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Will the UN Decade of Family Farming solve lack of land among poor Filipino farmers?

The Philippine government since 2019 has participated in global discussions for the crafting of national action plans for the support of family farming. Led by the Department of Agriculture and with the participation of multi-stakeholder partners, the Philippine National Action Plan for the support of family farming was announced by the agency in May and formally launched in July of 2021. The Philippines is one of the first three countries in the entire Asia-Pacific Region with an approved National Action Plan, along with Nepal and Indonesia.

Kodao Productions has been tasked by Communication Development Asia and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters-Asia Pacific in behalf of the Food and Agriculture of the United Nations to produce these two radio magazines (in Filipino and English) in line with this global program. It asks, “Will the Decade of Family Farming solve the most basic problem of Filipino farmers: lack of land?”

Filipino version
English version

KMP: Gov’t anti-insurgency drive targets farmers, people’s organizations

The Rodrigo Duterte government targets and forces farmers to pose as surrenderers and be counted as trophies in its anti-insurgency campaign, an investigation by a farmers’ group revealed.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said a nationwide profiling campaign is ongoing against farmers, many of whom are later listed and presented as surrendered New People’s Army (NPA) members or supporters by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). 

The KMP said the attacks on the peasant sector was affirmed by its series of online fact-finding activities with campaign group Tanggol Magsasaka on farmers, leaders, and other residents in 11 provinces nationwide from July to August.

More than 70 victims gave their testimonies and affidavits on over a hundred cases of human rights abuses perpetrated by state forces, KMP said.

The groups’ first ever online fact-finding activity was aimed to “expose the Duterte regime’s dirty and brutal war targeting farmers, to silence their collective struggle for land, economic reforms, and social justice. “

The fact-finding mission was held just as President Duterte bragged in his last State of the Nation Address last July 26 that about 17,000 NPA members have already surrendered to government forces.

“More than 17,000 former communist rebels have surrendered to the government. They have returned to the fold of the law and are happily reintegrating to the community,” Duterte said.

The President added his administration’s projects such as farm-to-market roads, livelihood, education and sanitation were able to destroy 15 NPA fronts, which he did not identify.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) however laughed at the President’s claim, pointing out past military claims the NPA has no more than 4,000 fighters left.

“”Fifteen guerrilla fronts dismantled? Dream on, Duterte. Si Gen. Hermogenes Esperon ng NTF-ELCAC nagsabi, mahigit daw 4,000 noong June ang NPA mula 3,700 noong December,” CPP information officer Marco Valbuena said.

Civilians

The KMP said many of those claimed by NTF-ELCAC’s to be surrenderers were civilians, including farmers, farm workers, peasant leaders, rural women and youth, and fisher folk.

“[T]he majority of these so-called surrenderers are civilians — ordinary farmers who were either coerced, forced, or duped into ‘surrendering’ to the government,” the KMP said.

The group said that based on initial findings of its online investigation, red-tagging, threat, harassment, and intimidation are the most common forms of abuse by state forces.

Other instances of abuses include:

* Home and farm “intimidation visits” by police, military, and intelligence agents;

* “Forced presentation” of peasant leaders, farmers, and civilians to village authorities and Philippine Army camps to have their names “cleared”; and

* Forced attendance in village meetings organized by the military to be “lectured” on counterinsurgency. 

KMP said that individuals targeted for forced surrender were intimidated to sign document denouncing local organization and the CPP-NPA-NDFP alleged as “Communist Terrorist Groups.”  

The group’s accusations mirror the December 2019 Philippine Army admission it manipulated a photo to show a group of so-called NPA surrenderers in Masbate province.

The Philippine Army photo it released to the media that it also later admitted was manipulated.

Automatic NPA supporters

The KMP revealed government forces automatically accuse local peasant organizations and associations supporters of the NPA or have links and relations to the CPP, NPA and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). 

“Farmers and rural populations in localities are often red-tagged as members of the so-called Milisyang Bayan and Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad. Legitimate peasant organizations engaged in farm campaigns, campaigns for land reform, against land-grabbing, against high land rent, and other forms of feudal exploitation are always and automatically red-tagged and vilified by state forces,” KMP said.

