"Today, we remember the second year of Willem Geertman’s death
with condemnation to the BS Aquino government’s perpetration of impunity and
continuing human rights violations. The government can deny the existence of
impunity in this country, but cases such as Willem’s and other victims of
extrajudicial killings show that BS Aquino is a big fat liar," Karapatan Chairperson
Marie Hilao-Enriquez said.
"Today, we remember the second year of Willem Geertman’s death
with condemnation to the BS Aquino government’s perpetration of impunity and
continuing human rights violations. The government can deny the existence of
impunity in this country, but cases such as Willem’s and other victims of
extrajudicial killings show that BS Aquino is a big fat liar," Karapatan Chairperson
Marie Hilao-Enriquez said.
Willem Geertman was executive director of Alay Bayan-Luzon Inc.
(ABI). Men riding in tandem gunned down Geertman
in front of the ABI office in Angeles City, Pampanga. Geertman spent most of
his life in the Philippines. He organized peasant communities in Central Luzon
and helped them in their plight against destructive mining and anti-people
government programs. He was against the Aurora-Pacific Economic Zone (APECO)
project of the Angara’s, a political dynasty in Aurora province. The APECO project displaced the peasants, fisherfolk
and indigenous peoples of Aurora.
Geertman’s position against APECO has earned the ire of those
behind the project. Karapatan and Geertman’s family, at the onset, asserted
that the killing of Geertman was politically motivated and not simply a case of
robbery and homicide as earlier resolved by the office of the City Prosecutor. This
belief was confirmed last March 2014 when Pampanga Regional Trial court ruled
that his killing was premeditated MURDER.
Also, on March 2014, Marvin Marzan, suspect for the Geertman
killing was arrested. Although he was arrested for a different offense, he is currently
jailed and facing charges for the murder of Geertman. "We call on the
accused Marvin Marzan to tell all, including all those involved in the killing,”
Palabay said. "It is not enough to prosecute one of the hired killers. The
mastermind of killing, those who paid to kill Geertman, should also be
prosecuted and convicted," Enriquez added.
As of March 2014, Karapatan has documented 192 victims of extrajudicial
killings under the BS Aquino government. ###