SF: Candlelight March to Protest Political Killings in Philippines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GOOD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
September 18, 2006

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro, BAYAN-USA, 415.377.2599 or rramiro [at] gmail.com

On Sept. 21 Anniversary of the Declaration of Martial Law, Filipinos in Bay Area to Protest Political Killings in the Philippines

Local demonstration part of internationally-coordinated day of action condemning murders of 752 people

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, California—Politically-motivated killings in the Philippines under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo reached 752 as of mid-September and continue to be committed at the rate of one every three days. To protest the escalation in murders, Filipinos and their allies in the Bay Area will conduct a Candlelight March at 4 PM on Thursday, September 21, 2006 in San Francisco. The march will start at the intersection of Powell and Market Street at 4 PM, proceed up Powell Street to the Philippine Consulate at 447 Sutter Street at 4:30 PM, and conclude with a vigil in front of the Philippine Consulate from 4:45-5:30 PM.

The protest action on Sept. 21 marks the 34th anniversary of the Ferdinand Marcos administration's declaration of Martial Law in 1972. The event is part of an internationally-coordinated global day of action on September 21 condemning political killings in the Philippines under the questionable administration of President Arroyo. BAYAN-USA, one of the sponsors of the march, asserts that today there is an undeclared martial law in the Philippines, as evidenced by the sharp rise in politically-motivated killings, abductions and enforced disappearances of activists associated with organizations who oppose Arroyo’s policies. The march will commemorate victims of Marcos' reign of terror as well as call attention to de facto martial law conditions under the Arroyo regime. Pictures of recent victims including students, priests, journalists, union leaders, human rights workers, peasants, and other ordinary civilians will be displayed and candles will be lit in their honor.

"Many of us came here precisely because the conditions in our beloved homeland were unbearable. Many fled to escape the tyranny of Marcos and US-instigated martial rule. Now Arroyo has resurrected the darkest days in our nation's history and made it our reality once again. She has been able to do so with the sponsorship of US military aid and weaponry," states Chito Quijano, Vice-Chair of BAYAN-USA and a union organizer in Los Angeles. "The world will not stay silent as the killings continue in the Philippines, especially those of us taxpayers in the US whose dollars are funding such day-to-day atrocities."

Same-day actions will also take place in Canada, the Netherlands, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and Brussels. An Arroyo visit to Hawaii last week already unfurled the first of a domino-effect of US protests that will take place next week. International human rights watchdogs such as Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Watch, and the World Council of Churches have issued reports and statements condemning the killings..

This action is sponsored by BAYAN-USA, League of Filipino Students (SF State) and babae, and co-sponsored by the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON).

Schedule of events:
4:00 pm - meet at Powell and Market (North side of Market near Cable Car stop)
4:30 pm - Candlelight March to Philippine Consulate (447 Sutter St. @ Powell)
5:00 pm - Speak out and commemorate victims of political killings at Philippine Consulate
5:30 pm - March to Civic Center to join the Interfaith Candle Light Vigil & Declaration of Peace activity on the occasion of International Peace Day

For more information about the San Francisco march, contact Rhonda Ramiro at 415.377.2599. For more information about international protest actions visit http://www.bayan.ph.

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