The group added its affiliates as well as those of other peasant organizations have been red-tagged, including Danggayan, Dagami, Kaguimungan, UMA-Isabela, AMIHAN-Ambi, PIGLAS and CLAIM in Quezon, AMB in Bulacan, KMB, BCPAI, and LAMBAT in Bicol, and local organizations of farmers in Cavite, Camarines Sur, Albay, Iloilo, and Capiz. 

“In the course of the comprehensive and sustained forced surrender campaigns, state forces, and authorities use varied forms ranging from persuasion, deception, fraud, subterfuge, suppression, coercion, and outright use of force and violence,” the KMP said.

It added the government’s counter-insurgency campaign takes full advantage to enforce more restrictions in peasant communities, making peasant communities and villages virtual military garrisons. 

The group said its fact-finding mission will continue in the coming weeks to further probe the situation in other regions and provinces. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

KMP reports more attacks against farmers in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog

Farmers’ homes  were demolished in Orion, Bataan by a combined forced of about 200 police officers and a 100-member demolition team in Sitio Bangad, Orion, Bataan last Thursday, January 14, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) reported.

The KMP said former Government Service Insurance Corporation president Federico Pascual ordered the demolition of houses owned by 42 families to give way to a lucrative residential project with Sta. Lucia Realty.

Police officers in full battle gear assist Federico Pascual’s demolition team. (KMP photo)

Police officers in full battle gear assisted the demolition team, KMP-supplied photos show.

“The ongoing demolition is the latest in a series of displacement of farmers and residents in the area. In February 2020, the collective resistance of farmers has succeeded in preventing the attempts of Pascual’s men to demolish and displace the farmers and their families,” the KMP said.

Last March 23, 2020, at the height of the coronavirus lockdown and quarantine in Luzon, Pascual ordered the fencing of the disputed land and displaced the farmers from the 33-hectare landholding, KMP said.

The farmer-families said they have been tilling the land with palay, vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees for over two decades as part of the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Zaldy Montemayor, leader of local farmers group Samahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Sitio Bangad, said Pascual had been manoeuvring to have the farmers exempted from CARP but the businessperson could not present proper documents issued by the Land Registration Authority.

A farmers’ house completely destroyed by Federico Pascual’s demolition team. (KMP photo)

Aside from being a former GSIS president, Pascual is also the President of the Bataan Peninsula State University, a member of the Bureau of Customs Governing Council, chairperson of the San Antonio Resources Inc, and a shareholder Sinagtala Farm Resort and Retreat Park located in Bataan.

Pascual also owns shares in several other companies, and formerly held corporate leadership posts at the Philippine National Bank, Allied Banking Corp., and Alabang Country Club as well as a director of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

The KMP said Pascual is using his wealth and influence in his actions against the farmers of Sitio Bangad.

The group said the Bataan incident followed the destruction of houses and attacks on farmers at Hacienda Yulo in Calamba City.

Terror at Hacienda Yulo

In Laguna, armed guns and goons of the Yulo-owned San Cristobal Realty demolished two houses while they trained high-powered guns on terrified residents, the KMP reported

Last January 9, the group said goons also attacked a certain Jojo De Leon while ransacking and destroying several houses.

The perpetrators also fired their guns that injured four farmers, the group added.  

The Hacienda Yulo incidents were the latest in an ongoing harassment campaign against the farmers that started in July 2020, the KMP said.

“These include the fencing off of farm lots, destruction of crops and burning of houses of the farmers,” KMP said.

WATCH: Terror at Hacienda Yulo

As in Bataan, the Yulo family is trying to drive away farmers to pave the way for a deal between San Cristobal Realty and Ayala Land, Inc., the group said.

“The farmers had been tilling the land since 1911. It was them who developed the land and they have all the right to continue farming and living in it,” KMP added.

Yesterday, KMP also reported that farmers in Norzagaray, Bulacan were charged with theft for harvesting their own coconut and banana crops by another private company, Royal Mollucan Realty Holding Inc.

READ: Farmers charged with theft for harvesting their own crops

“Just how heartless the land grabbing families of Villar, Yulo, Ayala, Pascuals, can be? A pandemic, widespread joblessness and bankruptcy, and successive typhoons have already ravaged the lives of poor farmers, and yet these landed haciendero-oligarchs continue to violently eject our food security frontliners,” KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘Landgrabber’ harasses 14 Bulacan farmers with theft charges–KMP

Fourteen farmers harvesting coconut and banana crops were charged with theft by a private company in Norzagaray, Bulacan, a farmers’ group reported.

