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This is Gerry Albert Corpuz and this is my life and political journey to the world of class struggle and class emancipation

Militants begin fast vs. killings of leftist activists

Militants begin fast vs. killings of leftist activists
JdV urged: Probe slays

Leaders of militant groups on Wednesday kicked off their three-day fast outside the main gate of the House of Representatives in Batasan this morning to press House Speaker Jose de Venecia to call for a full-blown investigation on the spate of political killings and abductions of leftist activists since January this year.

Willy Marbella, spokesperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Fernando Hicap, national chair of Pamalakaya and Carmen Buena, chairperson of the peasant women group Amihan joined Anakpawis party lists representatives Rafael Mariano and Crispin Beltran in the three-day fasting calling an end to the fresh wave of political killings and involuntary disappearances of political activists which started as early as 2001 in Mindoro provinces.

“ We want to deliver a strong political statement here. For the sake of truth and justice, we strongly ask the de Venecia leadership in the House of Representatives to issue a powerful statement condemning the left and right assassinations of leftist activists and urging the perpetrators of state-directed attacks to stop this roaring rampage of violence against militant leaders and personalities”, the KMP and Pamalakaya said in a joint statement.

KMP’s Marbella said Speaker de Venecia cannot take the issue of political killings of aboveground leftist leaders and mass activists for granted. He said the Speaker, as the third highest official in the land is politically and morally bound to speak out and demand justice for the victims of state sponsored terrorism.

“ The Speaker of the House should speak for the cause of justice and civil liberties. Taking this issue for granted will cost him more than expected”, warned Marbella. “ We hope the Speaker of the House will finally speak and show statesmanship for those people who gave their lives for the common cause of ordinary people”, the militant leader added.

For his part, Hicap of Pamalakaya asked congressmen from Central and Northern Luzon, Bicol, Southern Tagalog and Eastern Visayas to support the initiatives of militant party list groups Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s Party inside the House of Representatives urging the de Venecia leadership to address the issue of political killings of leftwing activists since most of the recent killings took place within their respective regions, provinces and districts.

“ We ask the parties concern to condemn this quick bullet in the brain campaign being staged by the government and its military machinery since January this year. The murder of leftist activists is being written, directed and staged by top authorities of Macapagal-Arroyo ruling syndicate in Malacañang “, the Pamalakaya chair stressed.

KMP and Pamalakaya said the three-day fasting was an opening salvo for the series of mass actions to be launched by militant groups this month. Both groups vowed to carry out ceaseless campaign against the political killings of their leaders and mass members within the next two months.

Earlier Pamalakaya thanked the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) a day after CBCP President Archbishop Fernando Capalla called on government authorities to resolve the killings of leaders and supporters of the ongoing strike in Hacienda Luisita.

Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of the Ecclesiastical Province of San Fernando, Pampanga likened the killings connected to the Hacienda Luisita dispute to the tense situation in the late 1940s in Central Luzon when the region turned into a boiling cauldron of violence as thousands of peasants armed themselves in the face of the unchecked human rights violations perpetrated by local landlords and the military. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:14 | link | comments |

Resumption of peace talks in peril due to killings

Resumption of peace talks in peril due to killings
of leftist activists, says Pamalakaya

The resumption of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the communist led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is in peril due to killings of aboveground leftist leaders, members and advocates by alleged assassins from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“ The Manila government is pushing the NDFP to withdraw from the peace talks with this US-backed Malacañang-AFP campaign to assassinate leaders, supporters and allies of the mainstream Leftist movement”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

Hicap said peaceniks, civil libertarians and human rights advocates should condemn the killings of political activists and the conscious act of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration to sabotage its peace talks with the NDFP through left and right killings and abductions of leftist activists.

The scheduled resumption of the peace talks between the GRP and the NDFP was postponed last year after NDFP negotiators accused the Macapagal-Arroyo government of negotiating in bad faith and over disagreements on the terrorist listing.

A total of 18 activists, all aboveground leftist leaders identified with militant groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Bayan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Pamalakaya and leaders and supporters of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita were killed in the first quarter of 2005.

The latest victim of state and military sponsored terrorism was 66 year old Victor “ Tatang Ben” Concepcion, peasant leader and Anakpawis coordinator in Mexico, Pampanga ,while five more activists in Central Luzon are still missing and believed to be abducted by military operational units under the Northern Luzon Command or Nolcom.

“ President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and military mafia in Malacañang are working double time to collapse the peace talks by scoring this second wave of brutal attacks and political assassinations on leftist activists aim at pushing the NDFP to unilaterally end the peace talks so the government can go all-out in terrorizing not only the Left but as well critics of the present dispensation”, Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said the “ political resurrection” of Norberto Gonzales as National Security Adviser and former defense Secretary Angelo Reyes as chief of the Interior and Local Government were indications that Malacañang and the AFP are all set to collapse the talks between the GRP and the NDFP and carry out the second wave of political attacks against leaders, members and advocates of left-leaning cause-oriented groups.

