Progressive groups condemned the arrest of Alvin Fortaliza, a theater director and Anakpawis partylist coordinator in Bohol province, on March 4, 2019. PHOTO courtesy of Humabol-KMP
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Philippines — Members and supporters of the peasant group Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Humabol-KMP) and other progressive groups condemned the arrest of a theater director and Anakpawis partylist coordinator in Bohol province.
The police arrested Alvin Fortaliza, 36, at 2:30 p.m. on Monday in Guindulman town for alleged murder based on the warrant issued by acting presiding judge Jennifer Chavez-Marcos of Regional Trial Court Branch 51 in Carmen.
Thirteen other persons were also included in the warrant of arrest. No bail was recommended by the court.
Fortaliza was immediately handcuffed and brought to the Guindulman police station before he was transferred to the Bohol Provincial Police Office in Tagbilaran.
Humabol-KPMP said in a statement that the arrest of Fortaliza for murder was obviously fabricated.
“Alvin is an artist who heads the theater arts group Bol-anong Artista nga may Diwang Dagohoy (Bansiwag) noted for its socially relevant theater performances, in and outside of Bohol, that depict the lives and aspirations of poor farmers, workers, youth, women, and other marginalized sectors,” the statement said.
Humabol-KMP said Fortaliza has been conducting theater workshops for youth groups around Central Visayas for years now.
“He believes that aside from using [the] arts, which he is good at, to amplify people’s calls, electing officials who truly represent the marginalized in Congress is also another way of advancing their rightful demands like genuine agrarian reform,” the group said.
“For this, he untiringly campaigned for Anakpawis partylist as a volunteer and with only the determination to help other people, he was arrested,” it added.
The group said the arrest also pointed to a disturbing shift in the attacks against artists and cultural workers, and they see the arrest for trumped-up charges as a means to harass, demonize, and silence activists who dare to question and challenge the government’s anti-people policies and programs.
“Alvin is a people’s artist, a cultural worker, not a criminal, not a terrorist,” Humabol-KMP said. /ee