GABRIELA NETWORK HOLDS MACAPAGAL-ARROYO RESPONSIBLE FOR CYCLE OF VIOLENCE; CONDEMNS BOMBING AT PHILIPPINE CONGRESS

Press Release
13 November 2007

Contact: DR. Analisa Enrile, National Chairperson
619-316-9020
chair@gabnet.org

"The bombing at the Philippine Congressional Building is an escalation of the policy of violent political repression initiated by the Government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," said Dr. Annalisa Enrile, national chair of GABRIELA Network, a US- Philippines women?s mass solidarity organization.

The bombing resulted in the death of Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar and Marical Talbo, driver of Gabriela Women's Party representative Luz Ilagan, who was herself injured. Also killed was Maan Gale Bustalino , a member of the staff of Negros Oriental Representative Pryde Henry Teves. Representive Teves was injured as well, along with bodyguards and drivers of several other representatives, including GWP's Liza Maza.

The circumstances of the bombing are highly suspicious, particularly in the consequent portrayal of Rep. Akbar as an "Abu Sayyaf" partisan; and highly suspicious in that the most injured are opponents of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime. "It's interesting that this attack takes place during the third impeachment hearing of President Arroyo. The assassination of political luminaries and leaders falls squarely into the Bantay Laya paradigm," Dr. Enrile continued, citing a Philippine military plan that echoes Operation Phoenix, a program of assassinations instituted during the American War in Vietnam, resulting in some 50,000 community people killed. Over 1000 extrajudicial killings have occurred against activists and supporters since Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo took office in 2001.

The women's organization called for an end to the presence of US troops in the Philippines, which it characterized as a major factor in the escalation of political violence in the archipelago and for the Filipino people to end the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US military.

"Wherever the US military goes, an escalation of political violence occurs. The more violence, the greater the military's share of the US budget, the more profit to multinational corporations manufacturing weapons -- this is the very simple equation behind this strange US policy so desirous of war and violence," GABNet pointed out.

Violence against women as a strategy of war is escalating worldwide. From Iraq to Palestine to Haiti to Darfur, women are bearing the brunt of militarization and the so-called war against terror. It seems highly coincidental that Gabriela Women's Party was so targeted.

GABNet called on all its supporters and allies to mount a pressure offensive to help jump-start all stalled peace talks in the Philippines. The organization also expressed its sympathies and condolences to the families of the killed and injured.