BANGUED, Abra– Cause oriented groups here
denied and condemned black propaganda allegedly by State agents they are New
People’s Army rebels pretending to be development workers.
Kakailian Salakniban Tay
Amin a Nagtaudan (KASTAN CPA-Abra), TulongKatribu and Cordillera Disaster
Response and Development Services (CordDS),
in a press statement, said they learned of red tagging being spread against them after
Ariel Solomon Martes, Alliance of Concerned Teachers provincial coordinator for
Abra was notified by a friend to be careful of his acquaintances because he was
told they were NPA rebels.
His source
however declined to identify the source for his own security.
“We condemn
this malicious statement made against us. We are development workers aiming to
help the evacuees. We declare categorically that we are not NPA rebels. This
kind of statements are dangerous, as there is a trend that those who are
vilified are being harassed, illegally arrested or worse, even killed. This
incident is reminiscent of the Martial law days, where everyone who desires to
serve the people is being demonized by the state.”
The incident
happened after KASTAN, TulongKatribu and CorRDS went to Barangay Tamac in
Villaviciosa, Abra to provide relief goods for residents who evacuated because
of an impending landslide.
A landslide
occurred during the height of typhoon Ineng, which destroyed several parts of
the rice fields, prompting the residents to evacuate.
The relief
operation was requested by the community through Alliance of Concerned Teachers
provincial coordinator Ariel Solomon Martes.
Despite the
incident, the groups vowed that they will continue to provide aid for those in
need, saying that it is their sacred duty to serve the people.
“No threats
can stop us from doing what we are supposed to do. These people need help, and
no matter what, we will not leave them behind. Those spreading these malicious
statements must desist from doing so and instead do their part in helping the
evacuees.”
The press
statement named Haide Patricio Iday as Tulong Katribu coordinator,
Ronald
Gustilo as public information officer of Kakailian Salakniban Tay Amin a
Nagtaudan and Ariel Solomon Martes as provincial coordinators of ACT.
No comments:
Post a Comment