[LFS-SFSU] Murdered Youth and Student Leader Cris Hugo Celebrated For His Bravery and Sacrifice

San Francisco, CA - League of Filipino Students-San Francisco State University expresses deep sadness and anger at the murder of one their members last week on March 19 at Washington Drive, Bagumbayan (village), Legazpi City, Philippines. Cris Hugo, 20, was a student leader at BU's College of Arts and Letters (BUCAL). He was regional coordinator and national council member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS). He was also the newly elected Grand Chancellor of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO Fraternity) chapter at Bicol University (BU). Cris was the first youth leader killed in the spate of political killings this year.Cris Hugo's death is evidence of the growing repression under the United States puppeted regime of the fascist President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This year alone thirty-three progressive activists, students, teachers and workers were killed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and scores more have been arrested and detained by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The human rights violations committed under the ruthless administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have surpassed even the twenty-years of corruption and brutality under the late fascist dictator Ferdinand Marcos. As the defiant voices of the masses continue to increase in volume, so to does the wrath of the fake President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who cheated her way into office during the last presidential elections while at the same time using the people's money to fund her corrupt campaigns. Her fascist regime shows no mercy as her anti-people policies such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), which increased the price of necessary commodities for so many struggling families and the rise of tuition fee increase which continues to stifle the upward economic mobility of the Filipino masses.Cris is the first youth killed this year and so long as the Filipino people in the Philippines continue to live under the shadow of the malicious Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime, the plague of human rights violations ranging from threats, kidnappings, torture, arrest without warrant and murder will continue to terrorize the progressive movement. Cris Hugo believed in the struggle and the fight for Filipino students against unfair tuition fee increase and budget cuts. Cris Hugo was killed because he spoke out against the fascist President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Cris was targeted because the perpetrators know that youth and student movement in the Philippines is one that is strong, powerful and determined to take action against any president who represses the dissent of the masses.League of Filipino Students-SFSU would like to dedicate a candle light vigil for Cris on Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Malcolm X Plaza at San Francisco State University campus. We invite all supporters of the movement in the Philippines and other oppressed third world countries, community members, allies, organizations and individuals who would like to know more about Cris' life and work. The youth and student struggle does not end with Cris' death. His murder should arouse any youth and student because it signifies that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo does not discriminate against anyone who opposes her fraudulent and unprincipled administration. Cris, like many of us attending college fought for the same struggles that we face here in the United States—tuition fee increase, anti-immigration legislation, equal access to health care, budget cuts on education and social services, the imperialist war on Iraq and U.S. military presence in the Philippines and all over the world. League of Filipino Students-SFSU asks that you join us in celebrating a martyr who sacrificed his life fighting to oppose the imperialistic economic and military intervention of the United States government in the Philippines, calling for the ouster of the unscrupulous and dishonest regime of the fascist and fraudulent Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and supporting policy for genuine land reform and true democracy for the Philippines and the Filipino people. Cris Hugo's death will not be in vain as we as youth and students carry on the struggle knowing that one day the National Democratic movement will be victorious. Mabuhay si Cris!!! ###JUSTICE FOR OUR BROTHER CRIS HUGO!!!END THE KILLINGS OF OUR YOUTH AND STUDENT ACTIVISTS!!!OUST THE FASCIST GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO!!!Petition online demanding justice for Cris Hugo: www.petitiononline.com/LFS415