“ NSA Gonzales, Sec. Reyes, Nolcom chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, AFP chief of Staff Gen. Efren Abu and Brig. Gen. Jovito Palparan are President Arroyo’s appointed key persons in carrying out the open fascist attack against left-leaning activists. These bad guys also work as prime saboteurs of the peace negotiations”, Pamalakaya added.

The first wave of political assaults and assassinations against the mainstream left was carried between the period of 2002 and 2004 particularly in Mindoro island in Southern Tagalog where 49 Bayan Muna activists were reportedly killed by military death squads allegedly under the command of the controversial Palparan, then head of the 204th Brigade of the Philippine Army in Mindoro province. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:36 | link | comments (1) |

Did National Security Adviser Gonzales suggest killings
of aboveground Leftist leaders in last NSC meeting ?

Did re-appointed National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales also suggest the series of political killings of aboveground Leftist leaders aside from the liquidation of CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison during a recent meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) in Malacañang?

The militant group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday raised this question after an earlier report came out last week that Gonzales told members of the NSC that the government should also liquidate the self-exiled communist leader in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

“ Let us call a spade, a spade. Secretary Gonzales had been pushing for the total extermination of the mainstream Left in national politics since President Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001. As Washington’s official asset and representative in the Macapagal-Arroyo cabinet, he had been advocating the political elimination of leaders and liquidation of militant groups identified with the mainstream Left”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

Hicap said NSA Gonzales has been performing his job to the hilt as the government and military’s official town crier in launching Malacañang’s campaign to oust Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and allied militant groups not only in the House of Representatives but as well as in the parliament of the streets.

In an undisclosed meeting of the NSC, NSA Gonzales brought the idea of liquidating Sison in Utrecht, the Netherlands, saying that such move will weaken both the underground and aboveground Leftist movement in the country.

“ It is hard to believe that Sec. Gonzales has nothing to do with the fresh wave of political assassinations against leaders, mass activists and supporters of militant party lists and their allied mass organizations. As security adviser, he had been advocating this evil cause jointly undertaken by the Bush administration, the puppet Macapagal-Arroyo administration and the military since 2001 up to present”, Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said NSA Gonzales was instrumental in implementing a state policy of killing leftist activists across the country. The militant group said Gonzales was designated by the US government in the Macapagal-Arroyo cabinet to push its counter-insurgency plan in the country.

“ That is why Malacañang and the military approved his resurrection as national security chief together with interior and local government Secretary Angelo Reyes. This was part of the game plan to pursue the US-instigated assassination of leaders and mass members of left-leaning groups in the country”, the group asserted.

Pamalakaya said the resurgence of NSA Gonzales and Sec. Reyes in the Macapagal-Arroyo administration coinciding with the unstoppable killings of leftist leaders in Central and Northern Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol Regions, Eastern and Central Visayas and some parts of Mindanao island were strong indications that a policy governing the killings of aboveground Leftist activists had already been in placed.

The militant group also said the government’s indefinite suspension of the peace talks between the GRP and the communist led-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the revival of the Anti-Terrorism Bill and the controversial National ID system were sound basis that the government is plotting to re-install either a declared or undeclared Martial Law. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:50 | link | comments |

Except for Benigno “ Noynoy” Aquino Jr.

Except for Benigno “ Noynoy” Aquino Jr.
Militants appeal to JdV, Central and Northern Luzon solons to probe killings, abduction of aboveground leftist leaders

Except for Luzon deputy speaker and Tarlac Rep. Benigno “ Noynoy” Aquino III, all congressmen of Central Luzon and Northern Luzon today were asked to probe the series of killings and abduction of above ground leftist leaders in the regions.

The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) put to task House Speaker and Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia to spearhead a full-blown inquiry in the Lower House a day after Aglipayan priest Rev. Fr. William Tadena, 37 was shot dead Sunday morning in La Paz, Tarlac by unknown assassins.

“ We strongly urge Speaker de Venecia and his colleagues in Northern and Central Luzon regions to investigate the spate of political killings and abduction of mass activists in the two regions”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

“ Speaker de Venecia and other Northern and Central Luzon lawmakers are politically bound and legally obliged to probe and stop these killings and forced disappearances of above ground leftist leaders and other ordinary people in their respective districts and provinces”, Hicap added.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said forces hostile to left-leaning organizations led by the military were treating aboveground leftist leaders in Central and Northern Luzon as fair game and open targets of state-sponsored terrorism.

“ Our colleagues are marked for death by top officials of Northern Luzon Command. The Nolcom’s Death Squad is doing the dirty job for their fascist employers in Malacañang, the National Security Council and the Armed Forces of the Philippines”, the militant leader charged.

Pamalakaya said Speaker de Venecia and the House of Representatives have legislative powers to recall the appointment of Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez and other officials of Nolcom and subject Dominguez and his men to a high profile public investigation in aid of legislation.

