Bicol Farmers Rally to Fight Against Terror of Oplan Bayanihan

Thousands marched along the streets of Guinobatan, Albay while Sorsoganons came together in solidarity with the people of Barcelona; and a similar protests action was staged at the town center of  Bula, Camarines Sur today.

These towns represent no less than 20 villages across the region that are currently suffering under the repression of Oplan Bayanihan’s Peace and Development Teams. Today’s protests is spearheaded by Kilusan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Militarisasyon sa Kabikulan (KMLMB), Karapatan Bicol,and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.  The regionwide mobilization is supported by Bicolanos from various sectors, which Concepcion says “highlights the value of collective strength to match up to the military’s armed attack on civilians.”

The human rights organization exposes that under Oplan Bayanihan in Bicol, no less than 37 civilians have been killed by the military, and an immense loss in agricultural produce has been inflicted by the so-called Peace and Development Teams. “Peasants are being suspected of being New People’s Army supporters and are being killed. Farms are neglected because of fear, hence the worsening of livelihoods, because military operations prove deadly to villagers.


The struggle for life and livelihood intensifies today as thousands of Bicolano farmers mass up to heighten their fight against the deaths and damages that Oplan Bayanihan has inflicted upon the remote villages in the region. As the nation remembers EDSA I uprising, Bicolanos on the other hand troop to government offices and military camps to demand the pull-out  of soldiers from the countrysides, and call for an end to the government’s deadly counter-insurgency campaign.

“February 25 supposedly marks the people’s triumph against Martial Law. But clearly, democracy remains chained as most of Bicol’s rural villages continue to be under the military’s control,” John Concepcion, Karapatan-Bikol Spokesperson said.

“We hold the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division accountable for these deaths and damages to people’s livelihoods,” asserts Concepcion, adding that apart from these, the military likewise commits a lot more
forms of human rights violations. “PDTs are trained in every way to violate rights,” clarifies Concepcion. “They occupy public structures thus endangering civilians, they commit torture, illegal detention and
interrogation, they rape and abuse women, and steal crops and animals, among other. Most of all, they kill civilians,” enumerates Concepcion.

Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP)-Bikol Spokesperson, Felix Paz further reiterates the farmers  demands, “These soldiers must be pulled out immediately to avert any further damage to the people!”
 “The government will surely step up its barrage of human rights violations. If we do not carry on with our fight against  Oplan Bayanihan's intensified military operations, government soldiers will continue to
murder our loved ones, and continue to deny us of our living.”#