[APWSLMembers 191] KMU 3rd UPDATE and ACTION ALERT: Another militant Party List Representative arrested; DOJ files rebellion charges against party list reps, tags KMU and other progressive legal organizations as CPP fronts

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KMU 3rd UPDATE and ACTION ALERT
27 February 2006

Another militant Party List Representative 
arrested; DOJ files rebellion charges against 
party list reps, tags KMU and other progressive 
legal organizations as CPP fronts

3:30 p.m.  -  Bayan Muna Representative Joel 
Virador was arrested in Davao City this 
afternoon.  Sketchy reports said that he was 
arrested at the Davao International airport.  He 
was immediately brought to Camp Leonor but Davao 
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte took Rep. Virador into his 
custody.  Duterte said that he will personally 
surrender Rep. Virador to House Minority Leader 
Francis Escudero and House Speaker Joe de Venecia tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Bayan 
Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro 
Casino, and Gabriela Womens Party representative 
Liza Maza, opted to go to the Congress and wait 
for their warrant of arrests to be served.  A 
commotion ensued when policemen tried to prevent 
their supporters from entering the House.  The 
police also attempted to arrest a staff of Rep. Virador but failed.

This morning, the PNP filed rebellion charges 
before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against 51 
so-called "reds", which included leaders and 
members identified with the Communist Party of 
the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA), 
partylist representatives, and other militant leaders.

In its complaint, the PNP named 41 individuals 
and several John and Jane Does.  Among those 
charged were Jose Maria Sison, founder of 
CPP-NPA; National Democratic Front (NDF) 
chairperson Luis Jalandoni; and partylist 
Representatives Beltran and Mariano (Anakpawis); 
Ocampo, Casiño and Virador (Bayan Muna); and Maza (Gabriela).

It also tagged as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA 
organizations such as Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), 
Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan 
(BAYAN), Gabriela, and PAMALAKAYA, among others.

Last Saturday, Anakpawis Representative Crispin 
Beltran, also a veteran labor leader, was 
arrested outside the gate of a subdivision in 
Bulacan, north of Manila, where he resides.

At 6pm tonight, KMU will launch a "Candle for 
Democracy" campaign.  Simultaneous candle 
lighting will be conducted in front of factories, 
offices and residences to protest the blanket 
martial law that the Arroyo government is 
implementing under PD 1017. KMU is calling on the 
people to go out of their houses, offices, 
factories and communities at 6pm tonight and 
everyday and light a candle until PD 1017 is scrapped.

We are encouraging our international network to join us in this campaign.

In solidarity,
Kilusang Mayo Uno