“ Lt. Gen. Dominguez and his cabal of mercenaries must be held accountable for the perpetual killings and abduction of aboveground left-leaning leaders in Central and Northern Luzon. Something must be done to stop Malacañang’s armed forces from committing crimes of terrorism against certified leaders and advocates of people’s issues and welfare”, the militant group stressed.

Fr. Tadena, a noted supporter of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita was the third victim of political assassination in Central and Northern Luzon within the span of two weeks. On March 3, unidentified assassins in Barangay Paraiso in Tarlac City killed Tarlac City Councilor Abelardo Ladera, a known supporter also of Hacienda Luisita workers.

On March 11, Romeo Sanchez, Bayan Muna Northern Luzon coordinator was shot dead by unknown assassin in Baguio city. Also in the past two weeks, Bayan Muna leader in Nueva Ecija Danny Macapagal and Mher Dizon of Anakpawis-Zambales were reportedly abducted by alleged military elements belonging to the Northern Luzon Command. Last month, two Pamalakaya leaders identified as Roger Viray and Sergio Viray were abducted by alleged military elements in Barangay Sapang Kawayan, Masantol, Pampanga. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:00 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya wrote UN Commissioner for Human Rights

Pamalakaya wrote UN Commissioner for Human Rights
on killings of Leftist leaders

In an attempt to stop what they called the military’s “roaring rampage of killing” political leaders and mass activists identified with the legal mainstream Left, the fisherfolk group Pamalakaya wrote the office of the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday to call the Geneva based HR body attention on the spate of killings and series of abduction against leaders and mass members of legal left-leaning groups.

In a letter sent to Mrs. Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap asked the commissioner to call the attention of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the unstoppable killings of political activists in the country by alleged members of the military, para-military groups and death squads.

Hicap said leaders, supporters and advocates of people’s rights and welfare are open targets of the Philippine government for political assassinations and human rights violations.

“Madam commissioner, the fresh wave of violence perpetrated by Manila government and its military, para-military troops and revived Death Squads against leaders, members and advocates of people’s issues and concerns in the Philippines has resulted to left and right violations of basic human rights, political killings, summary executions and involuntary disappearances over the last two weeks”, Hicap stressed in his letter to Arbour.

The Pamalakaya chair likewise asserted that the killings were done to sow reign of terror and silence critics of the government and the military establishment under the pretext of combating domestic and international terrorism.

“ These leaders and members of legitimate people’s organizations and cause-oriented groups are sweepingly branded as “ terrorists, communists and enemies of the state” and therefore are fair game and outright targets of state-sponsored terrorism”, Hicap told Arbour.

The latest victim of military atrocities was Rev. Father William Tadena, 37 years old and an Aglipayan priest based in La Paz town, Tarlac province. Unknown assassins gunned down the local church leader on Sunday morning, March 13, after officiating a celebrated Sunday mass.

The priest was a staunch supporter of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita, a sugar plantation owned by the family of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Prior to the brutal slay of Fr. Tadena, Tarlac City Councilor Abelardo Ladera, another supporter of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita and Romeo Sanchez, a human rights activist based in Northern Luzon were summarily executed by alleged military assassins belonging to the Northern Luzon Command of the military on March 3 and March 9 respectively putting the death toll to 11.

The UN Commission on Human Rights is legally bound and politically obliged to take necessary actions against the government and its military which had been violating human rights, human rights agreements and international humanitarian law in pursuit of its own narrow interests and objectives to the detriment of working people, human rights crusaders and civil libertarians in the Philippines.

The Philippine government is a signatory to various agreements referring to human rights and international humanitarian law like the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It has responsibilities and obligations to follow and uphold these UN covenants and international agreements for the protection of basic human rights. #



March 14, 2005

AN OPEN LETTER TO Commissioner Louise Arbour
THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

To: Madam Louise Arbour
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland

From: Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chairperson
18-A Mabuhay Street, Central District, Quezon City
Philippines

Re: Leaders, supporters and advocates of people’s rights and welfare are open targets of the Philippine government for political assassinations and human rights violations

Dear Madam Louise Arbour,

Warmest greetings in the name of peace based on social justice.

The Pamalakaya, a national federation of small fisherfolk organizations in the Philippines is writing in behalf of human rights victims to call you attention regarding the spate of political killings and other human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the military of the Philippine government under the administration of incumbent President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Madam commissioner, the fresh wave of violence perpetrated by Manila government and its military, para-military troops and revived Death Squads against leaders, members and advocates of people’s issues and concerns in the Philippines has resulted to left and right violations of basic human rights, political killings, summary executions and involuntary disappearances over the last two weeks.

The killings were done to sow reign of terror and silence critics of the government and the military establishment under the pretext of combating domestic and international terrorism since these leaders and members of legitimate people’s organizations and cause-oriented groups are sweepingly branded as “ terrorists, communists and enemies of the state” and therefore are fair game and outright targets of state-sponsored terrorism.

