#JusticeForTumandokMassacre: Stop Killing Farmers!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Tumandoks, one of the indigenous peoples of Panay island, greet the new year with a bang—but not the sort of bang that comes with a celebration. 

We condemn yet another act of state terrorism during what ought to be a season of rest, reflection, and recreation. 

Military-police operations killed Tumanduk indigenous peoples and arrested several others in Panay! Walang holiday, holiday sa mga pasista!

Did you hear what police and soldiers did to the Tumandoks? 

All over Panay, like terrorists, they barged into the homes of indigenous farmers at dawn, killed 9 farmers and arrested 15.

Victims were known leaders of Tumanduks tribe resisting megadam projects and landgrabbing. "Due to their strong resistance against the construction of the destructive Jalaur Mega Dam and their continuous fight for IP rights, they have been tagged by military forces as members of the rebel groups."

TUMANDUK is an organization of the Tumaduk tribe resisting the construction of the Jalaur  River Multipurpose Project – Stage II (JRMP II) in Calinog, Iloilo. 

Tumanduk farmers in Alibunan, Agcalaga, Sumuroy, and Barangan villages in Calinog, Iloilo are constantly threatened with the construction of the P11.2-billion mega dam. Their persistent resistance have delayed for several years the construction of the mega dam.

The Tumandok indigenous people resides in the mountainous areas of Capiz and Antique. They have been actively opposing the construction of the Jalaur Mega Dam in their ancestral land which will greatly affect and destroy their community’s land and livelihood.

The police are the real terrorists! The perpetrators were from PRO-6, PNP-CIDG, 12th IBPA, and Tapaz Municipal Police.

The 12th IBPA is also the Philippine Army unit who is accountable of all the killings of farmers and hacienda workers in 2018 in the Negros island. 

Source: Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas 

They could not yet disclose the name of the judge who issued the search warrants.

IP leaders were UNARMED when state forces murdered them at their homes. 

State forces massacred and brutally murdered nine Tumandok farmers just because their farmer's alliance that wanted land and justice were labeled as "terrorists". Injustice and oppression continues.

PNP and AFP elements said the victims fought back as authorities were serving warrants early morning Wednesday in Barangay Lahug, Tapaz in Capiz. The familiar made-up script to justify their horrible extrajudicial killings.

The attacks in Tapaz, Capiz are reminiscent of the SEMPO in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental that led to the massacre of six individuals and arrest of 15 others on December 26, 2018 led by then PRO-7 Director Debold Sinas.  

The government justified their massacres on indigenous people as "necessary" to stop the New People's Army and even label innocents as NPA, but in reality the government uses terrorism as an excuse to silence those who stand against fascism.

Anong klaseng news reporting ‘yan! Stop peddling this “NPA” narrative. 

Roy Giganto, a Tumandok leader and local village councilman was among those killed. The victims were red-tagged and claimed by the PNP as 'high-value individuals' of the CPP-NPA. They are civilians defending their ancestral lands.

Farmers aren't NPA! Activists aren't NPA! Minorities aren't NPA! Stop playing DUMB!

BAYAN MUNA Rep. Eufemia Cullamat strongly condemned the same  joint operations of  the army's 12th IB and police. 

Peasant activist Lorenzo "Dodoy" Paña of Brgy. Bantolinao, Antequera, Bohol was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle riding men around 9:00 am today near a bridge at Brgy. Dorol, Balilihan.

Lorenzo was a former officer of Hugpong sa Mag-uuma Dapit sa Kasadpan (HUMANDA KA), a district formation of Humabol chapters in the first district of Bohol.

Lorenzo was on his way to bring lunch for his son working at a nearby construction site when he was fired upon by the perpetrators.

It can be recalled that on June 26, 2018, his house was subjected to a warrantless search by around 30 members of SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics). Members of his family complained of maltreatment during the said incident.

In previous years, the Paña family had also reported being harassed by state forces.

