Gerry Albert Corpuz presents

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

Melo panel asked: Is GMA not responsible for killings?

“Is GMA not responsible for killings?”

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday asked the Melo Commission why it failed to cite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the no.1 political entity responsible for the extra-judicial killings of over 800 leftwing activists.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the 89-page Melo report singled out controversial Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan as the probable liable military official in the mass murder of leftwing activists allegedly perpetrated by the retired Army officer and his men under his command during his term in the military service.

Earlier, the group challenged the Department of Justice to re-open the Eden Marcellana-Eddie Gumanoy murder case, which was arbitrarily closed by the justice department last year. The murder of the two peasant advocates took place sometime in 2003, where Palparan was assigned as head of the 204th Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Naujan, Mindoro Oriental, prior to his transfer in Eastern Visayas and later in Central Luzon before his retirement last year.

“The Melo commission exculpates President Arroyo and members of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security and reduced the issue of political killings as mere past time of trigger happy troops to cover up the crimes of Malacañang and the Armed Forces and disprove public conclusion that the killings stemmed from a national policy written and directed by the militarist regime,” Hicap noted.

The militant leader said the Melo Commission intentionally omitted the culpabilities of President Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and military generals and commanders in areas where political killings took place.

“The public is 99% aware that the political killings of leftwing activists were conceptualized, planned and executed in accordance with Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and II, which is Arroyo administration’s political blueprint in eliminating its critics both in the underground and aboveground left movement,” Hicap added.

Malacañang yesterday announced that it will not interfere in Melo commission’s recommendations to bring Palparan and other perpetrators of extra-judicial killings before the bar of justice. But Palace spokesman and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the panel has yet to submit a copy of the report.

Yesterday, Esperon also admitted in a press conference that soldiers had been involved in the murder of political activists but the cases on the killings of leftwing activists had been investigated, adding that six soldiers are currently being probed regarding their involvement in the killing of leftist activists.

The AFP Chief said six soldiers were facing charges before military and civilian courts over their involvement in the killings of militant activists. He said one of them, Corporal Alberto Rafon was discharge from military service for the murder of Nicanor delos Santos, an Agta leader in Rizal. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:47 | link | comments |

European Union asked to support independent tribunal on political killings instead of helping GMA in probing slays

A group representing victims of political killings of leftwing activists on Wednesday urged the European Union to support an independent tribunal that would try government security forces on political killings instead of supporting the Melo Commission created by Malacañang to look into the spate of murder of leftwing activists since 2001.

“The Melo Commission lacks credibility and it has no support of relatives and organizations representing victims of extra-judicial killings across the country. The European Union should take this highly relevant and important concern in taking up the cause for truth and justice,” the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap made the pitch, a day after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced that she would seek the help of European Union to assist in the Melo Commission’s work in probing the left and right slay of leftwing activists.

“The relatives of victims of political killings and their representatives are willing to tell the stories on the 825 cases of political assassinations staged by the Arroyo government, and they would only share their accounts to an independent body free from government intervention, coercion and black propaganda,” Hicap added.

Last year, Pamalakaya sent copies of a primer on political killings published by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) to the embassies of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands, China, Japan, Canada and Australia stating the government’s counter-insurgency plan Oplan Bantay Laya as the bible of the government security forces in killing activists identified with alleged front groups of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The European Union last week reiterated its call to the Macapagal-Arroyo government to stop the murder of leftwing militants and threatened to pull-out their investments in the country if the government fails to stop the killings and hold those responsible accountable.

“The European Union should not allow itself to be manipulated by the criminal government of President Arroyo to cover up its crimes against humanity. Mrs. Arroyo, her generals and military-backed death squads are on trial here for the murderous frenzy over the last five years,” Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said the European Union had hosted before a People’s Tribunal that tried the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos for gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity. The trial was held in the mid-80s prior to the collapse of the Marcos dictatorship.

“We can have a repeat of that and we ask the European Union and the European people’s all-out support for an independent, people-led tribunal in trying the world’s certified human rights violators like the Arroyo administration, its national security officers and military generals,” the group said.

Pamalakaya said an independent people’s tribunal should name President Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Army Major General Jovito Palparan and other military generals and commanders as respondents.

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:45 | link | comments |

After Melo panel tags him behind extra-judicial killings
DoJ dared to re-open, file new charges vs. Palparan

The left-wing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) pressed the Department of Justice (DoJ) to re-open the criminal charges filed against controversial retired Army Maj. General Jovito Palparan in connection with the brutal killing of human rights advocates Eden Marcellana and Eduardo Gumanoy in Mindoro Oriental during his tenure as chief of the 204th Infantry Brigade from 2001 to 2003.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap likewise demanded Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to file new criminal charges and account “The Butcher” for the widespread political killings in Eastern Visayas and Central Luzon where Palparan was accused of masterminding 199 and 136 cases of political killings respectively.

Hicap pressed for the re-opening of the Marcellana-Gumanoy double murder case a day after the Melo Commission hold Palparan and other military commanders responsible for extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists.