In an urgent alert, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said the “landgrabbing” Royal Mollucan Realty Holding Inc. (RMHI) continues its harassment of members of the Samahang Magsasaka sa San Mateo (SAMA-SAMA) and charged the farmers with theft for harvesting their own crops.

RMHI alleged its guards chanced upon the farmers taking coconuts and bananas inside the 75.5-hectare disputed property at Sitio Comra, Barangay San Mateo.

The Office of the Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor recommended a PhP6,000 bail for each of the farmers.

The KMP however said the property the company claims it owns had been placed under a Notice of Coverage under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

RMHI has failed in its legal manoeuvres to have the property exempted from CARP, the KMP added.

The group added that the Court of Appeals has ruled with finality that the land should already be awarded to the members of SAMA-SAMA in accordance with an order from the Office of the President.

“But the Norzagaray Municipal Agrarian Reform Office and the Bulacan Provincial Agrarian Reform Office have been foot-dragging,” KMP said.

Armed personnel of Royal Mollucan Realty Holdings Inc.. (KMP photo)

In its desperation, RMHI had been violent to the farmer-beneficiaries, demolishing their houses, destroying their crops, burned farming equipment, fenced-off agricultural plots and drove away farmers, KMP revealed.

The farmer-beneficiaries have been tilling the property for three decades already, the KMP said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Kung saan bihasa ang PNP at AFP

” Kung ang mga magsasaka ay nagtatanim ng palay at butil, ang PNP at AFP ay bihasa sa tanim-bala, tanim-baril at tanim-explosives.”–Danilo Ramos, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairperson

Your legacy is anti-people, KMP tells Arroyo

Contrary to her glowing description of her presidency and speakership as she announced her retirement from politics, farmers said House of Representatives (HOR) Speaker and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s legacy are laws detrimental to the people’s interests.

Responding to her valedictory at the last session of the HOR Tuesday, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said Arroyo led the approval of an endless string of anti-people policies and legislation, including the rice tarrification law, the lowering of the age of criminal liability, regressive taxes, revival of mandatory military training for minors, among others.

Arroyo said she will retire from politics after three decades after having been elected as senator, vice president, president and Pampanga representative.

Recalling her presidency and career in Congress with world leaders, Arroyo said she does not think she will have as dramatic a legacy as giants of world history such as United States President John Kennedy.

“I think my legacy will center around restoring our country’s fiscal stability after a storm of financial crisis here and abroad. Our fiscal reforms expanded resources for infrastructure and development, after which, as I said earlier, our poverty level went down from 39% to 26%” she said.

‘Good riddance’

The KMP said they welcome Arroyo’s retirement from politics as “good riddance.”

“She will continue to be known as among the most loathed public officials in history. Arroyo and her enabler Rodrigo Duterte deserve condemnation for all the anti-people policies they are implementing,” KMP chairperson emeritus and Anakpawis President Rafael Mariano said. 

Mariano recalled that Arroyo’s speakership did nothing but ignore Anakpawis’ landmark bills.

“Under Arroyo’s helm in Congress, pro-people measures such as the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill and Php750 national minimum wage hike were snubbed and archived,” Mariano said.

Mariano added that Arroyo also presided in the railroading of the refilled coco levy bill that reduced the number of farmer-representatives to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund Committee from nine to only three last month. 

“The coco levy bill approved by Congress will not guarantee the return of the multibillion coco levy fund and assets to farmers. Duterte and his allies will only gain control of the fund,” Mariano said. 

Under the new coco levy bill, the trust fund committee will have an annual capitalization budget of Php10-billion, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund Committee to be appointed by the President will be composed of six representatives from government sector, two representatives from the private coconut industry sector, and only three farmer-representatives.

The coco levy assets will be privatized under the supervision of the Privatization Management Office, the KMP added.

“These are not the demands of small coconut farmers. Ito ang gusto ni Duterte kaya ito ang sinunod ng Kongreso,” Mariano said.