In 2018, Lorenzo along with his wife and children voluntarily worked for the construction of the coconut processing plant in Brgy. Tinibgan, Maribojoc which now produces virgin coconut oil.

NNARA-Youth UP Diliman vehemently condemns the cold-blooded, state-sponsored killing of Lorenzo Paña. Reports of his murder coincide with the massacre of nine Tumandoks in the province of Capiz.

The extra-judicial killing of Lorenzo and the Tumandoks raises the peasant death toll under the Duterte regime to 305.

Mario Aguirre, a barangay council member from Barangay Lahug also among confirmed killed. 

"SAKA said, 'Instead of counting presents this holiday season, the Filipino people are counting corpses.'

Instead of Santa's sleigh, we got Satan's slay!

The injustice in our country is just— it just exist everywhere. And we aren't happy!

Page 365 of 366: Before the pandemic year 2020 ends

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tomorrow, December 31 2020 at 11:59:59 this book will finally closed and the story we had this year is about to end and at exactly 12:00:00 a new book will be open and a new story is about to start. And now, I am ready to open a new chapter, a new beginning.

Ready to close the book and forget the characters that exist only in my prologue but no longer in my epilogue.

Thank you 2020 for making me realize to finally let go of unreciprocated love, to accept things for what it is and to be genuinely happy for the things that are meant for me.

2020 was not an ordinary year.. A lot of things happened. A lot of things that we didn't imagine that will happen, actually happened.. But I'm thankful that this year, for the people who made this year bearable.

This year, we did nothing but survive. We did nothing but motivate ourselves to wake up with a positive mind. We mustered everything in us to keep ourselves from falling off track and give it all up because we felt so tired, the kind of tired that rest could never cure.

We've tried our best to let go of the heartaches. Now, it's time say goodbye to our painful memories and burn them in our minds. We are hoping for happy experiences this 2021.

I just wanna say thank you to all people who have been part of my life this 2020. I hope we continue to flourish in 2021 and the next years to come.

Thank you for shaping me to become a better version of myself. May the next chapter replenish every dark and bright memories you gave with new great adventures.

Thank you for everything. 2021 time to start something new. Repeat after me:- "I'm about to walk into the greatest year of my life!"

#RizalDay: Remembering the martyrdom

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On this day in 1896, national hero Jose Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan, Manila. Every December 30, the nation remembers Rizal's martyrdom which ignited the Philippine revolution against Spain.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines leads the commemoration of the 124th death anniversary of Jose Rizal in Luneta, Manila.

President Rodrigo Duterte is represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana.

The more appropriate honor that mayor Isko Moreno could have given Rizal is when he speaks against the lies and hypocrisy of the government he serves. There is dissonance when he strikes against non-FDA approved products in Binondo then keeps quiet about the use of illegal vaccines in AFP.

In commemoration of Rizal Day, let’s remember some of Pepe’s famous sayings. 

"Justice is the foremost virtue of the civilizing races. It subdues the barbarous nations, while injustice arouses the weakest."

Police Brutality is not an isolated case.

Winston Ragos was killed by policemen who thought he was going to pull out a gun. 

A group of policemen ambushed army intel officers and tampered the crime scene.

Fabel Pineda was raped and killed by policemen when she filed a complaint against them. 

Kidnap-Slay case was done by policemen. The victim was beheaded.

Mother and son Gregorio were shot pointblank with two bullets each by policeman Jonel Nuezca who has previous dismissed homicide cases.

Duterte repeated said that he would protect the policemen and would assume the responsibility to their misdeeds.

"Filipinos don't realize that victory is the child of struggle, that joy blossoms from suffering, & redemption is a product of sacrifice."

Duterte's failed promises are numerous to mention. He also allows the rampant red-tagging of progressive groups critical of the government.

"There are useless officials, evil, if you like, but there are also good ones, and these are not able to accomplish anything because they encounter an inert mass..." 

