CA GRANTS PARTIAL WRIT FOR MELISSA ROXAS (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA learned through news sources in the Philippines that the Court of Appeals has partially granted the petition for writ of amparo and habeas data filed by Filipino-American activist Melissa Roxas, and directed the military establishment to provide protection to her and her family while in the country against any form of harassment. In a 33-page decision penned by Associate Justice Noel Tijam, the CA’s Former Special 16th Division also enjoined the military from distributing to the public any documents or records pertaining to Roxas’s alleged ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
AFP seeks additional troops, P3.5B to quash insurgents (tags)
President Arroyo yesterday said she is merely awaiting the recommendation of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to approve the proposal of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership to beef up its strength by six battalions to bolster the government’s campaign to stamp out the decades-old local communist insurgency. Presiding over the first AFP Command Conference of 2008 at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday morning, Mrs. Arroyo listened intently to the presentations of the military brass, led by AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on the insurgency situation and other threats to national security. Esperon reported to the President that the AFP needs six more battalions and P3.5 billion to implement its “unified command” program. In addition to the six battalions, the AFP hopes to constitute 20 more Cafgu (Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit) companies to help the military fight insurgency in the countryside.