Migrants group backs Casiño, tells Aquino: Face the Issues

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PRESS STATEMENT
24 October 2012

Migrants group backs Casiño, tells Aquino: Face the Issues, Hold the Perpetrators of Rights Abuses Accountable and Stop Acting Like a Brat

“Face the issues, hold the perpetrators of rights abuses accountable and stop acting like a brat.”

Thus was the message of MIGRANTE SECTORAL PARTY - New Zealand to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III who belittled Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño’s survey ratings while defending the human rights record of his administration over Radio New Zealand interview.

“It’s sad to hear that the president has more sympathy with demolition agents than people desperately defending their homes. He complains that the state agents are pelted with human waste while enforcing eviction notices. We wonder if he cares about the plight of his “bosses,” the urban poor violently evicted and killed – including 14-year old John Cali Lagrimas who was killed when 200 demolition team members, 20 Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) elements and a hundred members of the Philippine National Police from Camp Macabulos in Tarclac City and Camp Olivas in Pampanga attacked the community in Block 7, Barangay (Village) San Roque. Arnel Leonor, 19 years old, was also killed during the violent and bloody demolition of their homes in Silverio Compound in Parañaque City,” Francisco Mangulabnan, Coordinator of MSP-New Zealand lamented.

“The president boasted about having a warrant of arrest for former Army general Jovito Palparan. But Palparan is still in the loose, why isn’t he doing enough to direct authorities to actually arrest Palparan?,” Mangulabnan asked.

“We can understand why President Aquino is not a big fan of Teddy Casiño. Casiño and all the leftist activists that he despises are at the forefront of campaigns for genuine land reform and social justice versus land monopoly and political dynasties. Casiño is a thorn in the neck of the country’s powerful clans such as the Aquino-Cojuangco clan who refuse to fairly redistribute the vast hectares of land to poor Filipinos,” Mangulabnan stated.

“Casiño is a voice of the masses, including Overseas Filipinos who long for social justice and good governance so they won’t have to be forced to work away from home. The country needs truly pro-poor lawmakers like Casiño who would stand up against the landed elite and big business who deny the poor of land, decent jobs, housing and other fundamental human rights,” Mangulabnan added.

MSP-New Zealand also challenges President Aquino to step up the nation’s battle against political dynasties and set example by asking members of his clan, the Aquino-Cojuangco clan, cousin Benigno “Bam” Aquino and aunt former Tarlac Governor Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco to withdraw from the 2013 senatorial race, to abide by the constitutional prohibition on succession of rulers from the same family.

Francisco Mangulabnan, Coordinator of MIGRANTE SECTORAL PARTY-New Zealand

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