“Justice secretary Raul Gonzales has no choice but to bring back his sanity and address the legitimate and moral call to his department to re-open the Marcellana-Gumanoy case and file a deluge of criminal charges against Palparan, including his superiors in the military,” the militant leader added.

The Gumanoy-Marcellana double murder case was filed by militant groups and activist party lists in 2003, but Pamalakaya’s Hicap said despite damning evidence against Palparan and his military associates, the case was dismissed by Secretary Gonzales upon the order of higher ups in Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Pamalakaya lambasted Palparan and Army Chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, former commnader of the military’s Northern Luzon Command, under which Palparan’s command operated for absolving themselves in the killing of 136 activists in Central and Northern Luzon.

“These two generals are certified liars. History will judge them. They cannot escape the verdict of the people,” the militant group added.

Pamalakaya said the military commanders whom Palparan worked with, along with members of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security should be held responsible for the killings.

The group said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and other members of cabinet security cluster should have been cited in the Melo Commission as responsible for extra judicial killings under the principle of command responsibility.

“The commission failed to mention the names of Ermita, Gonzales and company. Palparan used to get orders from this GMA bunch of political criminals. As for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who still enjoys an illegitimate presidency and presidential immunity, she would have her day in court,” Pamalakaya added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:53 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya reminds GMA: What you have eaten in Hong Kong were stolen from RP by Chinese poachers

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) agreed with Senator Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal that part of the exotic marine dishes that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo used to partake during her official and unofficial visits in Hong Kong were stolen from the Philippine waters by Chinese poachers.

“President Arroyo and members of the First Family enjoying their official and private rest and recreation activities in Hong Kong or probably in Beijing are regularly treated with stolen marine treasures from the country,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

Hicap added: “Senator Madrigal is right in saying that Mrs. Arroyo used to partake gastronomic delights from marine life plundered by Chinese poachers,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, who was invited by Senator Madrigal during her privilege speech at the Senate yesterday regarding the regular illegal fishing activities of Chinese fishermen.”

“The President has been experiencing stomach troubles since last year. This could be the punishment for eating stolen marine life that emanates from wholesale endorsement of China’s perpetual violations of the country’s national sovereignty and patrimony and her sheer puppetry to the ruling capitalist emperor in Beijing,” Pamalakaya said.

The militant group also supported the call of Senator Madrigal calling for the resignation of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales and the removal from the DoJ the control of the prosecution of offenses and therefore minimize questionable plea bargaining to accommodate foreign poachers.

“Secretary Gonzales is acting as if he is the head of the legal panel for the defense of Chinese poachers caught ransacking the wealth of Tubbataha Marine Reef Park. The injustice secretary’s order to drop the cases against the Sino raiders of Tubbataha emanated from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, nothing more, nothing less,” Pamalakaya said.

Pamalakaya also said the Senate in aid of legislation must immediately compel the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to issue hold departure order against the 30 Chinese fishermen charged for poaching and transfer the hearing of the case in the National Capital Region to stop Malacañang from settling the case in Palawan and allow the backdoor escape of charged Chinese poachers.

The militant group reiterated its call for the Senate Committee on Environment to subpoena Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto Romulo and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on the release of 30 Chinese poachers upon the discovery of the letter of Chinese Ambassador Ji Linjun to Romulo and Yap asking the two Cabinet secretaries to facilitate the release of Chinese poachers in the name of RP-China relations.

Pamalakaya had also sought the resignations of Romulo and Yap following the discovery of the ambassador urgent letter to the two officials. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:50 | link | comments |

Fisherfolk militants to boycott GMA election summit

“It is stranger than fiction”- Pamalakaya

 

Rabid critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday said they would boycott the Palace initiated “four-party summit” that seeks to draw up a comprehensive plan to assure the public of a credible and fraud-free elections in May 14, 2007.

 

“It is stranger than fiction. We have no option but to boycott this Palace called election summit and instead form a broad and independent watchdog community,” the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

 

This is not the first time Pamalakaya called for a boycott or non-participation of Malacañang initiated group. Last year, the activist fisherfolk group called for a boycott of the Melo Commission tasked by the government to look into spate of political killings of leftwing activists allegedly perpetrated by state security forces and military-backed death squads.

 

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap suggested that a credible watchdog should be composed of church-based groups, credible electoral and political personalities and independent groups with proven track record of political honesty and moral persuasion in accordance with the common good and public interest.

 

Hicap that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other religious and credible organizations spearhead the formation of broad watchdog group totally independent from Malacañang and other government agencies.

 

“We should guard Malacañang in this upcoming political exercise. The basis for existence of any electoral watchdog is to watch Mrs. Arroyo, her Palace boys and her rabid politicians. Remember the May 2004 elections should be the battle cry and rallying political slogan of any independent watchdog,” the militant leader asserted.

 

President Arroyo on Monday said she was calling a four-party election summit among the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the CBCP, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and election watchdogs to ensure clean and peaceful elections.

 

But Pamalakaya said President Arroyo or her government has no credibility and therefore has no right to call for an election summit, adding that the present administration was the beneficiary of the biggest election fraud that took place in the May 2004 national elections.

