In Bicol Sona rally, militant groups commemorate death of 2 activists

Members of militant Bayan Bicol stage a protest rally at Peñaranda Park in Legazpi City on Monday (July 25) just hours before President Marcos Jr. delivered his first State of the Nation address. (Contributed)

LEGAZPI CITY— Militant activists held protest rallies in the provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday (July 25), denouncing the lack of justice a year after the killing of two activists in the Bicol region.

Jen Nagrampa, Bayan Bicol chairperson, said at least a thousand activists converged and held simultaneous protest actions at around 9 a.m. at Plaza Oragon in Naga City and Peñaranda Park in Legazpi City.

She said justice was still elusive for Marlon Napire and Jaymar Palero, who were shot dead by the police on July 25 last year, a day before the last Sona of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The police claimed that while spray-painting the message, “Duterte Ibagsak,” on a concrete railing near a bridge in a village in Guinobatan town in Albay, the activists fired twice at the police, prompting the lawmen to retaliate.

Human rights groups said the victims were unarmed during the incident.

Palero was a member of Magsasaka sa Albay, while Napire was from Albay People’s Organization.

In a video message posted on the Facebook page of Bicolana Gabriela, Jessica Peralta, wife of Palero, urged the newly elected town mayor and Albay governor to hold the police accountable.

“We hope for an intensive investigation and that no life will be sacrificed again just to reveal the truth. Justice must be served to Jaymar Palero and Marlon Napire and all other victims of violations of human rights,” Peralta said.

Meanwhile, Monday’s protest rally was also attended by members of Bayan Bicol, Jovenes Anakbayan, Bicolana Gabriela, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bicol, Amihan Bicol, and Karapatan Bicol.

Nagrampa said since the start of the election campaign, Marcos Jr. has had no concrete plans to solve the economic crisis.

“[It is] not surprising that now, even though he’s in the position, he had no actions in the continuous oil price hike,” she said in a statement.

She said amid the crisis, the administration still prioritized Red-tagging of his critics and the opposition. INQ

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