Philippines: Rebel Executions Violate International Law (tags)
(Manila) – The communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the Philippines executed the mayor of a small town and his son on October 19, 2015, in violation of international humanitarian law, Human Rights Watch said today. Throughout its four-decade insurgency, the rebel group has frequently executed people found “guilty” by its so-called people’s courts, which do not meet basic fair trial standards.
Asian Socialism Conference in the Philippines (tags)
The Asian Socialism Conference will be held in Manila from November 28 to 29, 2014. The conference will be capped by the participation of guests and delegates to the November 30 rally in Manila to commemorate Bonifacio Day, a national hero who led the armed struggle in the revolution against Spain.
Philippines: Vocal DAP critic Bayan Muna Neri Colmenares also got P25M from fund (tags)
MANILA, Philippines–One of the most vocal critics of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) in the House of Representatives was allocated the economic stimulus fund that the Supreme Court recently declared unconstitutional.
Filipino Farmers to Aquino: Make Land Reform a Development Priority (tags)
Philippines, March 2014 -- With less than four months remaining before the upcoming “death” of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)’s land distribution component on June 30 2014, 300 farmers from the Save Agrarian Reform Alliance (SARA) today trooped to Malacanang, calling for a drastic acceleration and overhaul of the implementation of the land reform effort.
Philippines: Communist Rebels Target Civilians (tags)
(New York,) ? The rebel New People?s Army (NPA) in the Philippines should immediately end unlawful killings and detention of civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has admitted to gunning down civilians and detaining others in recent months.
PHILIPPINES: Bongbong Marcos campaigning for militants on slate, too (tags)
The bitter enemies of the late President Ferdinand Marcos are now the political allies of his son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is running for a senator under the Nacionalista Party.
ACTIVIST CONTINUE PROTESTS THROUGHOUT CHRISTMAS (tags)
Activists here continue their unrelenting advocacy in support of various causes and in protest of other issues even as the community savors Christmas and the advent of a new year. The Filipino Veterans Support Bill, or SB 3689, remains as the foremost concern of the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV). Despite failing energy, living FilVets stay active on the road, making their presence felt in mass actions and community gatherings, and taking the opportunity to speak their minds. On December 8, JFAV announced the formation of a partner organization, the Association of Widows, Advocates and Relatives for Equality (Aware) at a meeting held at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (HPMC) here. In San Francisco, FilVets Gomer Bondad and Reggie Nacua, with activists Ago Pedalizo and Violy Reyes, discussed the seemingly unresolved impasse on the lump sum clause of SB 36879, now pending in the US Congress, at a community meeting held at the ABS-CBN studio in Redwood City last December 10
ARROYO's SON LED LOBBY AGAINST LAND REFORM (tags)
The eldest child of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Rep. Mikey Arroyo of Pampanga province, was the leader of the landlord lobby in the House of Representatives that resulted in the demise of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), a militant party-list congressman claimed Friday. Rep. Satur Ocampo of the Bayan Muna party-list group said, “In the first all-party caucus in the middle of the year, [Speaker Prospero Nograles] called for an initial straw vote by asking the representatives to stand up. Mikey Arroyo led those who voted against CARP extension.”