 

“The Malacañang orchestrated election summit deserves the people’s wholesale rejection and political boycott. Only credible and partisan for truth groups are capable of drawing the public participation, definitely not this cheating regime,” the group added.

 

The CBCP said in its pastoral letter that it was high time for the Filipinos to get their acts together to make the synchronized elections in May free from fraud and violence. Its head, CBCP President Angel Lagdameo said,” many of our current political problems which have hindered full economic development and social justice, especially for the poor, can be traced to unresolved questions concerning the conduct of past elections. As a nation, we cannot afford yet another controversial electoral exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness.” #

 

 

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:49 | link | comments |

Fish sanctuaries used as license to
kill fishers in Bohol, Pamalakaya report says

The government’s drive to protect declared fish sanctuaries in three municipalities of Bohol allegedly gave license police authorities and fish warderns to kill fishermen sighted fishing near the protected sites.

According to report by the fact finding team led by Bol-anong Kahugpongan sa mga Kabus nga Nanagat ug Nangisda (Bokkana-Bohol), an affiliate of the militant fisherfolk federation Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) revealed that 4 cases of indiscriminate firing took place between September to December last year, victimizing adult and minor fishermen in the coastal municipalities of Carlos P. Garcia, Bien Unido and Talibon, all in Bohol province.

“The government’s primary concern to protect fish sanctuaries to lure foreign investors and tourists in the province resulted to the strafing of small fishermen and destruction of their fishing boats in many occasions. The national and local governments are whipping the demon that is Fisheries Code of 1998 to deny the fishermen of their rights to life and livelihood,” lamented Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair.

Citing the report of the fact finding mission conducted by Bokkana-Bohol, Pamalakaya-Central Visayas, Anakpawis-Central Visayas, Bayan Muna-Bohol and Karapatan-Central Visayas last January 17-19, 2007, Hicap enumerated the cases of strafing and frustrated murder perpetrated by members of government sea patrols since September last year.

• On September 16, the combined elements of Philippine National Police, Regional Mobile Group, Philippine Navy and deputized fish wardens attacked Andy Dalanon, 28 years old and two other companions while fishing near declared fish sanctuaries in Carlos P. Garcia.
• On November 16, fisherman Richie Abenido, 20 years old and Edward Abenido, 12 years old and their cousin Bolic Quisto were chased by and strafed by sea wardens patrolling near fish sanctuaries in Carlos P. Garcia. The victims identified one of their perpetrators as SPO1 Leo Aumentado.
• On December 5, 2006, Carlito Juntilla and four other fishermen were strafed by sea wardens in Carlos P. Garcia for alleged illegal fishing near Danajon Coral Reef Marine Park. The perpetrators were identified as SPO1 Cortes and SPO1 Aceron, both members of RMG Region 7.
• On December 20, Jasper Cuizon, 15 years old, Emiliano Cabag and his son, 9 years old Lester Cabag and Armin Lopez, 16 years old were chased and strafed by members of the sea patrol. Cuizon was hit in his buttocks and remains bed ridden up to now due to the strafing incident.

“The local government of Bohol, upon the instructions of greedy and corrupt people in Malacañang is using the Fisheries Code of 1998 as an economic and development template to declare Bohol as certified tourist province including its bodies of waters as prime attractions to foreign guests at the expense of small fisherfolks. This is unacceptable and unpardonable,” Hicap added.

“The fisheries code which is hyped by the government as a central law to protect the rights of small fishermen and the environment is now the same law that denies their right to life and violate all basic human rights and exercise of economic rights,” the militant leader added. Pamalakaya said they will bring the issue of the round-the-clock strafing of fishermen by government sea patrols in Bohol in their across the nation electoral forum beginning January 26.

The militant group will hold series of dialogue forum among senatorial candidates in the May 14, 2007 elections and will ask the candidates what they could do to resolve the issues regarding the strafing of small fishermen in Bohol province by government security forces. Among those invited and would be asked to share their views on Bohol incidences are Senate President Manuel Villar, Senator Ralph Recto, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero, Rep. Allan Peter Cayetano and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:59 | link | comments |

Political storm to hit Palace if GMA vetoes P 125 wage law, leftists warn

Two militant groups on Tuesday predicted said that a major political storm will hit Malacañang Palace once President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vetoes the P 125 wage law passed by both Houses of Congress.
In a joint press statement, the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and the agricultural worker group Unyon ng Mga Mangagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) warned the Chief Executive of a brewing major political storm if she fails to enact the law granting P 125 in the daily take home pay of private workers.

“Expect a worker led people power to be staged in Mendiola Bridge that would rock the ruling the political mafia in Malacañang,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

President Arroyo and labor secretary Arturo Brion last week assured big business groups that Malacañang would veto the P 125 wage hike law passed by Congress. Yesterday the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment adopted the House Bill granting private workers a P 125 pay hike spread over three years.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, the Senate chair committee said the only change he made in the House Bill was date the measure, it enacted, takes effect from October last year to January 2007.

Hicap said workers all over the country should stage an across-the-nation daily or weekly protest in Malacañang and other key urban centers nationwide to pressure President Arroyo to sign the wage hike law.

