Militant groups accuse Filipino leader of rights violations, etc.

Twenty-three years after President Ferdinand Marcos was deposed by the Filipino people, militant groups led by Bayan are again clamoring for the ouster of President Gloria Arroyo. Bayan accused Arroyo of failing to improve the standards of living of Filipinos and the government rampant violations of human rights that it said even surpassed the 20-year Marcos regime's record of human rights violations.

(Contributed by davaotoday.com / Photo by Jonald Mahinay)

300 Filipino Children Gather Near Presidential Palace , Join Protest Vs. Human Rights Violations

MANILA, Philippines – More than 300 children shouted “i-Knock-out si Gloria!” to the question “Sagot sa Karahasan ni Gloria sa Bata?” This was on the occasion of gathering Saturday of Filipino children near the Presidential Palace in Manila.

The independent Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns, which accused President Gloria Arroyo of violating the rights of the children, led the gathering on the eve of the much awaited Pacquiao-dela Hoya Dream Match in the US.

Children from various urban poor communities joined children-victims of human rights violations in their own spoof of a knock-out match that featured children from various sectors pitted against a caricature of the President with markings: “The champion human rights violator, Gloria Arroyo”.

“For seven long years, our children are continuously being knocked out by various anti-child policies that the Arroyo government has inherited and perpetrated, as well as created and enforced,” Alphonse Rivera, the group’s officer-in-charge and spokesman, said in a statement.

Dubbed the Nightmare Match, the Salinlahi gathering featured children who were victims of economic deprivation and political repression in a boxing match with an Arroyo-look-alike in boxer shorts with huge boxing gloves made from “camouflage” cloth to depict her militaristic response to the citizenry’s struggle for social justice.

At the end of the program, children representatives of various sectors such as the farmers, workers and urban poor communities, together with adult leaders of people’s organizations all together held on to a “people’s solidarity glove” and gave “Gloria Arroyo” a 1-2 knock out punch.

Rivera said Arroyo’s administration consistently blocks the passage of bills on legislated wage increase and genuine agrarian reform, the removal of the R-VAT in oil and other basic needs. He said that this fosters the further degradation of the working and living conditions of families from the basic sectors – the workers, farmers and the urban poor. As a result, incidences of hunger, malnutrition, drop out from school and child labor among these marginalized children increase.

Rivera warned that there is a limit to the Filipino families’ patience. “The children and their families cannot and will not allow this situation of oppression and injustice to continue. Time is on their side and they are committed to persevere in various ways consistent with their evolving capacities to see social justice prevail, no matter how long it takes. Sooner or later, the champion human rights violator will be knocked out,” he said.

Militant Groups Question Continued US Military Presence In Southern Philippines

A US military Boeing C17 cargo and troop transport plane takes off Friday, September 19, 2008 from the dilapidated runway of the Zamboanga City International Airport in the southern Philippines. Hundreds of US troops are deployed in areas in the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao Island, where the Philippine military is battling Muslim and communist insurgencies. American troops are involved in humanitarian missions in those areas, but at the same time training local soldiers and assisting and advising Filipino forces in fighting terrorism. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 19, 2008) – Militant groups and political activists on Friday questioned the continued presence of US troops in the southern Philippines, especially in areas where Filipino forces are battling Muslim and communist insurgencies.

“The continuing presence of US troops in various parts of Mindanao already goes beyond what the Philippine Senate contemplated as temporary during its deliberations on the VFA in 1999. The Senate deliberations defined ‘temporary’ as being about six months. The US troops have been in Mindanao for six years,” Renato Reyes, Jr., secretary-general of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said in a statement.

Reyes was referring to the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States which covers forces visiting temporarily. The agreement is intended to clarify the terms under which the foreign military is allowed to operate.

Other lawmakers also questioned the constitutionality of the treaty and they have filed two resolutions seeking a probe into the continuing presence and the involvement of the US military in local military activities and a review of the VFA.

Reyes blamed the VFA as the culprit on why US troops have overstayed in the southern Philippines. American forces have built a base in Zamboanga City, which houses the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, since 2001, when both countries held the Balikatan, which means “Shoulder-to-shoulder,” a codename for joint military training between American and Filipino soldiers.

