Who's Afraid of Bayan Muna?

Nakatanggap ako ng email kanina mula sa isang list group, paanyaya para sa isang forum kaugnany ng mga paratang laban sa nangungunang Party List Group na Bayan Muna:


Dear Friends:

We are a group of professionals deeply concerned about moves by certain government quarters to disqualify party-list topnotcher Bayan Muna and other perceived left-leaning political parties in the May 10 elections.

Such moves raise serious and troubling questions about the political direction of government, the state of basic freedoms and civil liberties, the parameters of democratic space, and the historic role of the left in Philippine society.

To delve deeper into these issues, and gather support for our beleaguered friends in Bayan Muna, we would like to invite you to a forum on April 27, 2004, Tuesday, 9 am-12 noon, at the Faculty Center Conference Hall (Bulwagang Claro M. Recto), UP Diliman, Quezon City. The forum — entitled “Who’s Afraid of Bayan Muna?” — will be led by a distinguished roster of speakers.

We hope you will join us in this gathering of kindred spirits. Together, we hope to come up with a deeper understanding of these worrisome developments and help chart a common plan of action to confront the issue. See you on the 27th!

Very truly yours,

EDNA CORPUZ-MORALES, M.D.
Coordinator, Friends of Bayan Muna
Room 317, Medical Arts Bldg.
St. Luke’s Medical Center
Mobile No. 0918-571-0305

ED CLEMENTE, M.D.
Coordinator, Friends of Bayan Muna
Room 501, CMC 3
Capitol Medical Center
Telephone No. 371-211

RSVP: Rose or Judith
Tels. 921-3473; 921-3499

Hindi ko pa sigurado kung makakadalo ako, pero pipilitin ko.

Samantala, isang nominee naman ng Party List Group na Anak ng Bayan ang inaresto sa Negros Oriental noong Miyerkules, April 21, 2004. Siya ay si Ronald Ian Dellomes Evidente, 25 years old, at Regional Vice Chairperson ng BAYAN-Negros Island. Siya ay inaresto sa bisa ng warrant of arrest na inisyu ni Judge Rogeciano T. Rivera ng Municipal Trial Court ng Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, nag-aakusa sa kanya ng krimeng "murder". May isa pa siyang co-accused na hindi man lang kilala kilala ni Ian. Ayon sa grupong BAYAN, isa na naman itong panggigipit sa kanilang grupo. Nananawagan ang BAYAN na palayain si IAN ng walang anumang kundisyon!

Grrrr.... mukhang seryoso ang gobyerno sa panggigipit sa mga militanteng grupo. Ano kaya ang gusto mangyari ng gubyerno ni Arroyo? Ang mag-armas na lang ang mga ito kesa lumahok sa eleksyon? Bomalabas masyado!