CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- Farmers led by the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL, Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) feted the numerous peasant leaders and organizers who fell to the alleged death squads in a solidarity program held at the St. Scholastica's Academy this city on October 18.

"A good number of our fellow leaders died since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the Presidency in 2001," AMGL Chairperson Joseph Canlas said in an interview with GLNS.

"They are the martrys of the struggle against landlessness, worsening poverty and unabated human rights violations in the countryside," Canlas added. "To remember each of them is to continue the struggle."

Long list

Among those feted were Jose Doton, Chairperson of Tignayan dagiti Mannalon a Mangwayawaya iti Agno (TIMMAWA) in Pangasinan; Marcelino Beltran, Chairperson of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Tarlac (AMT, Peasant Alliance in Tarlac); Victor 'Ben' Concepcion of Aguman Dareng Maglalautang Capampangan (AMC, Organization of Capampangan farmers); Rodolfo de los Santos, council member of the AMGL provincial chapter in Nueva Ecija; and Chrispin Amazona of Aurora.

Doton was 60 years old when he was gunned down by unidentified armed men on May 16, 2006 at Bgy. Camanggaan in San Nicolas, Pangasinan. TIMMAWA, led by Doton is an alliance that actively opposed the San Roque Multi-purpose Dam Project (SRMDP).

De los Santos, 32, the leader of a farmers’ group Bongabon, Nueva Ecija was shot dead in Barangay Oliveti, Bongabon town on June 12 this year.

Beltran was gunned down outside his home in Sta. Ignacia town, Tarlac in November 2004, while Concepcion was killed while recuperating at his daughter's house in Angeles City in March 2005.

According to Karapatan-GL, there are already about 110 victims of political killings in the region since GMA rose to power in 2001.

Added to this are the 21 victims of massacres, 25 victims of frustrated killings and 58 victims of involuntary disappearances, the human rights group said.

"The list seems endless actually and we have to fight to keep that number (on the list) to only where it is now," Canlas added in Filipino.

Peasant Week

The solidarity night is among the highlights of the traditional Peasant Week commemoration in Central Luzon featuring various activities including community discussions, trainings, fora and mass actions.

The Peasant Week commemoration was capped by a caravan and march dubbed as “Lakbayan ng Anakpawis Laban sa Kahirapan, Kagutuman, Pamamaslang at Charter Change ng Rehimeng US-Arroyo” to Mendiola in Manila on October 20, designated by the United Nation as the World Food Day.