Angie Ipong devoted her energy and time in promoting agro-ecology and genuine agrarian reform including inside and outside the country.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
MANILA – Agricultural workers group is demanding for the revocation of a warrant of arrest issued against its agro-ecology expert Angie Ipong.
According to Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), the warrant of arrest was issued against Ipong and several others in Mindanao by acting Executive Judge Lou A. Nueva of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 7, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur on June 6, 2018.
Ipong is a former political detainee and now working as advocacy and women’s desk agro-ecology expert for UMA. She was arrested on March 8, 2005 and charged with arson and murder. She first disappeared for 14 days and was subjected to sexual abuse and torture.
Ipong was released on Feb. 17, 2011 after the court dismissed the charges for lack of evidence.
The group believes that the issuance of warrant of arrest against Ipong is a “prelude by President Duterte’s government to launch more attacks against progressive peoples’ organizations such as UMA.”
“As UMA’s Advocacy and Women’s Desk Agro-ecology Expert, she devoted her energy and time in promoting agro-ecology and genuine agrarian reform including inside and outside the country. This included bungkalan areas such as in parts of Hacienda Luisita,” the group said in a statement.
A book was written about this titled Bungkalan: Ang Karanasan ng mga Manggagawang-bukid ng Hacienda Luisita sa Organikong Pagsasaka at Pakikibaka para sa Tunay na Reporma sa Lupa (Manwal sa Organikong Pagsasaka) which was promoted in many parts of the country including in schools, bookstores and others.
Colleagues and supporters launched an online campaign in support of Ipong with the hashtag #HandsOffAngieIpong.
Ipong had written two books about her life in prison: Garden Behind Bars and Red Rose for Andrea: Writings From Prison.
It was in detention where Ipong began planting which later turned into an organic vegetable garden.
Ipong also spoke at the 62nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City about Women Taking Back the Land: Story of a Woman Agri-Worker in 2018.
She was also named as one of the “four women who are changing Philippine agriculture” by CNN Philippines last year.
UMA reiterates its demand to remove Ipong’s name in the warrant of arrest for murder.
“At the same time, we will not be cowed by this latest display of repression by the Duterte regime. The President should learn from his idol, the late dictator Marcos that repression breeds resistance,” the group said.
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