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STATEMENT<br>
Contact: Annalisa Enrile, National Chair, GABRIELA Network<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:chair@gabnet.org">chair@gabnet.org</a><br>
Date: March 16, 2007<br><br>
<b><u>GABRIELA Network Condemns the Unlawful Arrest of Representative
Satur Ocampo<br><br>
</u></b>Bayan Muna Partylist representative Satur Ocampo was arrested the
afternoon of March 16, 2007 in Manila as he walked down the steps of the
Supreme Court. <br>
<br>
Ka Satur is being falsely accused of murder of at least 62 members of the
New People's Army back in 1984. Aside from evidence that skeletons
found at the alleged mass NPA gravesite were linked to a previous murder
case, these allegations against Ka Satur are impossible. At the
time of the murders in 1984, Ka Satur was serving time as a political
prisoner during President Marcos' martial law. <br>
<br>
Ka Satur's arrest comes within a day or two of U.S. Senate subcommittee
hearings on the extrajudicial killings and disappearances of activists,
lay leaders and their families in the Philippines. The Senate
Subcommittee of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, chaired by Senator
Barbara Boxer, learned about the 836 murders of activists and their
families that have occurred under Philippine President Arroyo's
watch. The hearing was the result of efforts of many community and
ecumenical leaders, including the top executive of the U.S. National
Council of Churches of Christ. During the time of the hearings, Ka
Satur surfaced on the internet, appealing to the international community
to not turn their heads away from President Arroyo's atrocious human
rights violations record. Shortly thereafter, he made plans to
arrive at the Supreme Court in Manila to petition for a Temporary
restraining order as well as certiorari – a legal term used to request of
a higher court that it demand the documents and other material from a
case that a lower court has ruled on, in an attempt to overturn the lower
courts decision. After making his petition, he was arrested. <br>
<br>
It is dishonorable and a disgrace that right after a U.S. Senate hearing
on human rights violations in the Philippines occurs that so-called US
ally Arroyo allows the police to arrest long time activist Satur
Ocampo. GABNet Campaigns Director, Lalee Vicedo states, "It is
shameful that the Philippine Supreme court, well aware of the rabid
police just outside of its doors, failed to intervene immediately after
Ka Satur sought their help." And it is disgusting and outrageous how
the Philippine police can knowingly frame and arrest an innocent
man. As we continue a yearlong vigil for Ka Bel, another
Representative who was has been detained since last year during Arroyo's
state of emergency under false pretenses, and as we stand in a state of
disbelief at Ka Satur's arrest, we, GABRIELA Network, brace ourselves for
the likely and eventual arrest of Gabriela Women's Party, Representative
Liza Maza. <br>
<br>
GABNet US urges our allies, community members, and all freedom loving
people to stand in militant unity with us against the fascist arrest of
Ka Satur and to remain vigilant with us in the likely event the Liza Maza
is arrested. Long live Ka Bel! Long live Ka Satur! Long
live Liza Maza! Long live the people's fight against fascism and
state terror! <br><br>
<br>
-- <br>
Annalisa Vicente Enrile<br>
Chairperson, GABRIELA Network<br>
PO Box 403, Times Square Station<br>
New York, New York 10036<br>
Tel: 1.619.316.0920<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:chair@gabnet.org"><u>chair@gabnet.org</a><br><br>
</u></font><font size=3 color="#800080">GABRIELA Network is a
Philippine-US women's solidarity mass organization. GABNet<br>
provides the means by which Filipinas in the US can empower
themselves,<br>
functions as training ground for women's leadership, and articulates
the<br>
women's point of view. GABNet effects change through organizing,
educating,<br>
fundraising, networking, and advocacy.<br><br>
</font><div align="center"><font size=3><b><i>SULONG GABRIELA –LUMABAN-
MAKIBAKA!</i></b> <br>
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San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
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