Data, which we obtained from human rights watchdog in the Philippines, revealed that the series of military campaign against activist leaders and members and their supporters produced at least 11 killings and 5 abductions from March 3 to 14 this year.

The latest victim of military atrocities was Rev. Father William Tadena, 37 years old and an Aglipayan priest based in La Paz town, Tarlac province. Unknown assassins gunned down the local church leader on Sunday morning, March 13, after officiating a celebrated Sunday mass. The priest was a staunch supporter of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita, a sugar plantation owned by the family of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. On November 16, violence erupted in the 6,000 hectare sugar estate when military and police elements stormed the picket lines resulting to death of 7 striking workers and wounding of over 100 strikers.

Prior to the brutal slay of Fr. Tadena, Tarlac City Councilor Abelardo Ladera, another supporter of striking workers in Hacienda Luisita and Romeo Sanchez, a human rights activist based in Northern Luzon were summarily executed by alleged military assassins belonging to the Northern Luzon Command of the military on March 3 and March 9 respectively putting the death toll to 11.

Most of the victims of state perpetrated violence were leaders, members and supporters of people’s organizations in the Philippines representing groups of farmers, marginalized fishermen, peasant women and organized labor, which the government and the Philippine military had sweeping accused as supporters of the communist-led New People’s Army, the same Jurassic method and dirty ploy employed by the ousted dictatorial regime of erstwhile Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos at the height of Martial Law from 1972 to 1986.

The UN bodies on Human Rights should act and call the attention of the Philippine government on the spate of political killings and other human rights violations against leaders, members and supporters of people’s organizations and cause-oriented groups in the country.

The UN Commission on Human Rights is legally bound and politically obliged to take necessary actions against the government and its military which had been violating human rights, human rights agreements and international humanitarian law in pursuit of its own narrow interests and objectives to the detriment of working people, human rights crusaders and civil libertarians in the Philippines.

The Philippine government is a signatory to various agreements referring to human rights and international humanitarian law like the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It has responsibilities and obligations to follow and uphold these UN covenants and international agreement for the protection of basic human rights.

As a party to the international agreements on these concerns, the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should compel, generate and solicit concrete actions from the Philippine government to stop these vicious political attacks, politically motivated killings and summary executions of people working to uplift, protect and uphold the Filipino people’s basic rights and welfare.

The unstoppable killings and round-the-clock persecution of leaders and mass members of people’s organizations and cause-oriented groups in the Philippines should be a major cause of alarm for the UN bodies on human rights, since a state which is participating party for the promotion of human rights is the one violating such principle and international dictum with impunity.

At this juncture, we reiterate our calls to the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to address this pressing issue and concern. We particularly ask your office Madam Louise Arbour to write and call the attention of the Office of the President and the military establishment in the Philippines to respond to charges of crimes and other human rights violations against legitimate people’s organizations.

If necessary, the UN bodies on Human Rights can conduct a full-blown inquiry on the spate of political killings and exercise whatever available appropriate powers the UN has to stop the Philippine government and its military from violating the basic rights of the people and frustrate the criminal state from exercising future crimes against the Filipino people’s basic human and political rights and civil liberties.

We hope the UN bodies for human rights through the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights can contribute to the promotion of basic human rights in the country by compelling the Philippine government and its military and police establishments to cease and desist from violating the people’s civil and political rights and stop the execution of people’s leaders and personalities in the name of state-sponsored terrorism.

In behalf of my fallen colleagues,

FERNANDO HICAP
National Chairperson
Pamalakaya-Philippines

For inquiries please write to Pamalakaya-Pilipinas
18-A Mabuhay Street Central District, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel. 0632-436-89-15, 0632-434-38-36
E-mail: pampil@skyinet.net

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 06:59 | link | comments |

Water tax plan

NWRB told to drop water tax plan
This stupidity has no place in this world, says Pamalakaya

Officials of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) on Friday were told to drop its’ proposal charging consumers of raw water in order to generate additional revenues to fund water resources development projects and compel consumers to conserve water.

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said “ such stupidity has no place in this world” and that the NWRB should think of better way of helping the people and protect the country’s water resources other than putting additional tax burden to the people.

“ The NWRB should drop this crazy proposal like a hot potato and stop this ultimate financial racket at the expense of 84 million Filipinos. If this water agency still has some shades of decency and rational thinking it would withdraw this horrendous proposal”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

NWRB Executive Director Ramon Alikpala said the government was trying to find a fee that is both socially sensitive and significant enough to encourage water conservation. He said the idea came from international water experts to help the government look for potential sources of fund to finance operation and maintenance of water facilities, recover investment costs and encourage productive and conservative use of water.

Hicap asserted that the proposal of NWRB was against the national interest of the Filipino people and in gross violation of the country’s national patrimony because the underlying cause of the proposal to tax raw water is the full-blown privatization of water resources.

“ How can this country of 7,107 islands separated by great bodies of water will experience water shortage? Not in our people’s imagination. The truth is the NWRB is conditioning public mind to accept the water tax plan which is a precursor to the grand plot to privatize water resources starting from its raw form up to delivery and distribution of water products”, he added.

