JUSTICE FOR CRIS HUGO! Join the campaign now!

MURDERED
BY THE ARROYO GOVERNMENT
March 19, 2006
Cris Hugo, 20-year-old student leader
His only crime: fighting for truth, freedom and democracy

UKPC/FCYA-TO strongly condemns the brutal killing of Cris Hugo last Sunday, March 19, by suspected members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Cris was the coordinator for the Bicol region of the League of Filipino Students (LFS), a 10,000-strong nationwide student organization formed in 1977 as an alliance against tuition increases. The LFS has chapters in prominent universities, colleges and secondary schools all over the country.

Cris was shot by two men on a motorcycle on the evening of March 19 as he was walking home with his professor. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The professor, Gremil Naz, was not harmed, which indicated that Cris, a student at Bicol University, was the specific target.

Information from Cris's peers also indicate that Cris's killing was politically motivated.

• Cris had been receiving death threats since last year.
• In September 2005, he was questioned police in his province Sorsogon.
• On January 24, he was harassed by six armed men in the university.
• He was beaten up by police and arrested, along with six other youth, at a protest rally during President Arroyo’s visit to Albay province on February 2.

It is suspected that military men from Camp Simeon Ola, which is walking distance from the university, were behind Cris’s killing.

Cris is the 33rd victim of extrajudicial killings in this year alone. Other youth and student leaders are also being targetted.

• Raunil Mortejo, ANAKBAYAN-Davao City chairperson, was abducted on the evening of Friday, March 17, at Juna, Matina near the BAYAN office in Davao by suspected elements of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). He was boarded into a van with a covered plate number, interrogated for nearly an hour, then released.
  
  
• Lorie Ann Cascaro, ANAKBAYAN's National Council member and Vice-Chairperson for Mindanao, was charged with seven others after being implicated as conspirators in inciting to sedition and rebellion cases.

These atrocities must stop now!

What youth in Canada can do:

• Sign the online petition demanding justice for Cris at www.petitiononline.LFS415/petition.html
  
  
• Write letters of protest and indignation to the Arroyo government:
  H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  President of the Republic of the Philippines
  Malacañang Palace, JP Laurel Street
  San Miguel, Manila 1005, PHILIPPINES
  Fax:+63 (2) 736 1010
  E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
  
  
• Write letters of solidarity and support to the youth and student organizations bearing the brunt of the Arroyo regime's repression:
  League of Filipino Students (LFS) - lfsphilippines@yahoo.com
  ANAKBAYAN - anakbayan_national@yahoo.com
  
  
• Join the campaign to end Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's tyrannical rule in the Philippines. Contact us at ukpc_toronto@yahoo.ca or check ukpc-toronto.blogspot.com for regular updates.

STOP THE BASELESS AND ILLEGAL ARRESTS OF YOUTH AND STUDENT LEADERS!
JUSTICE FOR CRIS HUGO!
END THE ARROYO GOVERNMENT'S TYRANNY NOW!

Sources:
League of Filipino Students (LFS), ANAKBAYAN, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online (inq7.net)

For story on Cris Hugo, visit http://bulatlat.com/news/6-8/6-8-cris.htm

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Photos of Cris
courtesy of LFS Philippines
(Click to enlarge.)