MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE

Men Opposed to VAW EVERYWHERE Inc. AKLAN

Office of the Barangay Affairs

nORTHWING abl cOMPLEX, cAPITOL sITE, kALIBO, aKLAN

Tel. No. (036) 268-2854

Press Release

November 26, 2009

MOVE AKLAN CONDEMNS THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE

As the province of Aklan observes the 18 Day Campaign to Eliminate Violence Against Women, the Men Opposed to Violence against Women Everywhere, Inc. - Aklan (MOVE-Aklan) Chapter strongly condemns the barbaric acts that lead to the carnage of 57 innocent Filipinos, 25 women, two of whom were pregnant.

MOVE-Aklan strongly denounces the same event that also leads to the death of media persons who were among the hapless victims of the inhumane acts. We grieve for the death of two Aklanons who were part of the party of the Mangudadatus, lawyer Cynthia Oquendo –Ayon and her father Catalino Oquendo, as we are one with global community in condemning the incident and exacting justice for all the victims.

MOVE-Aklan believes that again, men perpetrated and are behind this bestial acts and the massacre only proved how vulnerable the women are despite our efforts to end violence against women.

While we sustain our fight for the 18 Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, we call upon the government to act swiftly and decisively and bring the full force of the law against all the perpetrators.

MOVE-Aklan strongly condemns the Maguindanao Massacre and being true to this year’s 18 Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women we say: COMMIT! ACT! DEMAND: WE CAN END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN!

COMMIT! We Commit to speak out against VAW and our abhorrence of the Maguindanao Massacre.

ACT: For the government to Act swiftly and apprehend all perpetrators and the powerful men behind the massacre.

DEMAND: We Demand Justice for All the Victims of the Maguindanao Massacre!

MOVE-Aklan was established in March 2007, in coordination with the Aklan Gender and Development Commission (AGADC) now a chapter of the MOVE Philippines, Inc. based in Region 6. MOVE-Aklan is in the forefront of the campaign to end violence against women and children, which aims to eliminate the gross violation of women’s rights and it envisions reaching a greater number of men in the province of Aklan. Believed to be perpetrators of these rights, it is important that men should take up the cudgels in upholding women’s rights as well as informing and educating other men of the increasing incidence in Aklan and how Aklanon men can help in reducing VAWC in the province.

FRANKLIN L. QUIMPO

President

MOVE PHILIPPINES, Inc. – Aklan Chapter