Ocampo calls on Filipinos in Europe for people pressure

Ocampo calls on Filipinos in Europe for people pressure

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo called on Filipinos in Europe to put pressure on President Arroyo to stop the gross human rights violations in the Philippines, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported Thursday.

"Gusto kong maunawaan nila na ang kanilang mga pangangampanya, yung pagtulong nila para mailantad ang paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa Pilipinas, pang-aabuso sa gobyerno ay nakakaron ng epekto. May pagsulong na nagaganap sa hanay ng mamamayan para mailantad ang katiwalian, mga karahasan sa mga paglabag ng gobyerno Macapagal Arroyo sa karapatan ng mamayang Piipino at ito ay mababatid sa buong daigdig," Ocampo said.

"I want them to understand that their campaigns, their assistance in exposing violations of human rights in the Philippines, abuses in government, are having an effect. It affects the people in revealing the anomalies and violence of the violations of the Arroyo government to the Filipino people’s rights and these are being exposed internationally."

Ocampo was in Amsterdam on Wednesday and spoke to a group of 100 of his staunch supporters coming from different parts of the Netherlands on the prospects of peace, the human rights situation in the Philippines, specifically his own experience in the violations of his rights as an individual and as a member of the House of Representatives, and his continuing political persecution.

He reminded his supporters that people pressure is still an effective tool to effect a change.

"Magkakaroon ng pressure sa ating gobyerno para mapigilan natin, para mabawasan at ultimately matigil itong pagpaslang at paglabag sa karapatang pantao at maalis na rin ang katiwalian ng opisyal sa ating gobyerno. Sa anumang paraan ang kapasyahan ay para sa mga mamamayang Pilipino," Ocampo said.

"Pressure can be exerted on the government to prevent, reduce and ultimately stop the killings and violations of human rights and stop corruption of officials in government. In any way the decision is with the Filipino people."

He informed the Pinoys of the recent corruption charges involving President Arroyo.

"Currently now the topics in media there is that the President had called about 200 members of the congress before she approved the budget and gave them P500,000 each and offered the local government [officials], the mayors and governors the same amount of money… for what?," Ocampo said.

The Pinoys here are angry at the never-ending corruption problems in the Philippines.

"Sa amin mahalaga na mula sa kanya mismo narinig namin ang mga balita. Nabunyag ang mga bagong kaso ng corruption, yung sa NBN (national broadband network deal) at nagbigay ng mga envelope na may pera. Lalong nagiging litaw sa amin yung larawan ng nabubulok na gobyerno ni Arroyo," Jun Saturay of Rice and Rights said.

("It is important to us that we heard the news directly from him. The new cases of corruption were clearly exposed, the NBN and the envelopes containing cash. The picture became much obvious of the rottenness of the Arroyo government.")

Ocampo also confirmed the people’s notion that the Philippines is at present in a state of martial law.

"In the circumstances that extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances are happening under the system of Gloria that is supposed to have emerged as a corrective step from the Marcos martial law period is really a cause of concern that these killings happened as it happened during martial law," Ocampo said.

He said that President Arroyo learned lessons from the Marcos regime.

He also added that when people talk whether there is a danger for President Arroyo to declare martial law, she doesn’t have to.

"People say there is martial law without declaration of martial law in effect. The conditions under martial law are prevalent particularly in the countryside," Ocampo said.

Ocampo touched on a lot of topics during his more than one-hour speech which became serious points to ponder for those who took the effort to attend the forum

Communist Party of the Philippines Jose Maria Sison, National Democratic Front (NDF) Negotiating Panel officials Fidel Agcaoili and Ruth de Leon attended the forum.

Connie Ledesma, wife of NDF Chair Luis Jalandoni was also there but without Jalandoni who had to rest to continue his recovery from an appendectomy.

The most popular Pinoy congressman in the Filipino community here did not stop to win more hearts as he talked about his continued persecution in the Philippines, recalling that even recently during his departure for Geneva for the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting, he was held for one hour at the Ninoy Aquino International Ariport.

One of his most avid fans, Grace Punongbayan of Migrante, was just thankful to see him again.

"Marami ang naniniwala sa Bayan Muna at bumoto sa Bayan Muna. Lahat kami ay naniniwala sa Batasan 6 kasama si Satur Ocampo. Alam niyo na sila ay biktima ng paniniil ng gobyernong Arroyo at marami silang pinagdaanang paghihirap at pagsubok ngunit ngayon ay kasama natin siya muli, hindi nga lang araw-araw, hindi buwan-buwan, hindi taon taon," Punongbayan said.

("Many believe in Bayan Muna and voted for Bayan Muna. All of us believe in Batasan6 including Satur Ocampo. They are victims of repression by the Arroyo government and they have experienced numerous hardships but now they are here with us, maybe not everyday, not every month, not every year.")

Consie Lozano of the Liga ng Kabataang Pilipino had been expecting Ocampo to pass by the Netherlands because she says he owes it to the Pinoys here.

"Sa pagkakaalam ko kasi palagi si Ka Satur dito. Tuwing pumupunta siya dito talagang dumadaan siya dito sa Netherlands para makihalubilo sa mga Pilipino hindi lang para makilala yung Filipino community kundi para din ibalik niya yung suporta ng Filipino community na binoto siya sa ilalam ng party list ng Bayan Muna," Lozano said.

("As far as I know, Ka Satur always comes here. Whenever he comes he always goes to the Netherlands to interact with Filipinos not just to acquaint himself with the Filipino community but to recognize the support the Filipino community gave when it voted for him under the Bayan Muna party list.")

Ocampo will be flying back on Thursday to the Philippines and is ready to face his critics.

Just over the weekend, Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal was also in the Netherlands where she signed a joint statement with the NDF calling for resumption of peace talks and which received negative comments from the officials of Mrs. Arroyo’s government.

"It’s no longer surprising. The first time Madrigal was here to meet with Mr. Jalandoni, Mr. Sison and the others, the Secretary of Justice threatened to charge her with treason because she’s an official of the government and she talks with the enemies of the state," Ocampo said.

Ditto for him, Ocampo says.

"I am prepared to face whatever reaction when I come back there," Ocampo declared.

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=96231