But since then, the US military continued its presence in the restive region, especially in areas in Sulu archipelago and in Mindanao where local troops are fighting the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Although American troops come and go, the presence of US forces in the southern Philippines is vital in Manila’s campaign to defeat terrorism.

“The problem with the VFA is that it does not define in clear and uncertain terms the scope, duration of stay and the extent of the engagement of US troops. In some ways, it is worse than the previous US bases agreement because of its vagueness. For all intents and purposes, an unlimited number of US troops can stay here for an unlimited period of time, even if there are no joint military exercises,” Reyes said.

Reyes said they will also look into the terms of reference during the first Balikatan that paved the way for the continued stay of US troops in Mindanao.

“Even the Terms of Reference of the Balikatan 02-1 was vague. It did not define the length of stay nor did it give assurances that the US troops will not engage in actual combat operations. That is why we have US troops embedded in AFP combat units who are involved in actual combat operations, in clear violation of the Constitution,” Reyes said.

The US Embassy said there are no permanent American military bases in Mindanao and that US troops were not involved in combat operations. The Philippine military said US troops deployed in Mindanao are active in humanitarian missions and development aid and have been providing intelligence information about terror groups in the South.

Militant groups said the US military also maintains a facility inside the Zamboanga City International Airport and a docking area at the Majini Pier inside the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command and a training facility inside Camp Arturo Enrile in Malagutay village, all in Zamboanga City. And encampments inside Philippine Army bases in Mindanao.

Reyes’ group also challenged the Philippine Senate to exercise its oversight functions and immediately probe the presence of the US troops in Mindanao. “We challenge the Senate to conduct an on-site inspection of the facilities being set up by the US troops to see if the sovereignty of the Philippines in still in effect over those areas,” Reyes said.

On Friday, a US military Boeing C17 cargo and troop transport plane arrived in Zamboanga City and left a few hours later after loading equipment inside the Zamboanga International Airport. Local journalists were not allowed near the huge aircraft and radio broadcasters have to hide from US troops guarding the area to be able to report about the activity. (Mindanao Examiner)

Activists, Militant Groups Oppose To Arroyo's Rule Hold Protest Rallies In Manila

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 23 Jul) – Political activists and militant groups have trooped in Manila Monday where President Gloria Arroyo is to give her State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Thousands of soldiers and policemen were deployed in the Philippine capital to ensure a peaceful conduct of the SONA.

Arroyo is expected to spell out how she intends to lead the country on a path of economic growth, political stability and social justice, according to Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye.

"One can be certain that among her most important goals in the next three years would be to ensure that more and more of our people will not just see, but more importantly experience, the tangible benefits of our growing economy," Bunye said.

Arroyo’s is confident that her objectives for the country would be attained by pouring government’s resources into major development projects which will yield high-impact dividends for the people, bolster national stability and spur rapid economic growth.

”To achieve her agenda for the country, the President believes it is important to invest in education, invest in social safety nets, invest in vital infrastructure and invest in peace and order,” Bunye said.

Militants have burned an effigy of Arroyo in Manila and chanted anti-government slogans. Many were calling for Arroyo’s resignation over her failure to uplift the living standards of the poor and the spate of political killings in the country.

They also accused Arroyo of cheating in the May 2004 elections. (With a report from Chris Navarra)

We Are Listening...

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 21 Jun) – The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno on Thursday criticized a government proposal for telephone and mobile communication firms to record all voice calls and text messages made by their owners in the Philippines.

It said the proposal made by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is an assault on the right to private communication.

It said an NTC order which is supposed to take effect next month requires all telephone and mobile phone companies to keep a log of all land line calls up to two months and four months for mobile phone communications.”

“This one order makes all the laws protecting private communication obsolete. Doctor-patient private communication privileges are thrown down the sewer; lawyer-client confidentiality also becomes a victim of this order and even journalists and their private sources for news are now exposed."