Here are some of the most shameless factotums who red-tag people carelessly. A thread

1. Red Tagger Parlade often makes baseless accusations. In 2018, he accused the opposition of conspiring with the Communists to oust Duterte. He even made allegations that student organizations were being exploited by the Communists. 

Parlade is pushing for social media regulation but he can't substantiate the basis of doing so. He thinks it is a gray area in the Anti-Terrow Law that needs to be included in the IRR.

He was was booed out of the NUPL Philippines forum which he crashed in because organizers and attendees had enough of his lies. 

2. Red Tagger Lorraine Badoy maligns anyone who is against her.

She is a rabid. She carelessly red-tags any critics of Duterte and defends Mocha Uson. 

She red-tags even journalists thus putting their lives at risk. She has used her post to continue red-tagging even the Makabayan Bloc.

3. Red Tagger Cardema wanted to be a partylist representative so he could bring his red-tagging agenda in Congress. He was disqualified so now his wife replaces him. 

Cardema made it very clear that the plan was to make Ducielle Cardema withdraw before the election to pave the way of a possible substitution. She was a last minute choice to be 1st nominee. The 5th nominee is also a relative. 

Cardema red-tags legitimate youth and partylist groups but can’t present any evidence to support his claims. 

“Our liberty will not be secured at the sword's point... We must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it...tyranny will crumble like a house of cards, and liberty will shine out like the first dawn." 

The fabricated cases against Leila De Lima stemmed from being a strong critic of Duterte. 

When De Lima launched a senate inquiry about the Davao Death Squad & she expressed her strong opposition to the Drug War, she became the primary target of Duterte.

Part of Duterte's efforts to silence her was the House of Representatives hearings that crucified her as an immoral and corrupt DOJ secretary. 

The primary witnesses against her are CONVICTED CRIMINALS and yet the government & Duterte’s allies found them to be more credible. What a joke! 

The PNP even barred anyone from visiting de Lima citing the pandemic but they were allowed to do mañanita for Sinas. 

AMLC & PDEA cleared de Lima because they didn’t find any evidence linking her to the drug trade in Bilibid. 

The cruelest treatment to the Reina Mae Nasino, mother and her baby River who was separated from her, thus causing the baby's death, was on full display during the wake and burial of the child. 

There seems to be a pattern because another peasant leader, Amanda Echanis with her child, is jailed for the same charges. 

Let’s discuss food security, Duterte promised to dismantle the cartel of illegal rice smugglers via Rice Tariffication Law but it has negative effects to the farmers. 

As a consequence, the price of locally produced rice significantly drops.

Duterte promised land reforms by providing support to the beneficiaries. This admin is the slowest in the implementation of land reforms.

Duterte promised to return the coco levy fund to farmers. But Duterte vetoed the bill that was meant to do just that.

"The youth is the hope of our future." 

There’s no such thing as Bobotante but disillusioned due to failure to deliver campaign promises. There must be higher level of discourse such as debates to discuss policies not a grand circus. 

It is not enough to just vote on #Halalan2022 but we must guard our vote and report incidents of election frauds/election related violations to COMELEC & other election watchdogs 

In 2019, PPCRV launched a voter’s education online course to help eligible voters assess/evaluate candidates better. 

Each vote makes a difference in every election. We must treat our vote that we are voting not just for ourselves but for our country and countrymen. 

On this day, we celebrate a national holiday dedicated to the anniversary of Jose Rizal’s martyrdom.

May we never forget his works and sacrifices that sparked a revolution leading to the freedom and democracy of the nation. 

May his ideals and patriotism inspire us to help our country usher in a better, fair, and inclusive future. 

"To live is to be among men, and to be among men is to struggle, a struggle not only with them but with oneself; with their passions, but also with one's own."

"I die without seeing dawn's light shining on my country... You, who will see it, welcome it for me...don't forget those who fell during the nighttime."

~Jose Rizal speaking through "Elias" in Noli Me Tángere

Credits to Tea Sommelier for cover photo and most worded entries

CTTO to the rest of the illustrations