POLITICAL KILLINGS
"I could happen to us in Aklan" - Bayan Aklan
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Aklan expressed alarm on the abduction of human rights activists - Maria Luisa Posa Dominado and Nilo Arado - and the shooting of Jose Ely Garachico in Barangay Cabanbanan in Oton Iloilo on Thursday evening.
"We also believe that what happened to our comrades in Iloilo could possibly happen to us here in Aklan. With series of intimidation, illegal arrests, surveillance and penetration to our activities and areas where we exists, what’s next?" said Bayan Aklan chairperson George Calaor.
In a statement released to Panay News, Calaor stressed, "the organization believes that the event is a clear manifestation of the intensification of the military attacks of the barbaric government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against the militants in the island of Panay ."
"What can we expect from the government who designed military operations to silence the people’s movement who carries and continuously advances the struggle for true-genuine freedom and democracy in the country?" Calaor said.
Garachico, 51, secretary general of Alliance of Human Rights-Karapatan-Panay, suffered a bullet wound in the neck after the Mitsubishi L200 pick-up van he was driving was waylaid by armed men at 9:30 p.m.
Dominado, 52, spokesperson of Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Para sa Amnestiya (Selda-Panay) and Arado, regional chairperson of Bayan-Panay, regional coordinator of Anakpawis-Panay and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipnas-Panay are still missing.
"Militants and progressive organizations are the very reason why Arroyo together with her hit men in the military conceived Oplan Bantay Laya. Instead of facing the crimes that she committed against the people and country, Arroyo grew monstrously wild and is now starting to spread her fascist wrath in the island," Calaor stressed.
Over the weekend, Garachico is undergoing treatment at Iloilo Doctors Hospital while the service vehicle owned by Romer Capalla was recovered in Brgy. Guadalupe, Janiuay, Iloilo .
Calaor said the military has strongly manifested how this government sow the seeds of terror in the province likewise, condition the minds of the Aklanons to expect and accept the eventuality of the political killings in Aklan and against the ranks of militant organizations.
"As much as we do not want this to happen to us, but if we look deeper to this, isn’t it the next picture is killing after these elements have out-rightly declared us as fronts of the CPP-NPA-NDFP with whom they tagged as terrorist organization?," Calaor said.
He also fear that the administration of Arroyo will exploit the electoral season to justify the killings perpetrated by her goons in the military and dogs in her liquidating squads and vigilantes.
"In this critical condition, we appeal to all freedom and peace loving Panayanons and Aklanons to join hands with us and unite to stop the political killings. We demand and challenge all the authorities concerned to initiate efforts to surface Dominado and Arado," Calaor pointed out.