"Intimate communication between husband and wives are open for scrutiny,” Elmer Labog, chairman of the KMU, said in a statement sent to the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

But the NTC said that only the time, dates and length of calls will be recorded and not actual conversations. The proposal would only be used for billing complaints of consumers.

The Philippine police have praised the proposal, saying, it would help in fighting terrorism and criminal syndicates.

Labog said the NTC proposal would only serve as a legal blanket for eavesdropping and end up targeting government critics and political groups opposed to President Gloria Arroyo’s rule.

“Even before this order, the tapping of phone conversations of private individuals has become a staple for the intelligence units of the military and police and court order have never been a hindrance to them continuing such surveillance,” Labog said.

He said his group is coordinating with consumer advocacy groups like TxtPower on how to fight this order.

“We are also calling on all Filipinos who value their privacy to oppose this,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

CHILD WARRIORS NG NPA, LUMANTAD

QUEZON CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 28 Mar) – Desperado ngayon ang New People's Army (NPA) na makahikayat ng mga bagong miyembro, kahit menor de edad, upang magsilbing warrior ng kanilang kilusan.

Inihayag ito ng Philippine Army kasunod ng paglalantad sa mga child warrior sa isang pulong balitaan upang patunayan ang maliwanag na paglabag at pag-abuso ng komunistang grupo sa karapatan ng mga kabataan.

Pinakabatang nahihikayat ng NPA ay 10 hanggang 17 taon kung saan ay matindi pa ang pulso ng mga ito para sumabak sa giyera.Ibinunyag rin ng isang dating amasona na si Leah kung paano siya pinuwersa at ginamit ng husto bilang asawa ng mga komunistang lider.

Hindi lamang umano siya ang biktima ng pananakot ng mga komunista na kung hindi susunod sa mga rebelde ay sasaktan ang pamilya nito.

Nagsilbi ring liason si Leah na ibinuko ang regular na pakikipag-ugnayan sa legal fronts ng NPA tulad ng Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Anakbayan at Makabayan.

Sa rekord ng militar, nagawa nitong masagip, maaresto at mailigtas ang tinatayang 30 mga menor de edad buhat sa Luzon at Visayas mula Setyembre ng nakaraang taon hanggang Marso.

Inilahad naman ng isang Eslao ang matinding kaba na nararamdaman nito sa tuwing sumasabak sa giyera laban sa tropa ng pamahalaan.Ngunit kahit takot, walang pagpipilian ang mga katulad ni Eslao dahil sila rin naman ay sasaktan ng kanilang lider.

Sinabi rin ng militar na mahigit sa tatlumpung mga pampasabog at iba pang war materials ang narekober ng mga tropa sa inilunsad na operasyon sa Quezon.

Sa ulat ng Philippine Army ay natisod ng mga elemento ng 201st Infantry Brigade, 76th Infantry Battalion at Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Team ang naturang mga eksplosibo sa Barangay San Isidro Kanluran sa bayan ng Gumaca sa nasabing lalawigan.

Nauna rito, nasamsam rin ng mga tauhan ng militar ang dalawang M16 rifles, magazine at daan-daang bala ng M16 sa Ilayang Bolo, Unisan, Quezon. Bunsod ito ng impormasyon ng dating lider ng NPA na si Modesto Araza alyas Abel.Samantala, dalawang gerilya naman ang sumuko sa militar sa Kalinga.

Natukoy ang mga ito na sina Bryan Linang alyas Mayo, 21 anyos, at Aga-oy Marnag alyas Dennis, 19 anyos. Pawang mga miyembro ng Komiteng Lrangan Guerilya (KLG) Baggas, ICRC.Isinasailalim na sa interogasyon ang dalawang rebelde. (Juley Reyes)

Militant Party List Groups Face Bigger Battle For Publicity

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Mar) - The Suara party list group on Tuesday assailed election guidelines it said have marginalized party lists and other candidates for the mid-year elections in the Philippines.

It said the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has designated areas where all candidates can put up their campaign posters, but many of those places are hardly noticeable.

It said unlike government candidates who can afford to pay television and radio ads, many party list groups and their candidates who cannot afford the expensive advertisements are forced to putting up their campaign streamers and banners at areas designated by the COMELEC.

