MANILA – The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas(KMP) condemned the harassment of its leader Danilo Ramos. He is said to be subjected to non-stop surveillance by unidentified men believed to be intelligence agents of the state.
KMP said that the latest documented incidents of surveillance happened on January 3 and 15.
The group said motorcycle-riding men were reportedly looking for the location of Ramos’ house in Malolos City, Bulacan. In one incident, one of the intelligence agents asked, “Taga-saan ba si Danilo Ramos? Matagal na namin siyang hinahanap kasi terorista siya.” (Where does Danilo Ramos live? We’ve been looking for him because he’s a terrorist.)
“This dangerous and brazen case of terror-tagging poses a direct threat to the life of Ka Daning, his family, and other peasant leaders and members of the KMP and the progressive peasant movement,” KMP said in a statement.
Ramos, a farmer himself, has been a longtime activist and leader of the peasant group. “We are not terrorist. Our calls are noble and important,” he said.
Read: Ka Daning: From the church to the parliament of the streets
“We push for genuine agrarian reform and development of agriculture, strengthen local food production and not importation. We also believe that the issues of the farmers and the development of agriculture are also issues of the people. However, the US-Marcos regime and its state forces response to these calls is violence,” Ramos said in his statement in Filipino.
He said that from August 2023 to January 2024, elements believed to be members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the 70th Infantry Battalion of Philippine Army have been going to his village in Malolos, Bulacan, looking for him.
Meanwhile, KMP and Tanggol Magsasaka (Defend Farmers) said that after the August 2023 documented incident of surveillance against Ramos, Tanggol Magsasaka immediately submitted reports to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and held dialogues to expose what they described as state-sponsored human rights violations.
“Despite such circumstances, Ka Daning remains critical and outspoken on the policies and programs of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Malacanang that affect farmers and fisherfolks,” the group said.
They demand a stop to the harassment of Ramos in particular and the farmers and peasant masses in general. “Instead of heeding the plight of farmers and strengthening domestic agriculture, the Philippine government weaponized laws and used them against farmers, fisherfolk, peasant women, agricultural workers, and the rural youth.”
“We call on all democracy-loving individuals and institutions, especially workers, human rights defenders, indigenous peoples’ rights advocates, church people, environment defenders, and all sectors here and abroad to support Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos and all farmers fighting against landlessness, injustice, and impunity in the Philippines,” KMP said. (DAA)
This article was originally published in Bulatlat.com
