Gabriela Solon Lambasted the Arroyo Administration for Extrajudicial Killings in Southern Tagalog

Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Liza Maza today condemned the killing of Sabina “Ka Sabeng” Ariola, a woman leader from Sta.Rosa City, Laguna and the attempted murder of Adelaida Calosa.

“The culture of brutality and impunity perpetuated by the Arroyo administration has once again preyed upon the women leaders of Southern Tagalog with the killing of Sabina Ariola and the attempt on Adelaida Calosa's life yesterday. Legitimate protests of people's organizations against anti-poor and anti-people policies are being quelled and neutralized through extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations. An independent investigation should be conducted to bring the perpetrators to justice and legislative measures to stop the killings and protect the rights of the people must immediately be enacted,” Maza said.

The 51 year old woman leader who was the chairperson of a local people’s organization MSRK3 or Mamamayan ng Sta.Rosa para sa Kagalingan, Kaunlaran at Kapayapaan, was approached and shot by still unidentified men during their protest action last March 23. The same bullet that went through Ariola’s stomach hit a fellow member Adelaida Calosa. Unfortunately, Ariola died the following day while Calosa is scheduled for operation as the bullet lodged in her neck.

Ariola’s group was on board an elf heading to Sta.Rosa City Hall as they were to attend the session and lobby the annual budget for 2009 of the Sangguniang Bayan. Ariola’s group was regularly conducting their series of protest action every Monday.

According to the Gabriela solon, Sabina Ariola is the 978th victim of extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo administration since 2001. In August 2004, Melita Carvajal, the MSRK3 leader before Ariola and Gabriela Women’s Party coordinator of Sta. Rosa, Laguna was also gunned down.

“Undoubtedly, Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya continues to slaughter the lives of innocent civilians, majority of who were members and leaders of people's organizations and progressive groups. Not one of these cases has been resolved until now,” Maza concluded.