Armando “Ka Arman” Albarillo

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/publications/ang_bayan/20120707/armando-albarillo-mass-leader-victim-of-fascism-people-s-martyr

Armando Albarillo: Mass leader, victim of fascism, people's martyr

Armando “Ka Arman” Albarillo was one of 11 Red fighters killed in a gunbattle with fascist soldiers of the US-Aquino regime on June 30 in San Narciso, Quezon. He was formerly the secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog (BAYAN-ST).

It has been a decade since Ka Arman’s parents Expedito and Manuela were killed. The military had raided their house in Sitio Ibuye, Calsapa, San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro on April 8, 2002. His parents, who were both members of Bayan Muna were brutally murdered by fascist troops under then 204th Brigade chief Jovito Palparan Jr.

Orphaned, Arman and his younger sister Adeliza were given sanctuary by church and human rights groups.

It did not take long for Arman to join rallies where he assailed the Arroyo regime’s inaction not only on his parents’ murders but on the plight of many other victims of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances and other forms of human rights violations. He became a good organizer of the masses and eventually rose to the position of BAYAN-ST secretary-general. He was loved and admired by the people and his co-workers for his militant style of leadership and his determination.

In early 2008, military agents offered him a huge sum of money in exchange for cooperating with the reactionary government. Ka Arman flatly refused the offer. He and his wife joined the New People’s Army when Arman’s name was included in a list of 72 mass leaders and activists of Southern Tagalog who were slapped with trumped-up criminal charges in 2008.

Ka Arman was killed at the age of 34 amid his continuing quest for justice for his parents and the oppressed and exploited Filipino people.