Women’s Day rally injured and arrested seek justice; vow to continue struggle to oust GMA

The ruthless dispersal by the police of the rally last March 8 spearheaded by the women-members of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and other fraternal organizations that included Akbayan, Kanlungan and CATW, to commemorate International Women's Day (IWD) resulted in severe injuries to many of them.

"We were already backing up and retreating but still they hammered us with blows with their batons and truncheons hitting most of our women members and leaders in the head and other parts of their bodies causing severe contusions and bruises," Tess Gurion, chair of APL-Women said.

Among those severely injured were Evelyn Bedeco and Roger T. Llano, members of the Alyansa ng Maralita sa Valenzuela (AMSV). Unfortunately, the Valenzuela general hospital refused to treat them insisting that since the incident happened in Quezon City, that the victims should seek medical assistance in Quezon City. They were directed to go to the East Avenue hospital, which also denied them medical aid and instead was told to proceed to Camp Crame for treatment.

"What happened to our fellow activists likewise typifies the dismal practice of some public hospitals supposed to render medical aid to the people- a loathsome disregard of the public welfare reflecting the real attitude of the GMA Administration, which is one of the primary reasons why we continuously go out to the streets and protest," Gurion added.

Meanwhile, Fatima Cabanag, secretary general of Kapisanan ng Maralitang Obrero (KAMAO-APL) said, "We want justice and can not just allow the police to get away with the atrocious dispersal they forcibly did on our peaceful rally, and the fascistic way they mishandled, arrested and dragged our leaders Risa Hontiveros of AKBAYAN and Josua Mata, APL Secretary General like convicted criminals, even though they have not violated any law! We will file appropriate charges against the police."

"This government has really gone too far in stifling legitimate political dissent through the use of brute force and openly using state terrorism to frighten and coerce the people so that we will not come out and seek GMA's ouster from Malacañang. But these actions will only make us continue to struggle to oust this government, not only because it is illegitimate, but because it has further worsened the plight of the poor through the continued implementation of WTO prescriptions that has wreaked havoc on our economy and on the lives of most Filipinos," Cabanag added.