Pesante Hails Transfer of Echanis to PNP Jail- A Tactical Victory (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante-USA) hails the transfer of Randal Echanis, yesterday. Echanis, a persecuted leader of KMP, a veterans FQSM student leader and an NDF Peace Consultant PNP was transferred from the Manila City Jail to the PNP Jai. The transfer is a tactical victory in the interest of justice and lasting peace and was a demand of different human rights groups in the Philippines and in the U.S. Pesante Coordinator Arturo Garcia said: “Echanis should not have been transferred to the Manila City Jail from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, It is just a simple case of persecution and the SOP of the resurging and copycat martial law regime. The US-Marcos regime did the same when they transferred the political prisoners from the detention centers to Muntinglupa National Penitentiary and declared them as “public order violators”
Free Filipino Political Prisoner Randall Echanis Now (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) and all its allied organizations in North America expresses deep and serious concern over the continued detention of a ranking officer of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)or the Peasant Movement of the Philippines- Randall Echanis and demand his immediate release. On Tuesday, KMP Deputy Secretary for internal affairs Randall Echanis was transferred from the Palo Provincial Jail in Leyte to the Camp Crame Detention Center. An AJLLP coordinator commented that “members are happy that at least he was transferred to Camp Crame in Manila from Hilongos Leyte.” Updates were received that at around 7 a.m., some 30 supporters of Echanis, peasant activists including his wife Erlinda, son Ramill and daughter Amanda, and other relatives and friends, trooped to the EDSA gate of Camp Crame to greet his arrival.” The AJLPP seriously believes that Echanis, was falsely charged for murder in connection with mass graves discovered in Hilongos, Leyte. Like other NDF peace consultants who are languishing in jail, they are being unjustly targeted by the US-Arroyo regime. AJLPP fully supports position of the KMP chair Paeng Mariano and the Echanis family that the imprisonment of Echanis, was meant to “preserve the illegitimate, immoral and evil reign of President Arroyo.”
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) and all its allied organizations in North America expresses deep and serious concern over the continued detention of a ranking officer of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)or the Peasant Movement of the Philippines- Randall Echanis and demand his immediate release. On Tuesday, KMP Deputy Secretary for internal affairs Randall Echanis was transferred from the Palo Provincial Jail in Leyte to the Camp Crame Detention Center. An AJLLP coordinator commented that “members are happy that at least he was transferred to Camp Crame in Manila from Hilongos Leyte.” Updates were received that at around 7 a.m., some 30 supporters of Echanis, peasant activists including his wife Erlinda, son Ramill and daughter Amanda, and other relatives and friends, trooped to the EDSA gate of Camp Crame to greet his arrival.” The AJLPP seriously believes that Echanis, was falsely charged for murder in connection with mass graves discovered in Hilongos, Leyte. Like other NDF peace consultants who are languishing in jail, they are being unjustly targeted by the US-Arroyo regime. AJLPP fully supports position of the KMP chair Paeng Mariano and the Echanis family that the imprisonment of Echanis, was meant to “preserve the illegitimate, immoral and evil reign of President Arroyo.”
WALANG AWAT NA KILOS PROTESTA SA PILIPINAS (tags)
Sunud-sunod na kilos-protesta ang inilunsad nitong nagdaang mga araw, laluna ng mga kabataan, laban sa tuluy-tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo at sa pagtanggi ng rehimeng Arroyo na alisin ang ipinapataw nitong buwis sa mga ito. Papalaki at papadalas na mga kilos-protesta ng mga kabataan. Umabot sa mahigit 5,000 estudyante at kabataang di nakapag-aaral ang nagmartsa patungong Mendiola nitong Hulyo 18. Sa panawagang “Kabataan at Bayan, Mag-aklas,” nag-walkout ang libu-libong estudyante mula sa kani-kanilang eskwelahan. Iginiit nila ang pagbabasura sa value added tax (VAT) sa langis, ang pagbabasura sa Oil Deregulation Law at ang pagsasabatas sa P125 across-the-board na umento sa sahod.
AFP officials are desperate in their military campaign in Negros (tags)
Military officials are desperate in their drive to destroy the New People's Army in Negros. Col Honorato de los Reyes of the 303rd Bde kag Lt Col Cesar Yano of 302nd Bde, Phil Army have also ordered their infantry battalions, Scout Ranger and Division Reconnisance Company Units to include as targets of their operations the civilians they alleged as "NPA supporters or NPAs" and the legal legitimate organizations of the people.
