Media Advisory

The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace In the Philippines (AJLPP)-USA

Sept. 23,2006

337 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 900265

(213) 241-0906

Alliance Philippines (AJLPP-USA) September 22

Los Angeles Community Forum, A Success



Los Angeles-- The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace In the Philippines (AJLPP)-USA Community Forum: PHILIPPINE UPDATE AND THE EVILS OF MARTIAL LAW last Friday, September 22 at 7;00 PM on September 22, 2006 in Los Angeles was a success.

Some of the participants in the forum mostly survivors, victims and those who witnessed and experienced martial law in the Philippines and who now are living in the U.S shared their experiences and the lessons they learned during martial law.

Filipina writer Fe Koons, who was then a member of WOMEN NOW lambasted the killing of journalist in the Philippines and scored the 42 libel cases filed by Mike Arroyo against Filipino journalist as “ Marcosian” like what they suffered during martial law.

Joe Navidad, the former chair of Digos,Davao Del Sur Kabataang Makabayan then shared how he was tortured when he was jailed during martial and recounted the military brutalities against the Moro people at the height of the armed conflict in Mindanao, like salvagings ( killings), rape, torture and bestial brutalities by the AFP.

The former BAYAN MUNA provincial chair of Nueva Ecija, Rene De Guzman asked the public to fight for humanity, meaning fight the brutality of men against men to uphold human rights. He shared that he was active during martial law while inside the seminary and even when he became a priest.



There were songs from Pesante and KmB, an oratorical piece from Fr. Jose Tronco of the Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP), and solidarity statement from International ANSWER.

The vigil ended with the candle lighting ceremony to honor the victims of martial law and the political killings in the Philippines

The forum was held at REMY’S ON TEMPLE- An Art gallery located at 2126 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026 (A block away from Alvarado St.)

Some organizations that attended the event were the ANSWER-LA Amnesty International,DOWN Youth, EFJP, KmB, Pesante, Mindanao Caucus, GabNet-LA and ANSWER-LA

Meanwhile, an ecumenical service sponsored by AJLPP- San Francisco was also held last September 21,2006 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Oakland, California. A candle lighting ceremony and testimonials from the victims and survivors of martial law highlighted the commemorative event.

For more information and to contact AJLPP please call Al or Christine@ (213) 241-0995

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