“This long and drawn out battle for the return of the coco levy fund has burdened millions of small coconut farmers and their families. Many of them have died without actually benefiting from the coco levy fund,” the peasant leader said.  

Estimated to be worth up to 150 billion pesos, the fund was levied from coconut farmers by the Ferdinand Marcos regime that the Supreme Court said belonged to them.

Mariano said small coconut farmers will continue to assert the genuine return of the fund.

‘Loathed politician’

Arroyo, daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal, was the Phillippine president for nine years.

She took over the presidency from Joseph Estrada in 2001 after an uprising.

Her election in 2004 to a presidential term of her own was widely believed to be fraudulent, leading to massive protests and even ouster attempts by rebel soldiers.

During her reign, human rights group Karapatan reported 1,205 victims of extrajudicial killings and 206 victims of enforced disappearances. 

She was also elected as Pampanga second district representative in 2010.

She was arrested and jailed for plunder in 2011 but was acquitted and freed in 2016.

In July 2017, she was elected as House Speaker in a controversial maneuver alleged to be orchestrated by Davao City mayor Sara Duterte who was at odds with then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘Search warrant’ para pumatay

“Hindi totoo na dahil may searxh warrant ay kailangan nilang hulihin, Ang kanilang layunin ay patayin ang mga tao doon sa Canlaon City, Manjuyod at Santa Catalina sa Negros Oriental.” — Antonio ‘Ka Tonying’ Flores, secretary general, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas

Image by Carlo Francisco/Kodao

Farmers call for genuine land distribution on CARP’s 30th anniversary

Sa ika-tatlumpung anibersaryo ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), nagmartsa ang mga magsasaka at iba pang anakpawis, sa pangunguna ng Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, patungong Mendiola.

Ipananawagan ng KMP ang tunay na pamamahagi ng lupa sa mga magsasaka at kinondena naman ang kabiguan ng CARP na  lutasin ang kawalan ng lupa ng nakararaming magsasaka sa bansa.

Dagdag pa rito ay ang pagpapataw ng mga gawa-gawang kaso at pang-aalipusta sa mga magsasaka at mga manggagawa sa kanayunan, ayon sa KMP.

Ang pamamaril sa mga magsasaka ng Sto Domingo, Nueva Ecija

Ni Jek Alcaraz, Radyo Natin-Guimba

Nagko-cover ako ng kilos protesta ng mga magsasaka sa Baloc, Sto Domingo, Nueva Ecija noong Miyerkules, Abril 25.

Umaga pa lang, mga 9 am, nasa munisipyo na ako para i-cover ang pakikipagharap ng mga magsasaka kay Sto. Domingo mayor Imee de Guzman at chief of police PSupt Abraham Atencio. Inireklamo nila ang gabi-gabing pagpapaputok ng baril ng mga tauhan ng pamilya Jimenez mula sa loob ng kanilang compound. Dagdag pa, layunin din ng mga magsasaka na mag-protesta sa pagbabakod ng mga Jimenez sa 17 ektarya na lupa kung saan tatlong ektarya doon ay may tanim pang palay na kailangan nang anihin.

Dahil may sarili akong motorsiklo, nauna na ako sa area, sa tapat lang ng compound ng mga Jimenez. Ipinarada ko sa tabi ng kalsada ang aking motorsiklo. Kalaunan, doon din huminto ang bulto ng mga nagpo-protestang magsasaka.

Nag-video ako at saka ko nakita ang mga tao sa compound. Marami sila at kasama ang landlord na si Romulo Sangalang Jimenez at kanyang anak na si Jonjon.

Naisip ko agad, “Gulo ito.” Kaya inilihis ko muna ang aking motorsiklo. Saka ko nakita ang dalawang lalaki na papalapit sa bakod sa tabi ng kalsada. Hindi pa ako nakakababa at hindi ko pa napapatay ang makina nang narinig ko na ang putukan. Nakita kong nag-dapaan na ang mga magsasaka. Tiyak akong may nasugatan dahil nasa kabila lamang ng kalsada nanggagaling ang maraming putok.

I-click ito para mapanood ang video.

Screengrab mula sa video.

