Letter to the Editor — Remembering Atty. Al Surigao: People's lawyer, martyr

June 24, 2006 marks the 19th death anniversary of Atty. Alfonso Surigao- people's lawyer, human rights advocate and victim of the system of injustice he fought against and paid dearly for with his life.

Atty. Surigao personifies the triumph of love of country amid lure of personal fame and grandeur thereby lifting his profession into active engagement with the poor. He put flesh to the call for people's lawyering long before the term became trendy. He relentlessly pursued justice even if it means going after the perpetrators lurking in the halls of government.

Atty. Surigao took the road less traveled that brought him to the embrace of the oppressed and exploited, among the nameless and countless victims of state oppression. It also brought him face to face with state oppressors and met the kind of death that doesn't befit the nobility of his cause.

Atty. Surigao was shot repeatedly in front of his child in his home in Minglanilla, Cebu. The gunman entered Surigao's home and shot the lawyer at point blank without warning.

The same barbarity would be repeated in the murder of child rights advocate Atty. Arbet Sta. Ana Yongco in October 2004 in Cebu City.

It is disturbing that such terrorist pattern of killings continues unabated. In fact, it has grown into Marcosian proportions in the current reign of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Already, 17 lawyers and judges have been recorded since 2001 and remain unresolved, according to the Counsels for the Defense of Civil Liberties. Among legal luminaries killed were Atty. Felidito Dacut of Bayan Muna-Eastern Visayas, Atty. Norman Bocar of Bayan-Eastern Samar, and Naujan Vice-Mayor Juvy Magsino of Karapatan-Mindoro Oriental.

On top of this is the rising death toll from the ranks of the religious, youth, women, peasant, labor, and human rights activists. According to the premier human rights group Karapatan, some 687 government critics have been executed since Gloria assumed power in 2001.

As if these were not enough, the government is legitimizing these attacks through passing repressive laws, such as the Anti-Terrorism Bill and National ID System, and by revising the constitution altogether.

This underscores the state of an undeclared martial law ruling over the country. It is reiterated by the recent announcement of the president declaring an all-out war purportedly against the NPAs, that would inevitably entail civilian casualties as her national security adviser admits.

The time is but fitting and right that the people should clamor once more for the swift hand of justice to vindicate the victims of repression and human rights violations. The scandal-wracked Arroyo government should address this problem and accord justice where it is due. Or face the ire of people oppressed.

Atty. Rex J.M.A. Fernandez
President
Advancement of Civil Liberties Forum