The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women joined the farmers, peasant women, and activists led by Danggayan iti Mannalon ti Cagayan Valley (Danggayan) and Anakpawis Party-list Cagayan Valley on their two-day of protest actions and trooping to various government agencies in Manila to demand investigations on continuing human rights violations by the police and military in the region. The peasant women group said that under Duterte, serial red-tagging, harassments, threats, forced “surrender”, filing of trumped-up charges, illegal arrest and detention, aerial bombing, and other rights abuses were documented.
“We join the Cagayan Valley farmers, peasant women, and activists on their call to demand immediate action on the incessant cases of human rights abuses in the region and defund the notorious red-tagger NTF ELCAC who victimizes leaders and members of legal democratic organizations including our provincial chapters in Isabela and Cagayan,” Zenaida Soriano, Amihan National Chair exclaimed.
Amihan called for #DefendPeasantWomen and stop red-tagging of Jacquiline Ratin, Amihan’s National Vice-Chairperson and Chairperson of its provincial chapter in Cagayan; Nenita Apricio, National Council member of Amihan, Chairperson of Amihan Tumauini and Asosasyon Daguiti Mannalon a Babbai ti Isabela (AMBI Amihan Isabela); Cita Managuelod and Gladys Ganado of AMBI Isabela. Likewise, reiterated its demand for immediate and unconditional release of Amihan Cagayan peasant women organizer Amanda Echanis and her 1-year old son, baby Randall, currently detained at Cagayan Provincial Jail.
“Moreover, reiterated their call for #StopMilitarizationNow, pull out military presence in the peasant communities and hold Duterte accountable for his war crime. The military presence has disrupted lives and livelihoods through aerial bombing, intimidation and harassment of residents, and the destruction of agricultural land in the region. As part of Amihan’s “Defend Peasant Women” and Stop Militarization” campaigns in Metro Manila, some of the cases were filed at the CHR Central office last May 7, 2021. Moreover, House Resolution No. 1812 directing the lower house to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the intensifying attacks and human rights violations against peasant women in the country filed by lawmakers under the Makabyan bloc last June 1, 2021 which was drafted by Amihan.
Lastly, Amihan reiterated its call to junk the terror law or the Republic Act 11479 and urged the democratic-loving Filipinos to join the poor farmers, peasant women, and other rural-based sectors in Cagayan Valley in defending their freedom and democracy. ###