Tumakbo ako agad sa harap ng bulto para ma-video-han ko ang namamaril. Nakuhanan ko pang nagpaputok ang dalawang lalaki. Nakita ko ring naroon lang sa malapit ang mag-amang Romulo at Jonjon, pinapanood ang pamamaril. Nakita ko na tumakbo na iyong mga namaril papasok ng compound.

Nasugatan sa pamamaril ay si Virginia Galapon Guiang, 65 taong gulang. Tinamaan siya sa hita ng bala ng M16. Kasalukuyan siyang ginagamot sa PJG Hospital sa Cabanatuan City. Dinaplisan din ng bala ng kalibre .45 si Mariafe Orbido Magbanua, 46 years old. Namaga raw ang kanyang sugat kaya kailangan na ring iconfine sa hospital.

Unang naisip ko matapos ang pamamaril ay tumawag na ng pulis, kaya tinawagan ko ang hepe na si PSupt Atencio. Pagdating nila matapos ang limang minuto, hinabol nila iyong isang tricycle na tumatakas.

Lumapit si Jonjon Jimenez. Gusto niyang makausap ang mga pulis. Lumapit ako sa kanya upang tanungin kung puwede ba siyang magbigay ng pahayag tungkol sa pamamaril at kung mga tauhan ba nila ang mga iyon. Tinanong niya ako: “Sino ka ba?” Sinagot ko sya na media ako mula Radyo Natin Guimba. Sinabi niyang huwag ko siyang interbyuhin sa mismong lugar na iyon. Dinagdag niyang sa loob daw kami ng compound para “neutral at walang biases. Ilang beses niya akong kinunan ng litrato at video.

Makikitang nasa likod lamang ng namaril si Romulo Sangalang Jimenez na nakasuot ng kulay-rosas na tshirt. (Screengrab mula sa video)

Pagkatapos, ang mga pulis naman ang nagtanong kung kung nakuhanan ko ba yung pamamaril. Ang sabi ko, meron akong footage. Pagkatapos, ini-screen shot namin ang aking kuha ng mga suspect. Saka pumasok ang mga pulis sa loob ng compound para sa hot pursuit. Humarang si Sangalang Jimenez, dahil wala raw ebidensiyang sa loob ng compound tumuloy ang mga namaril. Sinabi pang itinanim lang ng mga magsasaka ang mga basyo ng bala.

Sinabi ng pulis na may actual video kaya huwag na sana siyang magkaila. Tinawag ako palapit doon sa kanila para sabihin sa may ari ng compound na may ebidensya. Sa pangalawang beses,. tinanong ako ni Jonjon kung sino ako at anong ginagawa ko sa lugar. Sinabi ko ulit na media ako at nagko-cover ako ng protesta. Tinanong ako ng pulis kung kaya kong mai-dentify ang suspect. Sabi ko, batay sa video na kuha ko, kaya kong i-identify iyon.

Muling nagtanong si Jonjon na paano ko raw ma-identify ang mga lalaking namaril kung wala naman ako sa actual event. Sinagot ko siya na kitang kita ng dalawang mata ko ang nangyari. Sinabi niyang media lang ako at walang karapatang mag-identify kung sino ang namaril. Dagdag niya: “Patunayan mo sa court ang mga sinasabi mo. Huwag dito dahil hindi ito iyung lugar. Kung gusto niyong mahuli ang mga tauhan ko, kailangan ay may hearing muna. Mag-file kayo ng warrant of arrest at ng search warrant para mahalughog nyo itong compound ko.”  Sumagot ako na naroon ako mismo sa pangyayari upang mag-cover ng protesta. Maaring isa ako sa pwedeng naging biktima kung hindi ako nakatabi dahil inilalayo ko ang aking motorsiklo.

Sinabihan na ako ni Jonjon matapos ang aming palitan ng salita na hindi ako pwede sa compound nila at wala akong karapatang mag-cover. Ipinagtulakan niya ako palabas ng gate. Nakita ng mga pulis. Sinabi ng PSupt Atencio: “Huwag mo namang itulak-tulak. Hindi naman na maganda iyan.”