And many of the party lists campaign materials were often destroyed or removed by unidentified groups across the country.

Abubakar Abalos Uy, Suara secretary general for Southern Mindanao, said: “The common poster areas of the COMELEC are rendering progressive groups defenseless against attacks which are becoming more intense as the elections draw near.”

“It is becoming more apparent that the guidelines of the COMELEC were only crafted to put administration bets to the advantage.”

In Tagum City, Uy said, campaign posters of his own Suara and other party list groups such as Gabriela, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Kabataan had been destroyed by the military.

“The posters were placed in common posters area. What was suspicious, however, was that while the progressive groups’ posters were destroyed, campaign materials of other groups and senatorial bets were left untouched.”

“Marginalization of party list groups like Suara is deliberate. We have been receiving information from our Davao del Norte chapters that the military have been giving instructions to village officials to destroy our posters. And it happened now and we believe that incidents like these will not stop right away. We are expecting even for the worse,” Uy said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner. (With a report from Romy Bwaga)

Militarization In Metro Manila Increasing, Says Party List Nominee

MANILA - The militant party list group, Anakpawis, said Monday the widespread militarization in urban areas happens not only during election period but through out the year especially in areas and urban poor communities where local and foreign so-called development projects are implemented.

Anakpawis nominee Joel Maglunsod said since December last year, members of urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap have been challenging the “abnormal” presence of military personnel in various villages in Quezon City, particularly in neighborhoods with Kadamay chapters in Commonwealth, Holy Spirit, Tandang Sora and other areas.

"The militarization campaign in slum areas is characterized by supposed socio-civic projects led by the AFP in coordination with village councils.

In reality, these campaigns aim to disband organizations of poor people who oppose demolitions and uphold other economic issues such as demands for wage hikes, social services and employment which the Arroyo government cannot sufficiently provide," he said.

He said government projects and constructions in urban poor areas are always accompanied with military component. Since 2003, village intelligence units from local police and military were deployed massively in various port area communities in Manila as part of the Medium Term Port Area Privatization and Modernization Plan implemented by Malacanang through the Philippine Ports Authority."

Maglunsod said that the heightened militarization campaign is also directed at labor organizing efforts. "Military presence is high in urban areas where there are concentration of workers and poor people. More than ninety percent of Metro Manila-based workers are residing in urban poor communities and we all know that workers are actively campaigning for P125 across-the-board legislated wage hike," he said.

"The official document released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines detailing its anti-party list campaign in villages only confirmed active military presence in slum areas. In fact, it even worsened the current condition of urban militarization that has been happening for ages," Maglunsod said.

Militant Leader Slain In South RP

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 02 Mar) – Unidentified gunmen shot dead a leader of a militant group in a daring broad daylight attack Friday in the southern Philippine city of Digos, police said.

Police said Renato Pacaide was walking with his daughter when motorcycle-gunmen shot him in the head. His daughter was unharmed.

The 53-year old Pacaide was the secretary general of Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Davao del Sur (NAMADS) and coordinator of the party list group, Anakpawis, in the province.

His group condemned the killing and blamed the government and the military for the attack.

“We hold the Arroyo government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines responsible for the killing of Pacaide," Editha Duterte, spokesperson for the Anakpawis in Southern Mindanao, said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

She said Pacaide was assassinated by two armed motorcycle-riding men at around 10:45 a.m. along Rizal Avenue corner Lim Street.

"In the midst of national and international condemnation against political killings, the senseless and brutal killings against members and leaders of progressive party-lists and organizations continue without compunction,” Duterte said.

Duterte accused the military of political partisan. She said soldiers, from the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, have been campaigning against Anakpawis and its allied party-lists in Davao del Sur.

The military linked the party list group to the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels. The NPA is the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) which is fighting the past three decades for a separate Marxist state in the country.

"Such maneuvers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines had put our lives in peril. By relentlessly linking us with the CPP-NPA, the AFP under the aegis of the Arroyo government is giving outright license to kill our members and leaders," Duterte said.

More than 800 mostly political activists and members of militant groups have been killed since President Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001. An independent commission linked soldiers to most of the killings, but the military denied the accusations.

