JUSTICE TO THE KILLING OF MARILOU VALLE. JUSTICE & PEACE for Sitio Damayan
We, families, friends and supporters call for justice for Marilou Valle and for the whole community of Sitio Damayan, Tondo. Marilou Valle was a loving wife to her husband Jorge De Jesus and a selfless mother of ten (10) children. For Sitio Damayan where she served as President of Samahan sa Sitio Damayan na Nananambakan (Association of Scavengers and Wastepickers) and leader of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap in Tondo, Marilou was their mother as well and a respected leader of the community. Above all, she vowed to fight for the best interest of her community.
She was a staunch urban poor leader who opposed the privatization of Manila North Harbor and the reclamation of Manila Bay for this result to massive demolition in Tondo, Manila and destruction of the whole community. She also assisted the implementation of government programs such as census and tagging of households and Conditional Cash Transfer.
Marilou Valle was killed in front of her house by Benjamin Tejas and Raffy Tejas who are both Barangay Tanod of Barangay 105, Vitas, Tondo, Manila on July 22, 2012 at 5:30 in the afternoon. She obtained multiple gunshot wound in her face and at the upper right of her breast. Her body lied for more than two hours in the ground because everyone who went near to her body was threatened that they will also be killed by the suspects. After the killing of Marilou Valle, her brother Jerry Bacani and nephew Jefferson Bacani were also shot by forces of Benjamin Tejas and Raffy Tejas.
Barangay Tanods Benjamin Tejas and Raffy Tejas are in the WANTED list in Samar but still they were hired as village security forces in Sitio Damayan. They are powerful, armed with high calibre rifle, police informer and involved in various crimes such as hijacking, robbery, hold up and even drug protector inside the community. On 2008, the suspects were hired by PHILECO, a giant dumping company to demolish the dwellings of 247 families living near the area. The suspects persistently block Marilou Valle to become President of the community association for them to freely implement their anti poor and anti social activities.
Benjamin Tejas, Raffy Tejas and his forces must be arrested immediately and punished for their crime. Until now, the suspects are free to move inside the community. As if nothing happened. After the killing of Marilou Valle, families and friends were constantly threatened by the suspects. That everyone who will go to the wake of Marilou Valle will be killed and the suspects will bomb a grenade. Every night, suspicious and unknown men are roving around the houses of Marilou’s family and friends. That’s why the family decided to have the wake of Marilou in another barangay and many of them cannot go back anymore in Sitio Damayan.
The killing of Marilou Valle is another incident of extra judicial killing. She was among the more than one hundred (100) victim of extra judicial killing in the country. In the National Capital Region, she is the 8th victim along with other urban poor who were killed because they fought actively and unwaveringly for livelihood, homes and the rights and welfare of the poor. We demand for the speedy and impartial investigation of her death and the masterminds shall be prosecuted and punished.
We are afraid that that justice is hard to attain amidst culture of impunity in our country. Thus, we join together to give genuine justice for Marilou Valle, to end violence and give peace to Sitio Damayan. We join other victims of violence and extra judicial killings and the Filipino people in our quest for genuine peace, freedom and prosperity for the whole country.
JUSTICE for MARILOU VALLE and all victims of EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLINGS.
INVESTIGATE the KILLINGS of MARILOU VALLE.
JUSTICE & PEACE for SITIO DAMAYAN, TONDO and the whole country.
ARREST BENJAMIN TEJAS and RAFFY TEJAS.
STOP THE KILLINGS.
Fight for JOBS, HOMES and JUSTICE.