| MAMBURAO 6 “Woe to those who turn judgment to wormwood and cast justice to the ground” (Amos 5:7). A reading from Amos was part of the Ecumenical service held last May 27 outside the trial court of Judge Yadao in Quezon City. On trial were Lito Matricio, Ruben Balaguer, Gelito Bautista, Eduardo Bautista, Mario Tobias and Joshua Ungsod, known as the “Mamburao 6” because they come from Mamburao, Mindoro. The 6 have been languishing in jail for more than 4 years now charged with the murder of Paul and Michael Quintos, in 1997, despite the NPA having claimed responsibility shortly after the killings. The Ecumenical service is part of an ongoing campaign of church people to have the 6 set free. This case is a “blatant” example of the criminalization of agrarian cases and is just part of a series of moves by former Congressmen Ricardo Quintos, father of Paul and Michael, to prevent the implementation of CARP. The government sequestered 604 hectares of land claimed by Quintos, and distributed it to the farmer beneficiaries in 1990. Since then, Quintos has charged the farmers with illegal squatting, and theft of mangoes. In 1997 his armed guards fired indiscriminately at farmers refusing to leave their lands, killing one and injuring others. No one has yet been prosecuted for this crime.Quintos, despite the admission of the NPA, has hired private prosecutors to pursue a case of murder against the 6, who happen to be leaders and members of the local farmers organizations standing up to him and asserting their rights. Judge Yadao, to date, has proved intransigent to the truth. This is a travesty of justice and church people will continue their protests until the 6 are released. If unjustly convicted the 6 are facing the death penalty. Further hearings of their case are scheduled for June 18, 20, 25, and July 2. All are invited to attend the hearings at branch 81 RTC, QC, and support the Mamburao farmers and particularly the 6, in their struggle for justice and land. Masses or Ecumenical services will be held outside the court on each of these dates.
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