“All workers must exercise their potent tool, including the staging of nationwide strike to pressure the anti-worker president to sign the wage measure into a national law. In case, President Arroyo rebuffs, a more engaging and high level of protest should be staged to punish the anti-worker and political criminal in Malacañang,” the Pamalakaya leader added.

For his part, UMA national chair Rene Galang said Congress, after having been passed the P 125-wage hike bill and before going on semestral break to pave way for the election campaign period must pass a related law abolishing all wage boards nationwide.

“In the highest interest of the Filipino working class, we strongly demand Congress to repeal of RA 6727 other wise known as the Wage Rationalization Act. This is the best follow up our legislators could do before they take a break and seek fresh mandate from the people,” Galang added.

Pamalakaya and UMA likewise lambasted the five regional wage boards that issued resolutions calling the Senate to stop deliberating on the proposed wage hike bill, stressing that the wage boards were acting like rabid town criers of big business groups associated with the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

The militant groups said the Ilocos, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga region should be held in contempt of the Senate and the House for disturbing the work of Congress in the name of President Arroyo and her business clients allergic to any wage hike. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:56 | link | comments |

Militants declare Senate as new battle ground for P 125 wage hike fight

Leftwing leaders of the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday declared the Philippine Senate as the new battle ground for the passage of the proposed P 125 wage increase.

“The Senate should make history by approving the P 125 wage increase bill including the corrections to the version of the House of Representatives which gave its okay to the proposed hike in installment basis for three years,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap referring to the P 45-P40-P40 wage increase per year beginning 2007.

The Senate will resume its hearing on the proposed wage hike on Monday, but militant labor groups will start their mass action today with a vigil rally at the Senate grounds starting today to dramatize their plight, especially the need for increase in the daily take home pay.

Pamalakaya, a staunch ally of the leftist labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) suggested the Senate to cover 50,000 fishpond and aquaculture workers and 250,000 fish workers in commercial fisheries sector as beneficiaries of the wage hike law.

While the House of Representatives has passed House Bill 345 granting P 125 in the daily take home pay of private workers over three years, the Senate is still deliberating on Senate Bill 2030 seeking a one-time P 100-day wage increase.

“The wage increase is highly sensitive issue that would make or unmake a senator in the May 14, 2007 national elections. The position of incumbent and re-electionist senators on this politically explosive issue would affect their present and long-term political standing and career,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap said.

Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said the Senate must address the widespread poverty caused by the government and big business policy of keeping wages at depressed levels, saying the P 125 increase in the daily take home pay of private workers is long overdue.

“The Senate is historically, politically and morally obliged to take the side of the working people across the country if they want to be relevant to 86 million Filipinos. They have no choice but to uphold the legitimate interest of the Filipino workers, as if they have a choice,” Corpuz added.

Corpuz said the passage of P 125 wage increase has become a political and economic necessity for the country. Citing the recent study made by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) that each family of six needs P 768 per day to survive in Metro Manila, the Pamalakaya spokesman said the P 350 minimum wage which prevailed for non-agricultural workers is way, way below of the required amount for a family of six to survive.

“That’s why the wage issue is an electoral issue and a brewing electoral fight in this coming national elections. Everybody would be asked about their viewpoints on this very, very urgent matter,” Corpuz added.

The NWPC also said the P 350 minimum wage is actually worth P 245.61 today based on the present inflation rate. In the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), this has the lowest minimum wage pegged at P 200 a day, a family of 6 needs P 1,008 a day to survive. However, the nominal basic pay of P 200 if translated to a real wage would only be P 136.71 today. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:55 | link | comments |

GMA says Pinoys enjoying economic boom, they just don’t know it
President needs psychiatric treatment, reality check, says Pamalakaya

Staunch critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday advised President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to undergo a psychiatric treatment and “three-times a day reality check after the country’s Chief Executive over the weekend said Filipinos are experiencing the benefits of the country’s economic boom, they just don’t know it yet.

“It is about time for President Arroyo to seek a psychiatric help. She needs the help of a political and economic neurologist,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement. “She’s in the state of political delusion,” Hicap added.

In a televised forum over the weekend, President Arroyo got back at her critics, stressing that economic gains could be felt in the low prices of basic goods and services because the strong peso offset the surge in oil prices.

The President said there was a consumer boom in the country, as seen from the surging property market which has hit a 25-year high and the shopping mall construction activity, with SM putting up five new malls and rival Robinsons constructing four new shopping centers this year.

Mrs. Arroyo further added that the 4.3 percent inflation rate, which stopped the movement of prices of basic commodities and services at their lowest levels in three years, predicting an economic boom in 2007 and the possibility of reaching 7.1 percent growth this year.

But Pamalakaya’s Hicap refuted President Arroyo’s rosy picture of the economy. Citing the government’s own statistics, the living wage in the National Capital Region grew by 11 percent from
P 690 in December 2005 to P 768 in December 2006 against the prevailing minimum wage of P 350 per day.

