CRIS HUGO RARE PHOTO.
Before his death Cris Hugo is the LFS Regional Coordinator in Bicol, National
Council member of LFS and Grand Chancellor Alpha Phi Omega (APO).
By Joey Natividad
Special Correspondent
CITY OF NAGA, Bicol Region (BicolToday.com/21-Mar-2013) – Human
rights group on Tuesday expressed dismay over the unsolved killing of student
leader Cris Hugo 7 (seven) years ago in Legaspi City, reminding the tragic
incident that wasted the student’s life in 2006, as the nation mourns over the
recent suicide of student Kristel Tejada in Manila, and over reports of
President Aquino’s visit in this city for the Liberal Party rally on Thursday,
March 21.
The strong statement by the human rights activists regarding
Hugo’s unsolved killing was made to remind the public as President Aquino is
scheduled to visit the City of Naga on Thursday for the Liberal Party rally
where he will endorse his party senatorial candidates. The campaign is part of
his provincial sorties in propping up his Senatorial slate and local party
bets.
Cris Hugo was the 85th of the 205 victims of extra-judicial
killings in the Bicol Region during the time of former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo.
Karapatan lamented that the slaying of Hugo by a gunman, 7 years
ago was still unsolved, and that the suspect was a military man. Hugo had been
involved in several protest actions with other youth activists in Albay, and
that he had been one of the victims in the wave of alleged “systematic
killings” launched by right-wing death squads on dissidents under the then
Arroyo Administration, beginning 2004- 2010.
The “death campaign” that time had sparked an international
justice inquiry that led into the creation of the Melo Commission which
investigated the mysterious killing of civilians and known anti-Arroyo leaders
and activists. Some members of the media had also fallen as victims to the
death squads.
Cris, age 20, was a student leader at Bicol University College
of Arts and Letters (BUCAL), in Legaspi City, Albay . He was regional
coordinator and national council member of the League of Filipino Students
(LFS). He was also the newly elected Grand Chancellor of the Alpha Phi Omega
(APO Fraternity) chapter at BU that time.
“Culture of impunity still continues, 7 years have passed.
Justice seems illusive for all the victims of Human rights violation under the
(then) Arroyo Regime,” Vince Casilihan, Bicol spokesperson of Karapatan
informed Bicol Today.com.
“Desperation to quell growing protests, we hold the Arroyo and
Aquino administration criminally and politically liable for the killing of Hugo
and the continuous attacks against our youth leaders,” he said.
Karapatan believes President Aquino continues to shed the blood
of young patriotic leaders whose only ‘faults’ are that they continue to be
steadfast and vigilant in upholding civil liberties, and calling for social
change despite continuous tyranny and repression perpetuated by this
administration.
Casilihan said that while leftist leaders and organizations are
seemingly the primary targets of the government’s crackdown, ordinary civilians
remain the most vulnerable victims, specially the youth.
“We are calling for the Aquino Administration for immediate
action, but it seems a dream for us human rights workers, no one is held
accountable from GMA’s victims until now. Cris Hugo is no other than Kristel
Tejada, both whom government holds accountability on their early deaths.[BicolToday.com]
