Ang Bayan Ngayon » Police and military arrest two peasant organizers in Mindoro


On October 24, The 76th IB and police arrested peasant organizers Bong Fran and Kelvin Joaquin while assisting typhoon Kristine-devastated farmers in Barangay Hagupit, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. The Marcos regime, which has offered zero assistance in response to the typhoon, has gone so far as to arrest individuals who are trying to help those affected.

The two were arrested based on a warrant issued by a court in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro for rebellion charges. Soldiers and police also claimed to have confiscated a.45 caliber pistol, explosives, gadgets, and documents from them. The alleged “evidence” will be used to file additional charges against them.

According to Karapatan-Southern Tagalog, Bongabong Municipal Police Station police are preventing the arrested individuals’ paralegals and the families from visiting them and determining the condition of the two organizers.

“Despite the team’s compliance with the police’s requirement to present their IDs, they were still barred from entering the station because they allegedly needed to wait for the chief’s notice, despite being accompanied by Bong Fran’s relatives,” the group said.

The state forces’ ploy to delay communications between the arrested and their families and paralegals is a form of harassment. The group added that at least five suspected police intelligence agents even surrounded and monitored the team.

The arrest of Fran and Joaquin follows a series of arrests, including that of National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Wigberto Villarico and his companion Marjorie Lizada on October 24 in Quezon City, and two labor organizers Gavino Panganiban and Marites David on October 27 in Makati City.



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