“More and more people are joining the ranks of starving and hungry Filipinos because of Malacañang’s policy to keep wages at depressed levels,” he said.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on Saturday said the actual worth of the
P 350 in the daily take home pay of workers in NCR is P 245.61 today, which is short of P 522.39 a day. In the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, which has the lowest minimum wage of P 200, its actual worth is only P 136.71.

“Mrs. Arroyo, who is a self-proclaimed economics professor, is teaching or telling the people of something that do not exist, “Hicap added.

Pamalakaya is supporting the proposed P 125 wage bill now pending before the Senate. The Upper House is deliberating on its own version Senate Bill 2030 seeking a one-time P 100 wage hike. The House of Representatives recently passed the P 125 wage bill granting wage increases on installment basis- P 45 on first year, P 40 on the second and third year.

The militant group said the wage issue is a politically explosive issue, warning senators that their position on the issue could affect their standing either as incumbent or re-electionist senators. “The wage issue is a make or break issue for the senators and a matter of life and death for the Filipino workers. At this point, the Senate has become the new battle ground for long overdue pay increase,” Pamalakaya said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:53 | link | comments |

Two groups ask Senate, House to repeal law creating RWBs
Regional Wage Boards irrelevant, leftists say

Two militant groups on Monday said the country’s regional wage boards are irrelevant to Filipino workers, and therefore should be abolished by Congress in aid of legislation.

In a joint press statement, the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and the agricultural worker group Unyon ng Mga Mangagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) said established regional wage boards across the country are unproductive and practiced extreme bias to big business.

“It is high time for our lawmakers to correct past blunder by scrapping or repealing the law that created this monster,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, referring to Republic Act No.6727 otherwise known as the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, that was passed by Congress during the term of President Corazon Aquino.

For his part, UMA national chair Rene Galang said Congress has two unfinished businesses before both Houses go on semestral break to pave way for the election campaign period- pass the P 125 wage hike bill and abolish all wage boards across the archipelago.

“In the highest interest of the Filipino working class, we strongly demand Congress to okay the passage of pay hike bill and the repeal of RA 6727. This is the best thing our legislators could do before they take a break and seek fresh mandate from the people,” Galang added.

Pamalakaya and UMA likewise lambasted the five regional wage boards that issued resolutions calling the Senate to stop deliberating on the proposed wage hike bill, stressing that the wage boards were acting like rabid town criers of big business groups associated with the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

The militant groups said the Ilocos, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga region should be held in contempt of the Senate and the House for disturbing the work of Congress in the name of President Arroyo and her business clients allergic to any wage hike.

“The Senate and the House of Representatives must teach these regional wage boards something they would not forget for a lifetime. Wage board’s officials are waging a de facto war against our Filipino workers and lawmakers,” Pamalakaya and UMA added.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on Saturday said the actual worth of the
P 350 in the daily take home pay of workers in NCR is P 245.61 today, which is short of P 522.39 a day. In the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, which has the lowest minimum wage of P 200, its actual worth is only P 136.71.

Pamalakaya and UMA both allies of the left-leaning labor alliance Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) is supporting the proposed P 125 wage bill now pending before the Senate. The Upper House is deliberating on its own version Senate Bill 2030 seeking a one-time P 100 wage hike. The House of Representatives recently passed the P 125 wage bill granting wage increases on installment basis- P 45 on first year, P 40 on the second and third year.

The militant groups said the wage issue is a politically explosive issue, warning senators that their position on the issue could affect their standing either as incumbent or re-electionist senators. “The wage issue is a make or break issue for the senators and a matter of life and death for the Filipino workers. At this point, the Senate has become the new battle ground for long overdue pay increase,” they said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:52 | link | comments |

P 200 B antipoverty plan in Luzon, a sham
People can’t eat super highways, says Pamalakaya

The national government has reportedly earmarked a total of P 200 B for its anti-poverty program in Central Luzon, but as expected, it failed to impress the president’s critics.

Calling it a sham and bogus anti-poverty program, leaders of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said poverty alleviation projects of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration was meant not to improve the poor living condition of ordinary people in the region, but to provide super infrastructures for big businesses in Central Luzon.

“People can’t eat super highways, so how come they would benefit from these projects. The projects should be categorized as super road show presentations intended for profit starved investors literally and politically speaking,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Hicap added: “The people need land, jobs, food and justice, not super highways that would bear the names of Mrs. Arroyo’s relatives and close political associates.”

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the anti-poverty programs in Luzon Urban Beltway super region will not fail because 68 percent of the P 372-B budget and projects for the countryside five super regions in Luzon island are heavily clustered and concentrated in LUB area.

P 200 B project was intended to fund mega infrastructure projects like the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, South Luzon Expressway Toll Road, LRT1-MRT3 Loop, NLEx-SLex connection vis C5, Subic Bay Port Development, Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Dingalan (Aurora) Road, Marikina Infanta Road, North Rail-South Rail Linkage, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, North Rail, Roro Port linking Lucena and Boac and LRT Line 1 South Extension.

Pamalakaya said the implementation of these projects would entail the massive demolition of urban poor communities from North to South, as well as widespread displacement of North and South Luzon farmers, fisherfolk and workers from their work places.