Pamalakaya also blasted the NWRB for keeping its mouth shut on the proposed project of the Manila Water Works and Sewerage System (MWSS) to tap Laguna Lake, as possible source of drinking water would cost the endangered lake 146 billion liters of water a year or 400 million liters of water a day.

“ While the NWRB is so concerned about the conservation of water resources, it has maintained a silent mode on the grandiose MWSS project allowing water utilities like Maynilad and Manila Water to takeover the water resources of Laguna Lake for super profit ventures”, the group added.

Pamalakaya said under the proposed lake water project, Maynilad would distribute 300 million liters a day, while Manila Water will be in charge of distributing 100 million liters a day or 109.5 billion liters/year and 36.5 billion liters/year respectively.

The group said the MWSS project in Laguna Lake will deprive local communities livelihood like fishing, navigation and would affect the irrigation need of agricultural lands covering 102, 456 hectares of prime agricultural lands in Rizal and Laguna provinces and some parts of South Metro Manila. However, the group complained that 2.04 billion cubic meters of the lake is used annually for industrial cooling. Pamalakaya said 70 percent of the 2 billion cubic meters is being used by the power generating plants of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) like the Malaya TPP, Sucat TPP and Kalayaan TPP, while industries and factories surrounding the lake are using the rest. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:10 | link | comments (1) |

Eco-tourism project to wipe out 25 % of
Escalante City population, says fisherfolk group

Escalante, Negros Occidental- At least 25 percent of the total population of Escalante City in Negros Occidental, mostly small fisherfolk and urban poor will be displaced to give way to the ambitious eco-tourism project of the city government, according to the Negros chapter of the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

Pamalakaya-Negros said the eco-tourism project of Escalante city Mayor Santiago G. Barcelona Jr. would displace not less 20,000 residents in six barangays or one-fourth of the city’s total population of 80,000 people spread in 21 barangays.

According to the document obtained by Pamalakaya-Negros, the city government would convert the six barangays situated along Danao River into an eco-tourism, industrial and commercial zone that would be funded by foreign investors previously contacted by Mayor Barcelona Jr.

The eco-tourism project will cover over 300 hectares situated along the river shore of Danao River up to the open sea. The project would also entail the dismantling of 850 hectares of freshwater fishponds owned by big, medium size and small fishpond operators in six barangays namely Brgy. Hunob-Hunob, Brgy. Mabini, Brgy. Langob, Brgy. Alimango, Brgy. Old Poblacion and Brgy. Buenavista.

Leaders of Pamalakaya-Negros said Mayor Barcelona Jr. threatened fisherfolk and urban poor residents in six barangays that would be covered by the city development project, that they would be forcibly evicted and would be slapped with P 12,000 fine if they refuse to leave the place.

Pamalakaya-Negros also said local officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (PDWH), Provincial Legal Office and PNP-Negros were conniving with the local city government to eject protesting fisherfolk and urban poor residents in six barangays.

Mercenaries at work

The group said the city government of Escalante was reportedly employing the services of Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) and rebel returnees to harass, intimidate and threaten fisherfolk and urban poor residents if they refuse to sign the blank paper being circulated by local government officials. These former rebels turned military agents were reportedly persuading the people to sign a blank paper, which Pamalakaya-Negros described as one big political blackmail.

“ They were forcing the people to sign the blank paper and later they would make it appear to the public that the residents are supporting the city government project”, the group said.

Prior to the January 26 ocular inspection conducted by city officials in the areas covered by the project, residents said the RPA-ABB, a group former NPA rebels who were expelled by the NPA command operating in Negros Island for ideological bankruptcy, banditry and sheer crimes against the people, allegedly headed by a certain Ka Brendan were seen doing the rounds and convincing the people to give up the fight against the city government project.

A group of armed rebel returnees led by a certain Ka Dante joined the RPA-ABB group in pressuring the fisherfolk and urban poor residents to agree to vacate the barangays and allow development projects to proceed.

Chronicle of unfortunate events

Bulatlat.com learned that on January 26, officials of the city government of Escalante, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Provincial Legal Office (PLO) and Mobile Force of the Philippine National Police in Negros jointly launched an ocular inspection in the six barangays.

The following day, the inspection team declared illegal all structures constructed along Danao River including the house structures, fishponds and fences. On January 27, Ferdinand Alico, Escalante city agriculturist and Mayor Santiago issued an order telling all fisherfolk and urban poor residents to leave the place for illegal squatting.

On January 31, Mayor Barcelona conducted a mass meeting with some 800 residents inside the City Hall and told them that to dismantle all their houses and structures by March.

However, residents argued that many of them started occupying the area for 67years or since 1938 prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. “ Paano kami magiging iskwater? Nandito na kami bago pa sumiklab ang Second World War” (How can we be squatters? We have been here since time immemorial),” an old time occupant added.

