Rep decries military over threat of suit against artist

A CONGRESSMAN yesterday criticized the Armed Forces for threatening to file charges against artist Mae Paner aka Juana Change for supposedly disrespecting their uniform.

“The AFP is clearly harassing Ms. Paner for being critical of martial rule and the increasing fascist propensity of the Duterte administration. Ms. Paner as an artist is just exercising her right of freedom of expression like many others who used military uniforms in their performance,” said Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate.

Zarate pointed out: “Why single her out?  Why was the AFP silent in many other instances but is raising a howl now?”

“It is not Ms. Paner who is disrespecting the military uniform but those generals and officials in the military and police who used their positions to enrich themselves, commit human rights violations with impunity and act like puppets and mercenaries of foreign interests, like the US imperialist,” Zarate said.

He said Bayan Muna fully supports Paner “and others similarly harassed and vilified by state agents because of their beliefs.”

Meanwhile, two human rights activists–Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay and environmentalist Sherwin de Vera–have experienced threats, harassment and intimidation from suspected state security forces, Karapatan said.

It said that on July 20, 2017, at around 10:20 pm, Palabay received a call from a man who repeatedly asked her if she is “Tinay Palabay” and refused to tell her his name. He told Palabay that she should stop what she is doing because she is in the “list” of people whom they consider as “courageous,” and that he called because she is within his “AOR” (interpreted as “area of responsibility”). He accused Palabay of being involved in the alleged ambush of the Presidential Security Group by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao. Palabay denied knowledge and involvement in the reported incident, as she was in Manila leading the preparations for protest actions in time for the State of the Nation Address of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and his extension of the martial law declaration in Mindanao. The unnamed caller told Palabay that she should stop whatever it is that she is doing because “times have changed” and “martial law is in place.” Palabay was also repeatedly asked on her whereabouts, and that she should be cautious because he will soon meet her.

Palabay took to Facebook to immediately recount the said incident and make public the threats against her. Netizens discovered, through quick search using the cellphone number (+639260779448) of the caller, that the number belongs to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Safety Battalion.

Palabay is an independent observer in the Joint Monitoring Committee of the Government of the Republic of the Philippine and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines on the peace agreement on human rights and international humanitarian law

On July 19, suspected military personnel inquired with the campus security department of the University of Northern Philippines in Ilocos Sur province on the recent visit of environmental activist Sherwin de Vera to the said university. The day before, de Vera noticed unnamed men tailing him in Vigan City.

De Vera is coordinator of a regional environmental network in Ilocos affiliated with Kalikasan People’s Network, and a former human rights worker of Karapatan.