[News] Phillipines - Demand release of GABNET activists

[Anti-Imperialist News]

For Immediate 
Release 
Contact: Doris Mendoza, Secretary General,

9 August 
2007 
<mailto:secgen at gabnet.org>secgen at gabnet.org ;  (212) 592- 3507, (718) 753-0257;
Milady Quito, <mailto:GABNet3OffTheList at gabnet.org>GABNet3OffTheList at gabnet.org

US-BASED WOMENS ORGANIZATION DEMANDS RELEASE OF 
THE GABNET 3.  DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS!  NO 
TO POLITICAL HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, REPRESSION!

The Philippine Government, headed by de facto 
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has once again 
brandished an undemocratic, unjust and cruel 
rule. She has placed three GABRIELA Network 
(GABNet) leaders on a “watch list” and has 
already prohibited GABNet Chair Dr. Annalisa 
Enrile from returning home to Los Angeles.
On August 5th, 2007, Dr. Enrile was barred from 
boarding her return flight home from Manila, 
Philippines. Dr. Enrile was informed that she was 
on the “hold” list of the Phil Department of 
Justice.  Two other GABNet leaders Ninotchka 
Rosca and Judith Mirkinson are reportedly on the 
same hold list and are likely to face the same 
restriction of movement. The GABNet 3 had 
attended the 10th bi-annual Women’s International 
Solidarity Affair in the Philippines (July 
29-August 5 2007).  Dr. Enrile also led a 
delegation of USC Social Work Masters students on 
a Philippine summer immersion program.

It is no coincidence that the GABNet 3 have been 
targeted by the Philippine Department of Justice. 
They have been instrumental and most vocal in the 
international campaign to defend GABRIELA Women’s 
Partylist Representative Liza Largoza-Maza who 
has suffered and continues to suffer intense 
political persecution, including baseless charges 
of murder and sedition. They also led last year’s 
all-women human rights legal mission to the 
Philippines, a report from which points to the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines and other 
military elements as perpetrators of the 
murders/assassinations of close to nine hundred 
activists, ninety of whom were women who worked closely with GABRIELA.

The scheme is obvious: harass, intimidate all the 
dissenters, all those who criticize 
Macapagal-Arroyo’s regime.  The GABNet 3 are 
virtually being held hostage by the Philippine 
Government.  The ransom: silence from all critics 
– Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike.  For GABNet 
though, such inhumane tactics leads only to 
heightened vigilance and determination.
We demand that the Philippine Government release 
the GABNet 3 so that they may return to their 
homes and their lives in the US.  We demand that 
the US Embassy in the Philippines and the US 
Ambassador to the Philippines act on behalf of 
the three U.S. citizens/permanent resident and 
demand that the Philippine Government release them at once.
We call on our friends and allies to defend the 
GABNet 3.  Help us get them safely home.  Contact 
your Congressional and Senate representatives to 
urge their safe return.  Contact via fax the US 
Embassy, American Citizen Service, at 
011-632-522-3242 or fax the US Embassy, 
Ambassador Kenney, at 011-632-522-4361.

###




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