Philip Alston, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur, who was in the Philippines this month to investigate the spate of killings, said the military is in state of total denial about the involvement of soldiers in the attacks.

"We demand justice for Pacaide! We dare the AFP and the Arroyo government to face their responsibility with the political killings," Duterte said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Militant Labor Group Fears More Human Rights Violations In RP

ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE PROCLAMATION 1017, the militant labor organization, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), said Friday that the Armed Forces of the Philippines could take harsher measures against civilians and progressive groups after AFP chief General Hermogenes Esperon's open vilification campaign against legal groups.

"With the way the AFP and Malacanang countered the findings of United Nations Rapporteur Philip Alston on the human rights situation in the country, it is evident that the government is not keen on stopping the spate of attacks against unarmed civilians and organizations which they suspect as supporters of the CPP-NPA-NDF and unjustly label as 'communist fronts," KMU Secretary General and Anakpawis Party List nominee Joel Maglunsod said in a statement.

Among the possible scenarios cited by KMU includes raiding of legal offices of progressive organizations, planting of evidences including subversive documents and firearms and arrests of leaders and members of the groups maliciously referred by the AFP Chief.

"AFP is arrogantly standing by their militarization campaign that primarily targets unarmed civilians. The killings and harassments continue, much worse, the AFP refuses to arrest (retired) Gen. Jovito Palparan and all those who are involved in the killings."

"It's been a year since PP1017 was declared and supposedly lifted, but the blanket authority it provided to Malacanang and the AFP was even reinforced. Cong. Crispin Beltran's continued illegal detention is a concrete proof of the government's excessive abuse of power. The approval of the Anti-Terror Act worsens the situation."

The labor group said they will hold protests on Monday outside the Philippine Heart Center to demand the release of Rep. Beltran who is the first victim of Arroyo's PP1017.

Maglunsod said Anakpawis Party List is petitioning for Ka Bel to be allowed to campaign as the first nominee of Anakpawis.

"Workers are demanding that Ka Bel and I campaign side by side to various factories, industrial enclaves and urban poor communities nationwide. His rights as a legitimate candidate must be recognized by the PNP and the COMELEC," Maglunsod said.

President Arroyo issued Proclamation Number 1017 on February 24, 2006 after an alleged coup attempt was foiled in the morning of the same day, thus, placing the country under a "State of National Emergency". This was later revoked by Proclamation 1021.

Militant Groups Dare Gov't To Prosecute Those Linked To Political Killings In RP

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 23 Feb) - The militant party list group, Bayan Muna, on Friday challenged the Arroyo government to prosecute a retired army commander, Jovito Palparan, linked by an independent commission to the political killings in the Philippines.

"The Melo report is right in pointing Palparan's culpability in the killings of activists, journalists and innocent civilians. The report reaffirms earlier investigations that have long been proving Palparan's hand to all the killings that were perpetrated under his jurisdiction," Bayan Muna Rep. Joel Virador said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

The government put up the Melo Commission to investigate the killings. Militant groups said more than 800 political activists had been killed since President Gloria Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001.

But Palparan, one of the most decorated army general during his time, has repeatedly denied the accusations and pointed to the New People’s Army rebels as behind most of the killings.
Palparan said there were no evidence to link soldiers to the murder of political activists.

“We maintain that the Melo Commission holds no power in decisively resolving the problem on political killings in the country. More so, the report is no better than a vindicating statement for the AFP's high-ranking officials and its commander-in-chief Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. We are not even inclined to believe that said report will practically hold the AFP and the Arroyo regime accountable," Virador said.

U.N. Special Rapporteur Philip Alston who also investigated the killings also blamed the army for most of the murders.

Another party list group, Anakpawis, also condemned the killings and branded the Arroyo government as worst than former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“The current government of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo has surpassed Marcos' record of fascism and oppression,” said Editha Duterte, the group’s spokesperson in the southern Philippines.

“There are more than 800 victims of political killings since Arroyo assumed power in 2001. Until now, no perpetrators belonging to the military, police, and paramilitary groups, were punished,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner)