Philippines: We condemn extension of Martial Law in Mindanao (tags)
The extension of martial law in Mindanao to the end of 2018 by Congress comes as no surprise to Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses). Over the last year and a half, the Senate and the House of Representatives have been completely transformed into pliant tools of President Rodrigo Duterte, with the vast majority of the members of these two chambers surrendering their remaining shred of self-respect to become accomplices to Malacanang’s authoritarian agenda.
Thousands of militant workers march for higher pay in the Philippines (tags)
Manila, Philippines - Thousands of workers led by the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and its allied organizations converged in key cities on Labor Day to reiterate their demand for better wages, improved economy, jobs, security of tenure for workers and an end to demolition of squatter shanties.
BAD OMEN FOR THE ELECTIONS, Pimentel: Garci boys intact, promoted (tags)
PESANTE NEWS learned today through media sources in Manila that the “Garci” boys were never kicked out. They even got promoted. Garci Boys are the officials of the COMELEC involved in widespread cheating during elections in the Philippines. Elections Chair Jose Melo should fulfill his promise to “ground” officials implicated in rigging the 2004 and 2007 polls, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Wednesday.
US troops’ stay questioned, (tags)
They are supposed to be only visitors, but after six years they are still around and some local officials are wondering whether they are already part of the Filipino family. Officially, they are called the “visiting forces” but there has been no sign that American soldiers are leaving anytime soon and the officials are asking why the “visit” seems to have become a permanent deployment. Vice Mayor Mannix Dalipe says the Arroyo administration and the Philippine military have to explain why American troops are still in Zamboanga City. “No one is giving us answers,” Dalipe said in an interview the other day.