AnakBayan Los Angeles

Rebelyn

Mar 9, 2009 Other Statements
Posted by web

Around 6:30 in the evening

When she was abducted

 

An evening after 

 

She was found dead

In a creek

 

Clad only in underwear

She bore several stabs

 

Her hands tied

Her mouth bound with masking tape

 

She is 20 years old

A Teacher

A daughter of a revolutionary

 

Her name is Rebelyn Pitao. Daughter of  New People’s Armay (NPA )commander Leoncio Pitao known also as  Commander Parago.  On  her way  home in a tricycle,  a white van blocked her path. Alighting from the van, armed men   forcibly took her from the tricycle and boarded her to the white  van in the  evening of March 5. She shouted for help. The tricycle driver went back to the terminal  to seek help.  The incident  occurred in Bago Gallera, Talomo District, Davao City (Minadanao). The day after, her lifeless    body was found in a creek with marks of physical torture, and yes, humiliation.

 

Rebelyn’s mother appealed that her daughter is not involved  with the armed option and revolutionary actions being  undertaken by her father. The mother unquestionably blamed the military for this atrocity and cruelty. For her, only the military could have had such a motive of abducting her daughter.

 

 The  mother  said, “Rebelyn is unarmed. She is a civilian who earns her living in a decent manner.”    

 

Must the daughter be used to force a revolutionary to give up his option? Must death of his nearest kin be the collateral to demoralize, humiliate and crush  the father who has chosen the armed revolutionary path?

 

There is a war going on in our land.  The cowards are those who use treacherous, ruthless, and brutal tactics. They  end up using despicable means  to fight knowing fully well that they  would never win in a battle just by  observing  justified rules in the conduct of engagements.

 

The  abduction, torture, assault t and killing of Rebelyn, must be condemned in the strongest terms.

 

 Few days from now, women around the world will be observing the International Women’s Day to honor the women who struggled and worked  for justice around the globe.   It is a continuing challenge for the women today, to carry forward the struggles of women as we dream of humanity  living with honor and dignity. 

 

 Rebelyn is another woman, whose young life was snuffed out cold-bloodedly. Her mother could only grieve for her and so with her father, the family and the rest of humanity.  

 

We shall remember Rebelyn, a  youth, teacher,  a daughter of a rebel. There could have been promises of a better future for her. There could have been opportunities for her to be of service to the community as a teacher. But the wicked and the cowards made it sure that she die in a most horrendous way.

 

Perhaps it was to humiliate the father, and to demoralize him. Some classical tools of the tyrants to bring death to its enemies, and subdue the struggles of the dissenters.  

 

Norma P. Dollaga

KASIMBAYAN

3/F NCCP

879 Edsa Quezon City

kasimbayan@yahoo.com.ph