“While these projects would demolish over 500,000 urban poor homes and communities and affect over 1,000 million jobs from agricultural and manufacturing sectors, it would only employ less than 10,000 jobs. More and more people would join the ranks of starving millions,” the group added.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said 20 percent or P 40-B of the P 200 B “anti-poverty program” will go to corruption, saying by orientation and by practice, the national government and its favored contractors automatically cut 20 percent of the cost per project.

The militant leader said President Arroyo might even the use the funds to campaign for her chosen senatoriables and local candidates in the May 14 2007 elections. Hicap said, the projects would be undertaken as projects of the Arroyo administration and would be used to drumbeat the bogus success of the administration.

“Expect Mrs. Arroyo to use giant billboards of the Department of Public Works and Highways bearing her name and the names of her senatorial, congressional and local candidates during the campaign season,” Hicap added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:57 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya mulls kidnapping charges vs. Masbate
cops over abduction of 2 members

Leaders of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday threatened to file kidnapping and other criminal charges against members of the 5th Regional Mobile Group in San Jacinto, Masbate over the abduction of two of their active members last week.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said two of their members- Danilo Cabarles, 37 years old and wife Jean Fernandez Cabarles, 29 years old were arrested by a team of 5th RMG of Masbate PNP last January 15, while fishing in municipal waters of San Fernando.

“The members of the 5th RMG were guilty beyond reasonable doubt of political kidnapping and abduction. There were no charges filed against our two members, therefore, the Masbate police should also be held liable for illegal arrest and detention,” Hicap said in a press statement.

For his part, Pamalakaya-Masbate chapter chairperson Darwin Avila said the Cabarles couple was abducted by Masbate police because of their active involvement in anti-Arroyo protests in the island province. He said the fisher couple was in the frontline in opposing the illegal fishing activities of commercial fishing operators in Masbate and in Ticao Island, which he said was protected by the local police.

“My colleagues have been exposing the illegal fishing activities of big time commercial fishing operators who are protected by the local police. The police don’t like their involvement in Pamalakaya and in exposing and opposing the intrusion of commercial fishing vessels in the province,” Avila said.

Avila also said the Cabarles couple was also active in opposing the intensifying all-out war of the government and the military in the province.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the arrest of the Cabarles couple was a proof that the second installment of the counter-insurgency campaign Oplan Bantay Laya was in effect. The militant leader said the Masbate RMG planted high powered fire arms so they could charge the Cabarles couple of illegal possession of firearms and misrepresent them to media and the public as active members of the New People’s Army in the province.

“That’s the Masbate police game plan there when they arrested the Cabarles couple,” the militant leader said.

Pamalakaya said Oplan Bantay Laya II was meant to continue the spate of political killings of leftwing activists engineered by state security forces. The group said six priority regions under Oplan Bantay Laya II are Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and South Mindanao.

The militant group the first batch casualties under Oplan Bantay Laya II were Rodolfo Alvarado of Bayan Muna-Albay chapter and Jose Maria Cui, professor and human rights activists in Northern Samar, who were gunned down by alleged military-funded death squads.

Pamalakaya said the Cabarles couple was the first aboveground activists arrested by state security forces under Oplan Bantay Laya II. “The military will further intensify political assassination and persecution of leftwing activists and people’s organizations, which they alleged as front personalities and groups of the CPP across the country,” the group stressed. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:55 | link | comments |

Militants to sue AFP officials, troops
campaigning against leftwing party lists

Leaders of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday said they would file criminal and other appropriate charges against officials and rank-and-file members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines caught campaigning against left-leaning party list groups in the May 2007 national elections.

Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap their group will also seek the dismissal of military officials or any member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from military service once caught engaging in black propaganda campaign against legitimate party list groups seeking congressional seats in the May polls.

Hicap issued the warning after the commander of the AFP Civil Service Relations officer in Metro Manila Major Michael Samson, during a press briefing inside Camp Aguinaldo. urged voters to reject party list groups which are front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

The AFP officer in National Capital Region said the Armed Forces supported the call of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales to all Filipino voters to reject CPP front party list groups because they are manipulating the weakness of the political system to advance the communist agenda.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said they are now consulting their legal counsel on what charges they would file against Samson and security adviser Gonzales for engaging in partisan and dirty politics at the expense of legitimate party list groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela, three of the militant party lists accused by military as front organizations of the CPP.

“Major Samson and Gonzales would have their days in court. Definitely criminal and administrative charges would be filed against them in the very near future. We will also seek the dismissal of Samson from military service, because he is not only engaged in partisan and dirty politics, he has also endorsed the physical elimination of militant party lists by tagging them as CPP fronts,” Hicap added.

For his part, Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately pull out all government troops deployed in the countryside to allow voters to cast their votes, free from any military harassment and intimidation.

“Reports are reaching our office that government troops are saturating their areas and threatening the people of military reprisal if the voters would vote for leftwing party lists branded by the AFP and Malacañang as CPP-backed or front groups. The Comelec must stop this political evil,” Corpuz added.