Charges mulled against Barcelona and company

For his part, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said his group is now consulting with their lawyers in Manila what charges could be filed against Mayor Barcelona and other local government officials involved in the conversion case.

Aside from Barcelona, Pamalakaya said, the charge sheet will include regional officials of BFAR, DENR, DPWH, the Provincial Legal Office and the PNP-Negros. “ They want a fight, they would get want they want. We will loose their screws through protests, legal suits and all-out battle in the court of public opinion”, the group said.

“ We are mulling to file administrative, civil and criminal charges against Mayor Barcelona and his gang in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. We will consult our lawyers in Manila if this is case we have in mind is appropriate to Barcelona and other local government officials pursuing this anti-people development in Negros”, Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said the case will also be referred to the newly formed committee on Fisheries and Aquatic Resources chaired by Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte Sr. “ We will do our best to have this new version of Escalante massacre reach the halls of the House of Representatives”, the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:08 | link | comments (1) |

LGUs in Mindanao pressed: Ban Taiwanese tuna

LGUs in Mindanao pressed: Ban Taiwanese tuna

Leftist group backs tuna fishers’ fight vs. Taiwan tuna



The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), which is supporting the fight of tuna handline fisherfolk in General Santos and Sarangani province against what they called the “ invasion of foreign tuna” particularly Taiwanese tuna today asked the local government officials of General Santos City, Sarangani and Davao provinces to ban the entry of imported tuna from Taiwan and other tuna dumping nations.



“ We strongly urge the local governments of General Santos City, Sarangani and Davao to ban the entry and stop the mass flooding of Taiwanese tuna in their respective ports. They should not allow Taiwanese fishing vessels to dump tuna and kill the livelihood of small tuna fisherfolk and local tuna producers in the country”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.



Hicap echoed the same call to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, adding that the imposition of total ban on Taiwanese tuna is necessary following reports that Taiwanese and other foreign fishing boats are dumping non-export grade tuna daily in Davao Fish Port.



“ We cannot afford our small tuna fisherfolk to linger in hunger and poverty and our homegrown tuna industry dies before our eyes. The government must stop the Taiwanese and other tuna fish producing nations from dumping their surplus here in the name of WTO and fishing trading monopolies”, the militant leader said.



Hicap asserted the Taiwanese and other international fishing fleets’ dumping of imported tuna is killing the local tuna industry in the Philippines to the detriment of Filipino catch tuna operators and 40,000 small tuna fisherfolk in General Santos City and Sarangani province because the imported tunas are sold in the wet markets of Davao and General Santos.



“ President Arroyo should decisively act on this matter in favor and in behalf of small tuna operators and tuna handline fishermen in Sarangani and General Santos City before its too late”, he said. “ The government’s passive address to this homegrown economic undertaking in the South is slowly but surely killing the P 4.5 billion tuna industry”, Hicap added.



Pamalakaya blamed the government’s liberalized and very relaxed trade policies, which it said was an imposition from the corporate lords of World Trade Organization (WTO). Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the Fisheries Administrative Order 195 promulgated in 1999 by the Department of Agriculture (FAO 195) and Bureau of Fisheries for Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has allowed Taiwanese’ tuna carrying fishing boats and other foreign fishing vessels to dock and unload their tuna in Davao port.



Under FAO 195 Taiwanese tuna and other foreign fisheries products transported to the Philippines are supposed to be sold to institutional buyers, but the exporters and their local contacts managed to escape monitoring to bring the imported tuna to domestic markets.



Pamalakaya added: “ The Taiwanese fishing vessels and other foreign fishing boats will not come here to dump their low class and garbage tuna if not for President Arroyo’s obsession to follow the rules and please the Tuna syndicates in WTO”.



Pamalakaya said a total of 1.2 metric tons or 120 thousand kilos are being carried by 3- 4 Taiwanese fishing boats daily in Davao Fish Port and these thousands of Taiwanese tuna find their way in the wet markets of Davao, General Santos and Sarangani provinces.



The group said Taiwanese tuna is sold at P 60 per kilo in the wet market compared to P 120 per kilo price of local tuna. Pamalakaya said the massive dumping of heavily subsidized tuna imports would soon displace 40,000 tuna fishermen and over 200,000 people dependents.



“ While the country is being battered with daily barrage of imported tunas from Taiwan and other countries at the expense of its’ own tuna industry, our exports are extremely barred from entering other foreign territories because of very high tariffs and far-fetched requirements”, Pamalakaya said.



The European Union for instance had pegged its tariff on Philippine tuna between 12 to 24 percent to protect its own tuna industry, while the Philippine government had drastically reduced tariffs for imported tuna between 5 to l2 percent to accommodate surplus tuna from other countries under the Early Voluntary Sectoral Program (EVSL) under the WTO. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:29 | link | comments (1) |

AFP proposal to ban media interviews with state-branded terrorists

AFP proposal to ban media interviews with state-branded terrorists
KBP told: Remember Martial Law

The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday invoked the bad and sad memories of Philippine media during the Marcos dictatorship in reminding the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) that it is their duty to protect the free press from those who want it quelled.

Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz stressed the point after KBP today assured Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that they would deny airtime to " terrorist groups" after the military complained that some members of the media are granting interviews to alleged terrorists and enemies of the state.

" The KBP is duly obliged to protect the cause of press freedom and should not allow the military and the authoritarian state of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to silence public opinion and other ideas contrary to the corrupt and fascist regime", Corpuz said.

Corpuz added: " Unless the KBP wants a repeat of Martial Law in the country, Pamalakaya said the broadcaster group should live for the cause of press freedom and frustrate its enemies from killing the cause of objectivity, truth and honest-to-goodness reporting of news and opinions".

KBP president Ruperto Nicdao reminded television and radio networks on Monday that their licenses are covered by franchise laws that the government may summarily revoke for broadcasts that may jeopardize the "security of the state."

" But this state security doctrine is nothing but a national imposition that would deliver the final death blow to press freedom in the country now under attack from corrupt state police and trigger happy AFP elements allied with Malacañang", Pamalakaya said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye said on Monday that the broadcast industry's regulatory agency, the National Telecommunications Commission, "forbids the live airing of interviews that contain messages bordering on seditious."

The militant group said the AFP and the Office of the President were conniving to pressure players and media elements in the broadcast industry to deny alleged terrorist groups and perceived enemies of the state including the New People's Army and leftist organizations. " Malacañang and the AFP want themselves to be the two principal sources of news in the country.

But the problem is are they credible? How they could be credible where in fact, these two institutions are certified bastions of corrupt officials, fascists, puppets and top violators of human rights in the country", Pamalakaya said.#

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:28 | link | comments (1) |

Best Films and Performances of 2004

Best Film- Naglalayag (Maryo J. delos Reyes)
Runners Up: Minsan Pa (Jeffrey Jeturian), Sigaw (Yam Laranas), Milan (Olivia Lamasan), Panaghoy sa Suba (Cesar Montano)

Best Performances in Lead Category

Actress: Nora Aunor (Naglalayag)
Runners up: Juliana Palermo (Panaghoy sa Suba), Claudine Baretto (Milan)

Actor: Yul Servo (Naglalayag)
Runners up: Dennis Trillo (Aishite Imasu 1941), Jomari Ylanna (Minsan Pa)

Best Performances in Supporting Category

Actress: Chanda Romero (Naglalayag) and Rebecca Lusterio (Panaghoy sa Suba)

Runners up: Ara Mina ( Minsan Pa), Celia Rodriguez and Jaclyn Jose
(Naglalayag)

Actor: none

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 06:33 | link | comments (5) |

HUMANITARIAN MISSION USED AS COVER UP
U.S to recruit Pinoys for spy ops, says Pamalakaya

The left-leaning fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday said the United States government is planning to recruit Filipinos to help US spy troops to gather information against terrorists, including armed and unarmed political groups critical of the US presence in the country.

Citing the January 23,2005 Washington Post article titled “ Secret Unit Expands Rumsfeld’s Domain written by Barton Gellman, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the US clandestine group and initiative called “ Strategic Support Branch” will employ Filipinos to help American intelligence units in conducting espionage against alleged terrorists and perceived enemies of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and the United States.

“ The US military command and the puppet government of President Arroyo will exploit the Balikatan exercises this year to be able to gather intelligence against anti-US groups in the country. The American spy officers will persuade locals to join the US intelligence guys to soy on individuals and groups opposed to US military intervention in the country”, added Hicap.

A high ranking-official of the US State Department admitted the Washington Post that the United States had commissioned the services of notorious criminals in the Philippines for US spy activities in the country but the US government will not disclose their names to avoid public condemnation.

The staff of the US Embassy in Manila had denied existence of such intelligence initiative although they admitted that the American government is very much active in intelligence gathering against alleged terrorist groups like the Abu Sayyaf.

“ The Senate and the House of Representatives should immediately table this report about an intelligence undertaking in the country requiring mass recruitment of ordinary Filipinos and notorious criminals for American spy operations in the country”, Pamalakaya’s Hicap added.

It said Washington Post report about Pentagon’s plan to engage in overt and covert spy operations in the Philippines was a prima facie evidence against American military intervention and near future war of aggression in the Philippines.

Pamalakaya said the US government wanted to conduct spy activities in the Philippines undetected even if the country is not at war with Washington. “ The Philippines inclusion in the spy list of the United States had been brought to the attention of the national government, but the puppet administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains unperturbed over the new developments”, the group said.

Pamalakaya said the humanitarian missions conducted by the joint RP-US troops in North Quezon and Laguna resembled like a human intelligence gathering and mass recruitment of locals with the peacekeeping, relief and rehabilitation operations as cover up for such sinister agenda.