AJLPP Supports the May 12, 2008 National Transport Strike in the Philippines (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) declared today its support for the national transport strike in the Philippines planned for May 12, 2008. AJLPP national coordinator Mario Santos said, “The AJLPP unequivocally and wholeheartedly supports the transport group, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), which is affiliated with the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU – May First Movement) Labor Center.” PISTON will lead Monday’s transport strike which will start at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Behind Bars: The Travails of a Political Prisoner, Randall Echanis, KMP (tags)
Randall Echanis, of the militant peasant organization the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, is not the only political prisoner of the Arroyo regime. There are currently 240 prisoners in detention by the count of Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (SELDA), an organization dedicated to helping political prisoners.
AJLPP Protests The Arrest of Randall Echanis, KMP Leader and a member of NDFP Peace Panel (tags)
The AJLPP through its national coordinator Mario Santos today strongly condemns the illegal arrest of Mr. Randall Echanis, KMP deputy secretary general and a member of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Committee (RWC) on Social and Economic Reforms (SER), by the Arroyo regime’s police agents yesterday at Bago City, Negros Occidental. The AJLPP considered the arrest of Echanis a big blow against the cause of peace. Mr. Echanis was arrested by the PNP in Bago City while he was to attend a conference of agricultural workers in preparation for a KMP national rural congress. Negros is one the KMP’s strongest base where the National Federation Sugar Workers (NFSW) is based. He was flown by the PNP with haste to Hilongos , Leyte where he was detained.
PHILLIPINES Transport strike – A SUCCESS! (tags)
The transport strike was a success nationwide. Most major transport groups nationwide joined the called of the militant Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston, United Association of Drivers and Operators Nationwide). The AJLPP-USA supported the nationwide transport strike that also called for the ouster of the US-Arroyo regime.
Philippine farmers demand reform and extension of agrarian reform program. (tags)
Philippine farmers demand reform and extension of agrarian reform program. Asian farmers join rally in solidarity with their struggle
KMP-Negros revive calls to scrap ‘flawed’ agrarian reform law (tags)
With the recent death of two farmer beneficiaries and the wounding of several others in Hacienda Velez-Malaga, La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, calls for the scrapping of the “flawed” agrarian reform law has been revived. Claiming that it has not benefited poor farmers but consolidated the stronghold of big landowners, militant groups’ Kilu sang Mang bubukid Pilipinas-Negros, Pamalakaya, and the biggest labor group in the sugar industry, the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), slammed the “fake” CARP law and will oppose plans to extend it. The three groups also condemned the killing of the two members of Task Force Ma palad (TFM) last Monday saying this shows a “glaring failure” of CARP. However, they also criticized TFM for giving “false hopes” to their members in owning land.
Political Fiefdoms Dig In (tags)
A look at the election outcome in some of the political turfs would show whether the geopolitical balance of power has changed without necessarily shaking the infrastructures of political dynasties in those areas. The clan of Macapagal-Arroyo has been in power for 58 years, broken only by the Marcos dictatorship. Even if the clan has spun out its political presence in Camarines Sur and Negros, it has a lot of damage control coming up what with the province of Pampanga - considered Mrs. Arroyo's bailiwick and father Diosdado's birthplace - going to a new governor,
Sa kabila ng todo-todong pandaraya manipulasyon at pandarahas ng Malacañang a mga instrumento nito, di nagawang burahin an boto ng mamamayan laban sa rehimeng Arroyo Nakapagkamit ng makabuluhang tagumpay ang mg progresibong partido at oposisyon sa halalan s Senado, sa party-list, sa ilang pamahalaang lokal at distritong kongresyunal. Malaking sampal sa rehimeng US-Arroyo ang pangunguna ng mga oposisyunista at mga progresibong grupong party-list sa inisyal na resulta ng mga bilangan. Kahit sa mga balwarte umano ng mga alipures ni Arroyo tulad ng Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental at Eastern Samar ay bigo silang tiyakin ang solidong boto para sa lahat ng kandidato ng Malacañang. Nangunguna sa halalan sa Senado ang nakararaming kandidato ng Genuine Opposition. Kabilang sa 12 na may pinakamataas na boto si dating Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV, isa sa mga lider ng pag-aalsa sa Oakwood noong 2003 at isa rin sa mga pinakamariing tumutuligsa kay Gloria Arroyo. Ito'y sa kabila ng kanyang pagkakakulong ngayon sa Camp Bonifacio, kakulangan ng pera at makinaryang pangampanya.
Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao, lalong Lumulubha (tags)
Mariing konondena ngayon ng Alyansa Pilipinas (AJLPP) ang patuloy at papatinding paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao sa Pilipinas noong bago at matapos ang eleksyong Mayo 14. Ayon sa mga nakalap na ulat ng AJLPP, tatlong myembro ng mga progresibong partido ang pinaslang kaugnay ng nakaraang eleksyon sa Camarines Norte at Iloilo. Apat naman mga myembro ng militanteng grupong magsasaka an pinatay sa Agusan del Sur at Negros Occidental Pinaslang din ng mga sundalo at sinalaula ang mg bangkay ng isang mag-ina sa Agusan del Sur.
An Appeal to Philippine President Arroyo (tags)
Stop agrarian violence and killing of farmers! Implement agrarian reform in contentious landholdings!
Firms lose P43 million in damage from NPA attacks (tags)
PROPERTY destroyed by the New People’s Army (NPA) amounted to P43 million in the first quarter of the year. According to a study conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), NPA rebels inflicted the damage on business firms that refused to pay the underground movement the so-called revolutionary tax.
Gov’t troops clash with Silay attackers (tags)
rmy troopers clashed yesterday with a group of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels believed responsible for the attack on the construction site of an international airport in Silay City in Negros Occidental last Sunday.
NPA GUERILLAS STRIKES IN NEGROS, WESTERN VISAYAS (tags)
About 50 communist rebels, posing as policemen, attacked the construction site of a foreign-funded international airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental, early Sunday, burning down P30-million worth of equipment. The P4.3-billion airport is one of three newly developed airports in three provinces mentioned by the President in her State of the Nation address in July.
PATULOY ANG ATAKE NG REHIMENG-US ARROYO AT AFP SA MASA (tags)
Sa kabila ng pakunwaring mga pahayag ni Gloria Arroyo, walang tigil at di-maawat ang mga pamamaslang, pagdukot, tortyur, iligal na pag-aresto at detensyon at iba pang karumal-dumal na paglabag ng mga armadong galamay ng estado sa karapatang-tao ng mamamayan. Mahigpit na kinokondena at iginigiit ng Pesante-USA na dapat nang matigil ang amahas na pamamasista at terorismo ng estado. Lalo lamang pinagagalit ni GMA ang masa at hinuhukay ang sarili nitong libingan tulad ng nangyari kina Marcos at Estrada. Umabot na sa mahigit 755 ang pinaslang at may 188 ang nawawalang aktibista na hindi matagpuan. Papalubha ang mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao na malapit nang maungusan ni Gloria-Arroyo.ang pagiging garapal na pasista ni Marcos ayon sa Pesante-USA Patuloy Ang Atake ng Rehimeng US-Arroyo at AFP sa Masa: Tumitindi, Paglabag sa Karapatang-Tao
Philippines: Agrarian violence claims more lives under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Regime (tags)
Agrarian violence claimed two more lives this month. A leader of Task Force Mapalad (TFM), Rico Adeva, 39, was gunned down by three men as he and his wife Nenita were walking to their home in Barangay Dos Hermanas, Silay City, Negros Occidental on Black Saturday. He suffered seven bullet wounds – in the head, stomach, chest, and hand. Meanwhile, in Davao, the Secretary General of the National Coordination of Autonomous Local Rural People’s Organizations (UNORKA), Eric Cabanit, was assassinated by two masked men while he was in a public market in Panabo last April 24, 2006. His daughter, who was with him when the shooting happened, was also wounded and is still in critical condition.