Pamalakaya said government troops are conducting house-to-house campaign urging residents not vote for leftwing party lists groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela. The group said they are now collating all the information and would soon file criminal charges against military officials and government troops engaged in partisan, brutal and immoral politics.

“We will teach them a lesson of a lifetime. The voice of the people should prevail and not the narrow militarist interest of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration,” the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:46 | link | comments |

AFP to intensify political killings of leftwing activists in Central Luzon, 5 other regions under Oplan Bantay Laya II, says Pamalakaya

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday said the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COCIS) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will concentrate killings of leftwing activists in Central Luzon and 5 other priority regions under Oplan Bantay Laya II.

Saying the massive deployment of troops in at least 6 regions all over the country, the Malacañang internal security committee and COCIS will escalate assassinations of leftwing activists in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and South Mindanao.

“Aside from massive deployment of troops, the intense intelligence work being conducted by the military on underground and aboveground personalities in these areas is proof that the government backed-death squads will continue to perform political assassinations both on regional and provincial scales,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

Citing recent pronouncements of AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. about the military’s plan to reduce Red fronts by 24 out of the active 52, Hicap said latest military targets show that the government backed death squads will continue to prey on militant leaders and activists in the several provinces of Central Luzon like Bulacan and Pampanga under the 7th Infantry Division of the AFP.

He said political killings might take place in several provinces of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions under the 5th Infantry Division of the armed forces.

Still based on the deployment and active operations of the AFP, Pamalakaya’s Hicap noticed that in Southern Tagalog, the AFP funded intelligence and death squad units are focusing on Laguna, Rizal and Quezon as prime targets for Oplan Bantay Laya II

Pamalakaya said the spate of political killings in Albay and Sorsogon provinces since December last year showed that the two provinces are now the military’s priority areas in eliminating aboveground activists in the Bicol region.

The militant group also took note of the re-intensified deployment of troops and massive intelligence work employed by the military by the AFP Central Visayas Command as reported by their local chapters in Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Cebu provinces.

“This means the Central Command of the AFP will also prioritize the killing of leftwing activists in Eastern and Central Visayas based on the deployment and intensified intelligence work by military and para-military personnel,” Pamalakaya said.

Campaign vs. militant party lists part of OBL II

Pamalakaya said the directive of Major Michael Samson, the AFP Civil Relations Service officer in National Capital Region to the military to campaign against militant party lists, which the armed forces alleged as front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is part of the five major offensives of Oplan Bantay Laya.

“The active partisan campaign of the AFP against left-leaning party list groups is part of the propaganda offensive under Oplan Bantay Laya II, nothing more, nothing less,” the group said.

The four other offensives of Oplan Bantay Laya II are military, legal, economic and political offensives, which are the same features of the first Oplan Bantay Laya implemented by the military against underground and above ground organizations from 2002-2006.

Pamalakaya said the role of Palace-created Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) is to build up criminal cases against underground and aboveground personalities, including leaders of militant party list groups and people’s organizations, which the military alleged as CPP front groups.

NCR, other urban centers as laboratory for urban militarization

Pamalakaya said the deployment of government troops in key cities and urban centers in National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon is part of the experiment of the armed forces for urban militarization.

The group agreed with Anakpawis party list Rep. Rafael Mariano that the military command in NCR is employing the formula of retired Army Maj. General Jovito Palparan saturating key cities and urban centers with military to conduct heavy intelligence work among leaders and members of left-leaning groups and set them up as prime targets of death squads for elimination.

Pamalakaya said they would ask senators and congressmen to conduct a full-blown inquiry on Oplan Bantay Laya II and demand the presentation and assessment by the military of the first Oplan Bantay Laya.

“Oplan Bantay Laya 1 was a failure, that’s why they revived it for the second time around,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:44 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya enlists 100 leaders for Fisherfolk Voters Academy

Some 100 national and local leaders of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) will get a crash course on pro-people electoral participation through the launching of Fisherfolk Voters Academy (FVA) next week at UP Diliman Campus in Quezon City.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the first 100 fisherfolk leaders that would be enrolled and get crash course on RV 101 at the initial staging of the FVA would come from La Union, Bataan, Bulacan, Zambales, National Capital Region, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate.

Hicap said the first staging of FVA would invite senatorial hopefuls in the May 2007 elections which include former Senators Loren Legarda and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, incumbent senators Senate President Manuel Villar, Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan, opposition candidates Rep. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito and Alan Peter Cayetano and congressmen Rafael Nantes and Erin Tañada of Quezon province.

The militant leader said they would not invite rabid and staunch pro-Arroyo senatoriables and politicians, adding that the academy will be restricted to anti-Arroyo and friendly politicians. Hicap said the scholars would soon decide whom to endorse in the May 10 elections not later than February 13, the start of the election campaign.

“The fisherfolk leaders will be trained and properly oriented on sectoral and multisectoral advocacy particularly on pressing national issues and agenda and how they would campaign for these issues as electoral agenda in dealing with national and local candidates,” Hicap said.

He said Pamalakaya leaders are planning to conduct the second staging of FVA in Cebu City for fisherfolk groups in Eastern, Central and WesternVisayas next month, and the third staging in Davao City for fisherfolk organizations based in Caraga, Western, Southern and Far South Mindanao.

