Sarmiento not rebel, but farmer leader–KMP

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on Thursday condemned the arrest of activist Aris Sarmiento, saying Sarmiento is a KMP consultant helping in the campaign for the return of coco levy funds to farmers, not a “high value” rebel leader as the military claimed.

The arrest of Sarmiento, according to KMP chair Rafael Mariano in a statement, “makes KMP members and leaders easy prey for the military’s campaign of repression.”

Sarmiento was arrested on Tuesday in Lucban, Quezon, by a team of policemen and soldiers serving a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Napoleon Matienzo of the Regional Trial Court in Gumaca, Quezon. The judge recommended no bail.

The military branded Sarmiento as the secretary of the New People’s Army unit operating in the Bondoc Peninsula, where authorities said guerrilla presence has greatly diminished.

Mariano said the arrest of Sarmiento could be due to his work to unite farmers in the clamor for the return of coco levy funds.

Mariano said Sarmiento is being persecuted for his work in organizing coconut farmers, demanding the immediate release of Sarmiento.

Mariano recalled that Sarmiento had been arrested in 1982, during the Marcos dictatorship, at the height of the campaign among farmers then to put a stop to the collection of the coco levy funds.

On April 28, 2006, Sarmiento was again arrested under the Arroyo administration, along with four other peasant activists, in Tagaytay City. They were charged with rebellion and plotting to overthrow Arroyo.

The rebellion charge was dismissed in August 2008 and Sarmiento and his colleagues were ordered released.