Anakpawis holds nationally-coordinated miting de avances all over the Philippines : QC IMC

The militant Anakpawis National Political Party today holds its first historic miting de avance in Liwasang Bonifacio, coinciding with the militant labor movement's celebration of International Labor Day. One of the major people's organizations allied with Anakpawis, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) spearheaded the Labor Day celebrations and sponsored the miting de avance in Liwasan, as well as in the 15 other regions all over the country where there are Anakpawis chapters and KMU unions and federations. All in all, over 400,000 card-carrying members of Anakpawis will be joining nationally-coordinated miting de avances.

Though the miting de avance centers around the unity of workers and their allies in the peasant and urban and rural poor sectors in support of Anakpawis, the program also highlights the party's sharpest condemnation and outrage against the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

Anakpawis national chairperson and first nominee to the party-list polls Crispin Beltran slammed Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), saying that she was responsible for the lengthening list of murdered Anakpawis and sister party-list Bayan Muna members and officials.

"The president has not lifted a finger to stop the AFP from butchering civilians and Anakpawis and Bayan Muna supporters, coordinators and officials. It is her duty and responsibility both as the commander in chief of the AFP and the highest official in the land to stop the abuses of the military and punish those who have perpetrated vicious crimes against civilians and political activists. So far, almost 50 members of the progressive party-lists have been brutally slain and thousands subjected to various forms of human rights violations ranging from verbal threats to actual psychological and physical harassment. Through all these, Pres. Arroyo has done nothing to stop the military," he said.

Pull-out the 204th from Mindoro, all military back to barracks 'til the last vote is counted

Beltran demanded that Pres. Arroyo immediately order the pullout of the 204th Infantry Battalion as well as other battalions of the AFP from Mindoro. He also said that all soldiers and their commanding officers in the 204th should be investigated for their involvement in the murder of civilians in the island.

Beltran also said that all units of the AFP should be sent back to barracks and not allowed to be around the civilian populace during the remainder of the election period. He said that the AFP should be told to keep away from communities and schools effective immediately and not just on May 10. "The military should remain in their barracks until after the last ballot has been tallied and counted. No doubt there will be even greater bloodshed and more civilian casualties if the military is allowed to continue roaming around like packs of rabid, ravenous wolves."

"The main agenda of the military this election period is to kill as many members and supporters of Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and their four other sister party-lists in the demented goal of defeating their bid to strengthen the people's representation in Congress," he said.

"We demand that Pres. Arroyo directly order the military to cease and desist from harassing and killing our members and coordinators. She has no right to present herself as worthy of the Filipino people's trust and votes on May 10 if she cannot even control the AFP and protect the human, civil and political rights of the electorate." #