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Yesterday, another journalist and activist was gunned down, bringing to 67, the number of Bayan Muna leaders murdered under the reign of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Unresolved and continuing murders of activists and journalists are a hallmark of fascist regimes. Fascist regimes should be deposed and punished in order to spare the people from further assaults and for the free exercise of our rights. We owe it to the other fallen activists and journalists and their orphans to make sure they did not die in vain, and that justice be served.

Know more about the case from the following statements from KARAPATAN and the NUJP:

ALLIANCE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PEOPLE'S RIGHTS
KARAPATAN

The attacks against progressive, cause-oriented groups in the country are not stopping. In fact, the attacks have become more frequent and vicious.

After the killings of the last week of October (labor union president Ricardo Ramos killed on Oct. 25 in Tarlac; partylist group Bayan Muna [People First] coordinator Ricardo Rivera and his two jogging companions, Dr. David and Mr. Maniti in Pampanga; and, transport organization leader Federico de Leon in Bulacan), another wave of killings is now going on in November aimed at leaders of the partylist group Bayan Muna which the military has been vilifying as communist fronts and recruiters of New People's Army rebels. Bayan Muna emerged as the number one partylist organization elected in the 2004 elections despite the military's active campaign against the group.

On November 7, Bayan Muna Ormoc City coordinator Jose Ducalang was shot at the tricycle terminal in Barangay Ipil, Ormoc City, Leyte Island; he died on Nov. 10 at the hospital. On November 13, former Vice Mayor of Maydolong, Eastern Samar and Bayan Muna Eastern Samar chair Bienvenido Bajado was also gunned down and killed in Maydolong, Eastern Samar.

Today, November 18, 2005 at 11:00 AM, MR. RICARDO "DING" UY, 57 years old, Chairperson of Bayan Muna Sorsogon City, President of the Sorsogon Independent Media, Inc. (SIMRI) and Bgy. Kagawad (Village Council Member of Bgy. Basud) was shot dead inside his rice mill (Soledad Corral Uy Ricemill) located at the national highway, Bgy. Basud, Sorsogon City. Mr. Uy is a known businessman in the city.

Reports said that Mr. Uy was alone inside his ricemill when the perpetrator went inside and shot him at the back. Five shots were heard by a helper who was outside of the ricemill. When the shots rang out, the helper ran to the ricemill to see what happened. The perpetrator leveled his gun at the helper and shot him but there was no bullet anymore, so the perpetrator just left and walked to a motorcycle which was parked near the ricemill. The helper said that the perpetrator was a tall man, with long hair, wearing shades and a hat. Mr. Uy had 5 gunshot wounds; 3 in his body, 1 at the chin and 1in his arm.

Mr. Uy anchored the 5-6 am Monday radio program at DZRS Sorsogon radio named "Kidlat Bareta asin Komentaryo" (News Flash and Commentary which runs at 5-6 am Monday to Saturday; Mr. Uy anchors the Mondayslot). He was a hard-hitting critic of the militarization of the towns of Sorsogon and other policies of the government which he considered anti-poor.

Since last year, the military has been vilifying Mr Uy over the military's own radio program titled, "Ugnayan sa Kapayapaan," (Linking for Peace) at DZMS, another radio station, as a communist supporter and recruiter of the NPA. Mr. Uy was even included in the military's leaflets and propaganda materials being distributed in the city demonizing him as a communist supporter. A shadowy group by the name of Kilusan Kontra Terorista (KKT) is signed in the leaflets and statements.

Before his killing, Mr. Uy has been the subject of verbal attacks of the military in their radio program at DZMS for three consecutive Saturdays (the Philippine Army's program runs at 12:30-1:00 PM every Saturday).

Mr. Uy was a very active supporter of KARAPATAN, always participating in the fact-finding missions the human rights group conducted in the province.

THE KILLINGS MUST BE CONDEMNED AND MUST BE STOPPED!

Marie Hilao-Enriquez
Secretary General
KARAPATAN
(Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples' Rights)

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NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
www.nujp.org

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines expresses its outrage over the killing of radio announcer Ricardo "Ding" Uy of DZRS-AM in Sorsogon City on Friday morning.

"Whatever the motive of Uy's killing, we condemn it as dastardly act against a citizen, a member of media and against press freedom," said Jose Torres Jr., chairman of NUJP's Commission for the Protection of Journalists.

Initial reports received by NUJP said a lone gunman shot Uy outside his house in Sorsogon.

Police reports said a lone assailant shot Uy five times using a .45-caliber pistol around 11 a.m. Friday. The assailant fled on board a motorcycle.

Uy sustained gunshot wounds to the head, mouth and torso.

Reports said Uy was president of the Media Reporters Association of the province and was party-list Bayan Muna provincial coordinator for Sorsogon.

Uy's death brought to seven the number of journalists killed in the Philippines this year.

"Uy's killing only added to the culture of violence towards journalists in the country even as President Arroyo claimed that cases of media killings have been solved," Torres said.

"The pattern of violence against media practitioners emerging in the country is not acceptable. The Arroyo administration should take a stand for press freedom and seriously solve the killings of journalists," Torres said.

"The NUJP strongly condemns the murder of Uy as an unacceptable attack on freedom of expression and called on authorities to immediately investigate the incident," Torres added.

"Filipino journalists are at great risk despite government claims of upholding press freedom," Torres added.

The Philippines has been declared second only to Iraq, a war-torn nation, as the most deadly place for journalists to work, coming second on the IFJ's 2004 journalists and media workers killed list.

Jose Torres
Chairman, Committee to Protect Journalists
NUJP