ILOILO City – Human rights activists Siegfred and Cynthia Deduro deny having personal knowledge on the assassinations of DYFM Bombo Radyo Iloilo broadcasters Severino Arcones, Eddie Suede and Noel Teneso in the 1980s.
“Displaying a misplaced aura of self-righteousness, (military whistleblower) Jeffrey Celiz challenged us to ‘admit and ask forgiveness…’ Such is a devious ploy to implicate us as part of the revolutionary underground,” according to the couple in a statement.
At a peace summit in Passi City on Dec. 10, Celiz – a former activist who claimed to have become a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) before working for the military – linked the Deduros to the rebel movement that he claimed was behind the killings.
“We categorically deny that we have personal knowledge of the abovementioned killings. If Mr. Celiz has credible evidence, he should file a case in court against us,” according to the Deduro couple.
They believed that the noise Celiz had been making lately against activists was “part of the grand design to divert public attention from the real problems created by his fascist and incompetent master.”
“The real problems facing the country today are the uncontrolled coronavirus disease pandemic and the dire economic crisis brought about by the bungling, incompetent Duterte leadership,” said the activists.
The Deduros called Celiz, who used to be a fellow activist, a hypocrite.
“It is not us who are hypocrites. It is Mr. Celiz who is. He was accused of using his position while he was employed at the Iloilo City Hall to acquire several relocation lots in the relocation site in Barangay Sooc, Mandurriao, Iloilo City even though he was not a legitimate relocatee because his house in Barangay Tanza was not demolished,” the couple said.
Celiz could not be reached for comment as this was being written.
The Deduros further said: “It was also (Celiz) who was included in (President Rodrigo) Duterte’s drug list as part of the Odicta drug syndicate. He sold his soul to the military, as part of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), afraid of being killed by the government’s anti-drug black ops operatives.”
For the Deduros, Celiz “has proven himself to be the ultimate amoral opportunist whose loyalty depends on whoever gives him money and protection.”
“He has no compunction in endangering other people’s lives just to satisfy his current masters and save his own skin,” according to the couple.
WHO ARE THE DEDUROS?
They were among the human rights victims who sued and won against the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the District Court of Hawaii, United States of America on Nov. 30, 1995.
They were also recognized as legitimate claimants under Republic Act 10368, otherwise known as Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013. “Memorialization” in this law refers to the preservation of the memory of the victims of human rights violations, objects, events and lessons learned during the Marcos regime.
Siegfred was the manager of Panay Fair Trade Center that facilitated fair trade between marginal farmers in Panay Island to the global fair trade network. He was also a leading personality in the Madiaas Ecological Movement that led the successful resistance against the entry of giant commercial mining in Panay Island.
Siegfred also once represented party-list group Bayan Muna in the House of Representatives.
Cynthia, on the other hand, has been involved in disaster response since 1996, and helped deliver relief services to the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda” and other calamities in areas neglected by the government.
She has also assisted numerous victims of violence against women while serving in the women’s cause-oriented group Gabriela.
As executive director of DAGSAW Indigenous Peoples Network in Panay, Cynthia fought for the welfare and rights of the Tumandok indigenous people.
At present, as Migrante coordinator in Panay and Guimaras islands, she helps facilitate the coming home of distressed overseas Filipino workers, and asserting their rightful claims from unscrupulous lending companies and recruitment agencies.
Celiz appeared in a Senate inquiry on Nov. 4, 2020 as former NPA rebel Ka Eric Almedras and backed up Major General Antonio Parlade Jr.’s claim that a sister of actress Angel Locsin was a rebel. He also accused several party-list groups as fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Parlade is the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Southern Luzon Command.
Celiz described the NPA as “the most prolific gangster criminal operatives” in Panay Island. He linked it to the notorious robbery, extortion and kidnap-for-ransom group “Ilonggo Group” targeting mostly businessmen and banks.
“I challenge Siegfred and Cynthia Deduro…are you going to admit and ask for forgiveness sa pag-assassinate kay Rino Arcones, Eddie Suede and Noel Teneso?” said Celiz.
“Napaka-ipokrito n’yo na sabihing kayo ay social activists and human rights defenders,” said Celiz./PN