The militant group added that top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines either knew of the plan of the Pentagon or they were unaware of the spy campaign because the US State Department and the US Military Department do not want their espionage program be disclosed to the public. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:45 | link | comments |

MILITANTS SEE PALACE-DANDING DEAL BEHIND STOCK RIGHTS OPTION
Pamalakaya seeks Senate Blue Ribbon probe of gov’t appointed SMC officials who voted for stock rights option

The left-leaning fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) today asked the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate government appointed officials who all voted for the stock rights option that could dilute the government’s 41 percent stake in San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

“ The government appointees in SMC merely execute of what appeared as an under-the-table deal between Malacañang coconut billion peso babies and the Danding Cojuangco camp”, said Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz in a press statement.

Pamalakaya was one of the militant organizations, which filed a plunder complaint against Cojuangco in June 2003 for usurpation and malversation of coconut levy funds estimated at
P 135-B including accrued interests.

“ The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should treat this issue beyond the polemics and jargons of corporate rules, operations and ethics. This issue is a potential super blockbuster scam in the horizon that will involve not only Danding but the highest office in the land- the Office of the President”, Corpuz stressed.

Corpuz asked Senator Joker Arroyo, who heads the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to immediately call a full-blown investigation on what it called “ one of the biggest scams under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration”.

“ In the name of national interest and public trust, we strongly endorse an open and honest-to-goodness investigation to find out why government appointees in SMC voted in favor of the stock rights option that would undermine the coconut farmers’ quest to recover their legitimate interests in coco levy funds which was plundered by Danding to build his business empire”, the group’s spokesperson added.

Sen. Arroyo on Tuesday said the President should check the loyalty if not actually fire the 7-governemnt appointed directors in SMC who all voted for the stock rights option that would dissolve the 41 percent stake of the national government consisting 27 percent from the forfeited coconut levy funds and 14 percent of the combined shares of GSIS and SSS.

The government directors in SMC voted the stock rights offering of SMC to raise the corporate equity by P 18-B to P 20-B by issuing additional shares equivalent to 10 percent of its outstanding capital stock.

Pamalakaya said Cojuangco with his 20 percent shares in SMC, together with his allies- the Japan based- Kirin Brewery Ltd. (20 percent) and Henry Sy of SM (6 percent) will grab the opportunity to beef up his stake in SMC and frustrate future attempts aimed at recovering his 20 percent shares in SMC, which coconut farmers believed was part of the coconut levy funds.

The 7-government appointees to SMC who all voted in favor of stock rights option are GSIS President and Gen. Manager Winston Garcia, SSS president and CEO Corazon dela Paz and the give PCGG appointed directors- Menardo Jimenez, Leo Alvez, Victor Espiritu, Egmidio dela Silva Jose and Pacifico Fajardo.

Senator Arroyo said the issuance of new stocks could affect the balance of power in the country’s biggest food conglomerate and dilute the share of the government, which is the biggest stockholder of SMC.

“ The move done by government officials in SMC will pave way for Cojuangco dictatorship in SMC. This would enable Danding to exercise corporate powers to stop the coconut farmers campaign from recovering the coconut levy funds used to build SMC”, Pamalakaya added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:28 | link | comments |

Left-wing groups score Palace for national ID plans - March 02, 2005


This story was taken from www.inq7.net



http://news.inq7.net/infotech/index.php?index=1&story_id=28252

Left-wing groups score Palace for national ID plans
Posted 08:20pm (Mla time) Feb 21, 2005
By Alexander F. Villafania
INQ7.net


MALACAÑANG'S recent statements supporting the controversial national
identification document (ID) system has sparked renewed criticism from leftist groups who fear that the proposal may endanger civil liberties and
lead to to abuse by authorities.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and the Pambansang Lakas ng
Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), in separate statements,
denounced Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye's pronouncements that only those with multiple identities and amorous relationships should fear the national ID system.

Bayan Secretary General Renato M. Reyes, Jr. said that the proposed
measure could deprive citizens of their right to access services and restrict their freedom of movement. "Failure to present an ID can be used
as basis to deny citizens vital services such as transportation and medical treatment," he said.

Reyes also accused government of using the national ID system issue to
cover up for its incompetence in solving crime, corruption, and
terrorism.

Likewise, Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap argued that existing
government and private IDs containing personal details could be used
instead of the national ID system.

"The hell-bent, non-stop crusade displayed by Malacañang to execute the
national ID system reveals the ruling [administration's] real motive, and
that is to place the entire 84-million population in the spy web inside
the Palace war room," Hicap said.

Pamalakaya Information Officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said civic groups and
human rights organizations would challenge the national ID
implementation through the regional trial courts.

Malacañang's support came after a spate of recent bo
mbings in several cities. The national ID system was then brought up again by Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, with the support of Metro Manila mayors.

Several presidents have tried and failed to implement a national ID
system.The last major attempt was coursed through the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council (now the Commission on Information and Communications Technology) headed by Virgilio Peña.

©2005 www.inq7.net all rights reserved

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:27 | link | comments |

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