Ka Beltran Passes Away!

Gabriela Women's Party mourns the passing away of veteran labor leaderand militant partylist Representative Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran.

In his death, we have lost a most formidable ally of workers, peasantsand the urban poor.

He has lived a worthy life in defense of the rights of workers and thetoiling masses as president of the Kilusang Mayo Uno and eventually asa representative of Bayan Muna in the 12th Congress and of AnakpawisPartylist in the 13th and 14th Congress. Ka Bel is behind the proposedP125 across the board legislated wage increase and the GenuineAgrarian Reform Bill.

He has faced battles as political detainee during the Marcosadministration and later on under the Arroyo regime after PresidentArroyo declared a crackdown on her most vocal critics and issuedProclamation 1017.

We grieve with Ka Bel's family and the masses that he has courageouslyand wholeheartedly served. We shall carry on his dreams of leaving hisgrandchildren and the Filipino masses a more humane and just society.

More Protest Rallies, Militant Group Vows

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 23 Mar) – A militant party list group on Friday vowed to hold a series of street protests to force the Philippine government to free two detained lawmakers allied with the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines.

The group Bayan Muna said it would intensify the protests across the country against government persecution of Reps. Satur Ocampo and Crispin Beltran. Both politicians have been accused of rebellion and murders.

Members of the group on Friday held a rally in Davao City and had also protested the unabated political killings and harassments of activists opposed to Arroyo’s rule.

It said hundreds of militants and political activists had been summarily executed in the Philippines since Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001.

Militant party list groups accused the military as behind most of the killings, a charged strongly denied by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Beltran, of the party list group Anakpawis, is under medical care because of his deteriorating health condition, while Ocampo, of Bayan Muna, is fighting a government move to transfer him to Leyte province where he was charged of murdering dozens of rebels suspected of aiding the military almost two decades ago.

"After all the expedite moves to hold the arrest warrant on Satur Ocampo, have him arrested, and attempts to transfer him to Leyte, the respondents are now delaying the oral arguments set by the Supreme Court," Bayan Muna Rep. Joel Virador said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court reset the hearing on the petition filed by Ocampo to recall the arrest warrant issued against him by Leyte Judge Ephrem Abando on charges of multiple murder. The oral argument, originally set today, was moved to March 30. (With a report from Romy Bwaga)

Release Detained Lawmaker, Party List Group Demands

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 25 Feb) – A militant party list group, Anakpawis, on Sunday demanded anew the release from government detention of a lawmaker arrested on rebellion charges last year.

"We demand Ka Bel's immediate and unconditional release in the interest of truth and justice. If the Arroyo administration remains stubborn to the cries of Filipino toiling masses and international human rights advocates, Gloria Arroyo will forever see herself among the likes of Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Marcos, earning utmost disgust from the people," said Anakpawis Secretary General Cherry Clemente.

The group was referring to Rep. Crispin Beltran, linked by the government to the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Clemente said there were no evidence to link Beltran to all accusations against him and only a victim of political harassment. Beltran is a known anti-Arroyo politician.

“Even the international community led by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and civil society groups across the globe are convinced that Ka Bel is a victim of political harassment by the Arroyo administration,” Clemente said.

Clemente said Anakpawis will join the “Free Ka Bel Movement” in an international day of protest on Monday. Simultaneous rallies will be held in different regions all-over the country, as well as countries across Asia, Europe and the United States.

Beltran was arrested a day after Arroyo declared Presidential Proclamation 1017.

Arroyo issued Proclamation Number 1017 on February 24, 2006 after an alleged coup attempt was foiled in the morning of the same day, thus, placing the country under a "State of National Emergency". This was later revoked by Proclamation 1021. (Mindanao Examiner)