Who created ‘Olalia’ disinformation?

We would like to clarify matters in the news article titled “KMU calls on Aquino to reopen Olalia case.” (Inquirer, 1/26/12)

We have been consistently fighting for justice for our comrades Rolando Olalia, former Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chair, and Leonor Alay-ay, his aide, who were both tortured and murdered. We firmly believe that rightists belonging to the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa or RAM were responsible for their deaths more than 25 years ago. Their assassination was part of the rightists’ campaign, named “Oplan God Save the Queen,” to destabilize the government under then President Cory Aquino with whom we were allied back then.

However, the press release on which the news article was based did not come from us. As anybody who knows the KMU will attest, it is most unlikely for us [KMU] to say that “the wind of justice is prevailing in the country.” Not when elite (in)justice prevails in the country. Not when the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow in the cases against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her cohorts like the “butcher” Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan. Not when workers are denied justice most of the time.

Who has interest in circulating such a press release, in creating this disinformation?

The Aquino administration? Does it hope to use KMU’s reputation as a critic of the government to enhance its image? Does it hope to send a warning to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who is known as the “godfather” of RAM and is now the presiding judge in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona? Does the Aquino administration want to put pressure on Enrile to make him vote for Corona’s conviction? Is it using the dead to advance its objectives in ousting Corona?

Or is it Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s rightist forces in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including Palparan himself? Are they agitating the military’s top brass and rank-and-file to rise against the Aquino administration by portraying the latter as friendly with the national-democratic Left? Is this a sequel to the disinformation campaign that Prof. Jose Maria Sison, chief consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, was offered a Cabinet position by the Aquino administration and is coming home? Is a coup d’etat being hatched?

We are calling on the Filipino workers and people to be vigilant. Factions of the country’s elite are out to advance their sinister interests. We need to fight back with our collective action.

—ELMER LABOG,

chair, Kilusang Mayo Uno,

[email protected]