Philippines: Where does the FOI campaign go from here? (tags)
Today, we close our people’s campaign for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill in the 15th Congress. We have, to the extent that our capacities and limited resources permitted, exhausted all avenues that we thought were open to us to get positive, decisive action from the leaders of the House of Representatives and from President Aquino no less.
Philippines: Coalition Clamor for the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill (tags)
Still enough time for FOI – if House leadership supports it. With only nine session days remaining before Congress adjourns for a long election break, members of the Right to Know Right Now Coalition are reminding members of Congress that they still have enough time to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill even without the prodding of Malacanang.
Pesante Condemns Rash of Killings Against the Filipino Peasants (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA vehemently condemn the recent violent incidents in two regions of the Philippines where four individuals became victims of summary executions. The recent killings proved that the US-Arroyo regime is hell bent o impose its fascist rule especially to the down-trodden peasantry in the countrysides. Here are the details of the incidents: Barangay Captain Ananias Burce was on his way home from the market in Tabaco City, Albay at around 11:00 in the morning onboard his motorcycle when he was shot by assailants on board two single motorcycles along Barangay Bantayan of the same city. He sustained eight (8) gunshot wounds that caused his instantaneous death. While in Zone 4, Barangay Carupian, Baggao, Cagayan at around 2:30 to 3:00 in the afternoon, in an alleged encounter between the 17th Infantry Batallion, Philippine Army (IBPA) and the New People's Army (NPA), two civilians were killed and three others were wounded when the military fired upon them. Edralin Gudoy and Alvin Fuentes were currently tending their corn fields when elements of the 17th IBPA fired upon them. Neighbors saw them near the creek with Gudoy sprawled beside Fuentes and the latter suffered from a gunshot wound in the left knee. The neighbors helped Fuentes mount the carabao owned by Sony Buco to bring him to the hospital but the military elements fired upon them killing Fuentes instantly and grazing the arm of Buco. Buco is still under a state of shock.