pampanga

     92. Abner Dalan                              Jan. 23, 2006             Camarines Norte

GABRIELA

     93. Susan Aringo                             Dec. 7, 2003               Sorsogon

     94. Mely Carvajal                             August 27, 2004         Sta.Rosa,Laguna

KILUSAN PARA SA PAMBANSANG DEMOKRASYA

     95. Cathy Alcantara                         Dec. 5, 2005                Abucay, Bataan

     96. Antonio Adriales                        Jan. 17, 2006              Pampanga

     97. Audie Lucero                             Feb. 2006                   Bataan

HACIENDA LUISITA WORKERS LABOR UNION

     98. Tirso Cruz                                  March 9, 2006             Tarlac

OTHERS

 99. ALBERT TERREDANO                   Nov. 29, 2005             Bangued,Abra   

100. Eden Marcellana                 April 2003                Mindoro Oriental

101. Eddie Gumanoy                  April 2003                Mindoro Oriental

102. Fr. William Tadena              March 13, 2005        Tarlac

103. Rev. Edison Lapus               March 2005             Tarlac

104. Abe Sungit                          March 2005             Tarlac

105. Rev. Raul Domingo               Aug. 20, 2005         Palawan

106. Ricardo Ramos                    October 25, 2005     Tarlac

107. Atty. Ambrosio Matias          March 8, 2005         Nueva Ecija

108. Tony Quizon                        Oct. 7, 2005            Surigao del Sur

109. Rollie Mariano                      Sept. 30, 2005         Surigao del Sur

110. Constancio Calubid               Sept. 2005              Tarlac

111. Federico de Leon                  October 25, 2005     Bulacan   

112. Diosdado Fortuna                  Sept. 22, 2005        Cabuyao, Laguna  

113. Dr. Angel David                     Oct. 26, 2005          Pampanga

114. Von John Maniti                    Oct. 26, 2005          Pampanga

      Yonip.com pays tribute to these people's advocates whose only crime was to dedicate their lives and talents in the service of social justice, human rights and the socio-economic upliftment of the Filipino people.

      Since these killings and assassinations were perpetuated, not a single one of the assailants has been arrested nor prosecuted.  The government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is either deaf, blind or a covert party to these extrajudicial killings not to do anything about them.                     

* Article by Roland G Simbulan - For a full professional background of Professor Roland G. Simbulan (Click Here)