PESANTE-USA SUPPORTS CAGAYAN VALLEY PEASANT'S STRUGGLE FOR LAND AND FREEDOM

Pesante-USA Support’s Cagayan Valley Peasant’s Struggle for Land and Freedom

Los Angeles --The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-U.S.A vehemently condemned the despicable killing of the new Gunglo Dagiti Mannalon peasant association president Anthony Licayo last November 27 at Brgy. Cabirauan, Gonzaga, Cagayan,

Licayo has just succeeded Joey Javier, the president of Gunglo was killed by military agents in Brgy, Bagunot,Cagayan. Licayo became the 791st victim of political killings perpetrated by the military throughout the Philippines under the US-Arroyo regime.

Pesante is very much aware that the peasant associations led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) is taking the brunt of the fascist attacks by the US trained and directed Philippine military, police, its intelligence agencies and paramilitaries all over the country.

The peasants in Cagayan, where large tracts of haciendas exists are getting organized and this is why the military and the landlords as well as the bureaucrat capitalist-politicians in these area are conniving to attack the peasants and destroy their unity.

The peasants of Cagayan has a brave and revolutionary tradition in leading the peasant upsurge all over the nation during the time of the much hated Marcos fascist regime. From 1978 to 1980, they marched and rallies against the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Japanese funded Cagayan Integrated Agricultural project (CIADP) and against fascist suppression and killings.

The peasants of Isabela also demand land and genuine land reform in the 1980’s in the two Haciendas of Santa Isabel and San Antonio and still relentlessly are struggling for their just demand now against the land grabbing of the Philippine government and the Cojuanco corporation.

The peasants of Cagayan sacrificed a lot during the dark days of martial law. In East Cagayan alone from 1980 to 1986, more than 200 were killed by the military. Including Western Apayao. More than 600 Cagayanos gave their lives for the sake of freedom and democracy fighting for their land and freedom against the fascist thusgs of US imperialism and the despotic landlords.

The military like in the 1970’s and 1980’s burned their radio station in Baggao, Cagayan and continue to kill their leaders and suppress their movement in a futile effort to silence their voices. But they will not succeed, The people united can never defeated.

The death of Liccayo and Javier and other sons and daughters of Cagayan Valley will not deter the peasants in fighting for genuine land reform and nationalist industrialization that will cut the shackles from their bounded and stolen lives.

Pesante-USA salutes them and will always support the just struggle of the KMP and the peasantry for land and freedom and other oppressed classes in the Philippines.

In the end all those responsible for these crimes against the people will be brought to the bar of justice.

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