Civically Active Women Victim Of Human Rights Abuses In Negros Island

  • Elisa Badayos of Karapatan was killed during a fact finding mission in Negros Oriental
  • One of Mabinay 6, community organizer Myles Albasin, was arrested under trumped up charges and remains to be released.
  • Sagay 9 massacre, where 9 sugar workers including women and children were killed by what could have been the ongoing agrarian reform disputes.
  • SEMPO 1: 6 killed and 56 arrested
  • SEMPO 2: operations conducted in Canlaon, Manjuyod and Santa Catalina, where 14 individuals were murdered – where the wife and child of one of the victims witnessed the brutal murder of their husband
  • Zara Alvarez is the 13th human rights worker that has been killed under the Duterte administration
  • NNARA Youth member Karina Dela Cerna was also arrested under trumped up charges
  • Lea Nilles, spokesperson for Hustisya Guihulngan, a human rights organization in Negros Oriental was also arrested under trumped up charges alongside Nona Espinosa who is pregnant and still currently detained.

Several residents of Barangay Buenavista, Guihulangan City, Negros Oriental were brought to Cebu to be “presented” to PNP Chief Debold Sinas – the same police chief who was the architect for SEMPO 1 and 2 in Negros ISland. One of those included was Arlita Jabalde, a female senior citizen, who was also recently presented as a fake surrenderee in Guihulngan.

Why is International Day Against Violence Against Women Important?

Throughout history the sector of women has a long record of cases of oppression and violence. It is common in the workplace, education, religion, household and in society as a whole. Violence against women is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in our country and are largely muted due to stigma, culture, and impunity.

This gender-based violence also transitions to the members in LGBTQA+ community, ethnic minorities and persons living with HIV. This continues to be a hindrance and a much heavier challenge to the vulnerable individuals in achieving equality, self-development, peace and fulfillment of every individual’s rights.

On November 25th we are celebrating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This will focus on educating and exposing violence and human-rights abuses all over the world while amplifying the call for a collective action in preventing and eliminating violence of women.

As the country implemented strict home quarantines to stop the fast spreading coronavirus disease, violence against women has become more intensified. The lockdown to help contain the virus only masks the preexisting crises that women have suffered. Sadly, instead of easing the struggles of the women through sufficient support and extensive social services, it is becoming more hostile since the passage of the controversial Anti-Terror Law, that starts to silent the minorities who protect and defend rights including the rights of the women and the oppressed. And the Memorandum Order 32 that curtails the freedom of the peasant groups in the country through wide-ranging militarization and intimidation by people in power.

In Negros, there are several counts of attacks to women, through baseless red-tagging, trumped-up charges and killings, a tale that has strategically used to threaten and shutdown the progressive and militant women who are ceaseless and tireless in fighting for their rights and genuine freedom. Karina Dela Cerna, Arlita Jabalde, Myles Albasin, Zara Alvarez, Angelipe Arsenal, Morena Mendoza, Necnec Dumaguit, Verdy Santos, Nona Espinosa and other political prisoners are only among those countless individuals who are victimized by state-sponsored attacks. Other stories are even unreported and until now guarded by tough hands of a system of tyranny reason for these stories to stay undisclosed.

The heightening attacks to women only invites us to louder our voices in our call for a just and peaceful society and a genuine democracy.

Editorial written by Paghimutad NegOr