Otazas’ killing offshoot of gov’t’s failure to act on people’s grievances

THIS IS in response to Patricia Contreras’ letter to the editor (“Makabayan’s silence on Otaza killings,” 10/31/15) wherein she decries the Makabayan bloc for not condemning the execution by the New People’s Army of Loreto Mayor Dario Otaza and his son for their alleged crimes against the revolutionary movement and lumad communities in their area. She says our advocacy for justice for the victims of lumad killings in Mindanao should extend to the Otazas.

First of all, it is wrong to compare the Otazas’ execution by the NPA to the murder of ordinary lumad residents by the Armed Forces of the Philippines or state-sponsored paramilitary groups. Otaza was apparently an active proponent of the AFP’s brutal counterinsurgency campaign and himself organized and headed one of its dreaded paramilitary groups.

The NPA’s list of Otaza’s alleged crimes are grave and bolster many reports that he and his group were being used by the military and by powerful, vested interests to demolish the lumad communities’ strong opposition to big mining and logging operations. The revolutionary movement in the area apparently decided to impose the death penalty on the Otazas and ordered the NPA to implement its decision.

The case of the Otazas is not unique. There are many cases where government’s failure to act on ordinary people’s grievances against abusive military officials, civilian authorities or criminals compel our people to run to the NPA for justice.

It is precisely these conditions of social injustice that fuel the ongoing armed conflict which the government and the NPA/National Democratic Front agreed to address through peace negotiations. Further, both parties signed the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (Carhrihl), an agreement that laid down the principles and conduct of war and the structures and processes for addressing its violations.

Violations of any provisions of the Carhrihl by both parties may be brought before the joint monitoring committee established by the Philippine government and the NDF. The concerns of Contreras must be brought to the proper parties for their consideration and appropriate action.

—LIZA MAZA, cochair, Makabayan