Gabriela denounces killing of Capiz female village official

The Gabriela party-list on Sunday denounced what it described as the brutal killing of a red-tagged village official in Capiz ahead of Women’s Month.

“This is a clear political statement from the Duterte administration that it will intensify its deadly red-tagging campaign against women human rights advocates,” Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

“Women will not cower in fear. We will amplify our call to end this culture of impunity and demand justice for Julie Catamin along with other women human rights advocates who have been victims of extrajudicial killings.”

“We call on the United Nations member-states and the international community to immediately launch an independent investigation into extrajudicial executions and systematic human rights violations in the Philippines.”

Barangay Chairwoman Catamin in Barangay Malitbog, Calinog, Capiz, was killed by men in a motorbike ahead of Women’s Month.

Catamin is among the first to blow the whistle that four of her villagers who were arrested last December were innocent, and that state forces merely planted the evidence to implicate them.

Prior to the incident, on Feb. 25, Catamin said she was called by a certain Lt. Estrada and told her that they knew that her constituents were asking for help from progressive groups, Gabriela said in a statement.

“The military personnel warned Catamin that her constituents should stop this or the same thing that happened last December 30 will happen to them,” Gabriela said.