Saka ako inakbayan ni Jonjon at sinabihang, “Umalis ka na rito.” Sinagot ko sya: “Bakit ako aalis, media ako at kailangan kong i-cover ang mga nangyayari?” Subalit iginiit niyang palabasin ako. Lumabas ako subalit matapos ang ilang minuto, ipinatawag ulit ako ni PSupt Atencio upang ituro sa mga inipon nilang mga tao kung sino ang namumukhaan ko. Itinuro ko ang salarin. Nagwala na ang mag-amang Jimenez. Hindi raw makukuha ang mga tauhan nila.  Naghihilahan sila at ang mga pulis sa suspect.

Dahil hindi makuha ang suspect, pinosasan na lang siya sa tricycle. Hinintay namin ang pagdating ng Provincial Director ng Nueva Ecija PNP na si PSSupt Eliseo Tanding. Pagdating niya, ipina-halughog niya ang buong paligid. Unang nakita ang isang 9mm na pistol na nakabalot ng tela sa may sukal. Sumunod ang isang shotgun na nakalagay sa sako na naka-suksok lang din. Iginiit ni Jonjon na planted ang mga ito at hindi sa kanila ang mga baril.

I-click ito para mapanood ang ikalawang video.

Ang mag-amang JImenez (Romulo, na naka-suot ng kulay rosas, at Jonjon, na naka-asul).

Habang kinukunan ko ang aktwal na pagkita sa shotgun, tinanong ulit ako ni Jonjon: “Ano ka ba dito? Official media ka ba ng mga pulis?” Sinabi ko sa kanya: “Obligado ba akong sagutin iyan. Media ako, hindi pa ba sapat iyon? Sabi niya ulit: “Aba! Pamamahay ko ito. Nandito ka sa bakuran ko. Dapat alam ko kung sino ang pinapa-pasok ko.” Sumagot ang hepe: “Siya ang nandito. Hindi na kailangan ng official media from PNP at siya na iyong nakasaksi ng mga kaganapan.”

Inimbitahan ako sa Provincial Office ng Nueva Ecija PNP upang magbigay ng salaysay. Nagtalaga ng tatlong pulis para sa aking seguridad. # (Jek Alcaraz, Radyo Natin-Guimba)

City councilor, lawyer, activists included in Negros town police’s poster of Reds

BACOLOD CITY — A councilor of the northern Negros Occidental city of Escalante, a lawyer who has longed worked with peasant and human rights groups, and a number of current and former leaders of activist groups were among more than 60 supposed communist rebels whose faces were printed on a police poster.

The National Federation of Sugar Workers issued an alert with a copy of the poster it said was being pinned up by the police force of the central Negros town of Moises Padilla.

The alert was released Monday, the same day human rights groups reported the arrest in Tarlac of Australian nun Patricia Fox, NDS, a volunteer with the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, by Immigration officers.

At the top of the poster is the message, “CNN PERSONALITIES, if seen in the area, please text 09099191720.”

CNN is the acronym used by state security forces to refer to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

PNP poster accusing well-known personalities in Negros of being underground revolutionaries. (NFSW photo)

Among the legal personalities whose faces are on the poster are Karapatan-Negros secretary general Clarizza Singson, Zara Alvarez of the Negros Island Health Integrated Program, UMA secretary general John Lozande,NFSW secretary general Christian Tuayon, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers-Negros secretary general Benjamin Ramos, Escalante Councilor Bernardino Patigas, Julius Dagatan, Ronald Evidente, Ma Rina Amacio, Rogina Quilop, Lary Ocena and Anecita Rojo.

A number of them are also included in the list of alleged rebels that forms part of the Department of Justice’s petition to have the CPP and NPA proscribed as “terrorist organizations.”

On the other hand, Amihan, the National Federation of Peasant Women, said Fox was arrested around 3 p.m. and is currently detained at the Bureau of Immigration’s intelligence bureau.

The group said the nun, who joined a recent international solidarity and fact-finding mission in Mindanao that was reported harassed and hounded by state forces, could be deported.

Sr. Patricia Fox, NDS, in detention at the Bureau of Immigration. (Photo by Atty Ma Sol Taule)

Fox’ arrest came a day after Giacomo Filibeck, deputy secretary-general of the Party of European Socialists, was barred from entering the country in Cebu, where he was scheduled to attend the congress of Akbayan.

Filibeck, who visited the country last year as a member of a human rights fact-finding mission that criticized the government’s bloody war on drugs, was informed he was on a blacklist order and deported.