Campaign to free Filemon Lagman gains support
June 15, 1994
Green Left Weekly, Issue 147
By Max Lane
MANILA — FILEMON, the Free Lagman Movement, was official launched on
June 2 at the University of the Philippines. Filemon Lagman, also known as
Carlos Forte or Ka [Comrade] "Popoy", was captured by agents of Naval
Intelligence in Manila on May 26.
Lagman is the secretary of the Manila Rizal Committee (Autonomous) of
the Communist Party of the Philippines, familiarly called MR, which leads
worker, urban poor, women's and student organisations with a mass activist base
of close to 100,000.
MR supporters and activists have held a series of pickets and
demonstrations calling for his immediate and unconditional release. At the June
2 launch of FILEMON, more than 50 representatives of mass organisations and
groups, as well as several prominent individuals, family and friends, attended
to give testimonials to Lagman and to add their support to the calls for his
release.
Among the signatories to a manifesto of unity for the release of Lagman
are congressman Edcel Lagman, Filemon's brother, Renato Constantino Jr, the
chair of the Manila East Timor conference, Senator Ernesto Herrera, Francisco
Nemenzo, Ronald Llamas from BISIG, Arsenio Sy from PANDAYAN, Tony Cabardo from
SANLAKAS, Sonny Melencio from MAKABAYAN, Arturo Tabara, a central leader from
the progressive left in the Visayas region, Arno Sandidad and other progressive
lawyers, and several trade union leaders. Renato Constantino Jr has accepted
the position of convener of FILEMON.
The Manila Rizal Regional Committee also issued a statement calling for
the release of Lagman. "We dare the Ramos government to show its sincerity
in the peace process by releasing Filemon Lagman and opening up exploratory
talks with the autonomous Manila-Rizal Party organisation. If Fidel Ramos is
really for peace, then he should immediately release Lagman. Lagman's continued
incarceration derails the peace process and slams the door to the negotiated
political settlement as a way to resolve the long-time conflicts between the
government and the urban-based revolutionary forces."
The statement condemned the government for arresting and jailing CPP
leaders instead of initiating dialogue with them and for not coming forward
with any policies that can address the root cause of the insurgency in the
country. The statement declared: "Our openness to enter into peace
dialogue is not in exchange of Lagman's release. First, it is our way of
recognising that revolution does not automatically mean war and a negotiated
peace settlement could also be effective in realising a substantial part of our
revolutionary program. Second, it is also our way of recognising the people's
clamour to pursue far less bloody and violent means to attain their
demands."
The MRRC concluded that if the government continued its policy of
arrest and jailing, then "they are giving us no option at this stage but
to meet force with force."
More actions are planned by FILEMON, including daily pickets, banner
drops, a letter barrage, petition and a major rally later in the month. Already
more than 100 congressmen have signed a petition demanding Lagman's release.
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