PRESS STATEMENT
November 26, 2008
Bring Ka Vic’s Killers to Justice Immediately !
Stop Political Killings in the Philippines !
We, the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development, an
alliance of nine national farmers’ organizations in eight countries in
Asia, are shocked, dumbfounded, and deeply in sorrow and righteous anger
over the shameless and senseless killing of one of our farmer-leaders, Ka
Vicente Paglinawan, Vice President for Mindanao of the Pambansang Kilusan
ng mga Samahang Magsasaka or PAKISAMA, AFA member in the Philippines.
Ka Vic , was shot dead Saturday late afternoon, by an unidentified man ,
during a fiesta celebration in his hometown in Malabog , Davao City. Three
bullets were pumped into his head. The gunman , said to be in his youth,
fearlessly approached him and fired at him at point blank range, in front
of several witness, in broad daylight. The murderer walked away from the
scene of the crime with only a towel (Good Morning) hiding his face,
later boarding a red motorcycle with the driver wearing a ski mask. It
was also learned that another motorcycle (a backup) with two persons on
board followed the gunman’s getaway vehicle.
Who will have the brazenness, the fearlessness of committing this crime,
if the murderers are not assured of political backing? Or if they believe
that justice do not prevail in this country? Ka Vic Paglinawan is an
amiable, good-natured man, highly involved and respected in the peasant
movement, a key leader in a successful agricultural cooperative in his
area. He is a committed farmer leader who has devoted his time to help
farmers in the country to increase their incomes and know their rights.
Family and friends do not know any enemy or any person whom he might have
personally harmed , as to want him killed. His murder is the last in a
series of unsolved killings of farmer leaders in the country; the sixth to
fall this year; the 49th unsolved political killing since President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power.
We deeply grieve with the family he left behind. We join PAKISAMA in
mourning for the loss of one of its top leaders. Their loss is our loss.
We support the call of PAKISAMA to the Philippine government to make a
speedy, prompt, impartial and effective investigation of his death. Their
fight is our fight. We ask national and international human rights groups
to make a fact finding mission on his death and create an independent body
to monitor these investigation.
We pray for the soul of Ka Vic Paglinawan. We pray for strength to his
family, especially his wife, as she and their four children, cope with
his death and life without him.
Ka Vic’s life will remain for ever in our hearts as very strong
inspiration to continue pursuing his dreams for better lives for small men
and women farmers.
Asian Famers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
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