Pesante-EFJP Los Angeles Remembers Mendiola Massacre 20th Year and Political Killing Victims in the Philippines

Los Angeles – Filipinos and their solidarity allies militantly remembered the 20th year of the Mendiola Massacre of January 22, 1987, solemnly paid tribute to the 820 victims of political killings in the Philippines and reaffirmed their solidarity to the people’s struggle in the Philippines last night, January 22, 2007 at Remy’s on Temple Art Gallery in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles.

Scores of Filipino Americans and their solidarity allies held a 20-minute ecumenical service led by Rev. Frs. Joe Tronco, Dennis and Rene De Guzman. A 12-minute short film “ The Golf War” explaining the situation of the Philippine peasantry was also shown.

In the two hour cultural solidarity night led by the Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA and the Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP), the crowd, sung patriotic and religious hymns in Tagalog. They also enjoyed revolutionary songs that honor the martyrs of Mendiola and the 820 victims of political killings of the US-Arroyo fascist regime from 2001-2006.

Pesante –USA coordinator Arturo P. Garcia gave a short political update on the peasant situation in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Jerry Esguerra of ANSWER-LA and Mo Nishida of Asians for Jericho and Mumia gave their solidarity statements in support of the Philippine struggle against the US-Arroyo regime.

Free Ka Bel Campaign

KmB’s mass campaign chair, Johneric Concordia gave an update about jailed ANAKPAWIS Representative Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran. He also announced the renewed AJLPP financial campaign to support jailed worker leader and former ILPS Chair Crispin Beltran. Concordia lambasted the US-Arroyo regime for its fascist impositions denying Beltran of parliamentary immunity and for keeping him in jail for more than a year now.

Cultural worker Tita Domingo sang two popular revolutionary songs during the First Quarter Storm (FQS) and was widely applauded and was joined in by the mixed crowd of young and old activist present during the event

Solidarity and Filipino American organizations present during the event were Gabriela Network, Mindanao Bangsa Moro Caucus, Kabataang maka-Bayan (Pro People Youth), Pesante-USA, Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP), SIPA, Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), SEIU, ANSWER-LA, Asians for Jericho and Mumia (AJM), the Cuban Solidarity Coalition and the New Students for a Democratic Society of UCLA.

The event was endorsed by the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace (AJLPP) and the ANSWER Coalition-Los Angeles.

For more information about the Philippine peasant struggle and solidarity work please call Arturo P. Garcia@ (213) 241-0906 or email@ magsasakapil@hotmail.com