Hicap said the fisherfolk electoral scholars would be tasked to raise the issues of their sector during symposium and forum with invited senatorial candidates and congressional wannabes in the May 14 national elections.

The Pamalakaya leader said the scholars will raise issues on the possible impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the repeal of Fisheries Code of 1998, the stop in the conversion and privatization of fishing areas, the scrapping of liberalization policies under World Trade Organization, the scrapping of national policy on political killings, as well as issues pertaining to human rights, civil liberties, state terrorism, agrarian and fisheries reforms.

“The FVA scholars are tasked to rise above the occasion the current level of electoral undertaking in the country today, but placing the anti-Arroyo agenda at the forefront of the electoral box-office,” Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said the FVA will produce the best political anti-Arroyo scholars among the ranks of small Filipino fisherfolk across the country. It said the responses and political stands of every candidate, whether running for senatorial, congressional and local government seats from provincial to city and municipal levels would be used as barometer whether the group would endorse that candidate or would campaign against him or her. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:42 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya urges Filipino workers to declare labor chief, GMA enemies of working class

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday urged organized and non-organized labor groups to declare labor secretary Arturo Brion and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ultimate enemies of the Filipino workers.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap asked leaders and members of workers associations across the country to categorize Brion and President Arroyo as “ultimate enemies of the working class” and set them up as prime objects of protest and class wrath.

“GMA and her labor secretary are puppets of big business groups and they deserve the collective outrage of every Filipino worker in this country,” Hicap said in reaction to labor chief move to ask Mrs. Arroyo to veto the minimum pay hike if Congress approves and submits the P 125 wage increase law to Malacañang.

Brion asserted the wage hike would be disastrous for the economy, adding a better option would be to raise wages through regional wage boards and collective bargaining agreements. The labor secretary warned that more workers would be laid off due to increase in daily take home pay.

The labor chief stressed that 99 percent of the 783,000 firms in the country are micro, small and medium sized enterprises which would be compelled to lay off workers as a result of wage hike. But Pamalakaya said Secretary Brion was merely bluffing and presenting doctored statistics to justify the veto of the wage bill.

“Absolute lies,” cried Pamalakaya’s Hicap saying most companies in the Philippines merely spent not less than 20 percent of their total production cost on labor. The militant leader said enterprises can accommodate wage increases up to P 250 per day, and would not result to dramatic decrease in profits.

Pamalakaya said any wage increase in the daily take home pay of workers would result to increase in the purchasing power of Filipino laborers. The militant group said Filipino workers and their families should get back at Brion and President Arroyo by rejecting the candidates of the Arroyo administration from the national to local level.

“Let us show to Mrs. Arroyo and her labor secretary who’s who in Philippine politics. It is time to teach them lessons of a lifetime,” the group said. The passage and the implementation of the
P 125 wage bill would be one of the electoral issues that would be raised by small fisherfolk in this election. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:39 | link | comments |

2 Cabinet secretaries conspired with Chinese embassy over release of 30 Chinese poachers, Sino envoy letter revealed

The letter of Chinese ambassador Li Jinjun dated December 28, 2006 to Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, in which the office of Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap was furnished revealed that the two government officials could have worked out the release of 30 Chinese fishermen nabbed by Palawan authorities last year for illegal fishing in Tubbataha Marine Reef Park.

“Ambassador Li Jinjun letter to secretaries Romulo and Yap, urging the Philippine government to release the fishing boat and crew members of the Chinese fishing vessel would logically lead us to a conclusion that the two high officials of the Macapagal-Arroyo government interceded to save the RP-China relations from possible diplomatic breakdown,” the activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said his group managed to obtain a copy of the Dec.28 letter of Chinese envoy addressed to Secretary Romulo urging the foreign affairs department to ensure the release of vessel and its crew members apprehended by Palawan authorities on Dec.21 last year.

The Chinese envoy invoking the momentum gained between RP-China relations on agriculture and fishery cooperation asked Secretary Romulo to ensure “Hoi Wan” and the 30 crew members would be released soon as possible so as to create favorable atmosphere for the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and lay solid foundation for the fishery cooperation between the two countries as well as the relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR.

Jinjun letter to Secretary Romulo also states,” It would be highly appreciated if your honorable could pay personal attention to the incident and coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Tubbataha Management Foundation so as to find a proper way to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”

The Chinese ambassador to RP told Secretary Romulo in his letter that the Dec.21 incident involving Hoi Wan and its 30 crewmembers apprehended by Palawan authorities was a very urgent and sensitive issue which may exert serious impact on the relations between China and the Philippines.

On top of the request to the Philippine government to release the Chinese fishing vessel and its 30 crewmembers, Ambassador Jinjun said the Chinese government will donate additional six million Yuan or roughly 800,000 US dollars in material assistance to the victims of typhoon Reming for relief and reconstruction efforts.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said any congressional inquiry that would look into the culpability of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration over the release of 30 Chinese poachers this month should involve the investigation of Secretary Romulo and Secretary Yap of the foreign affairs and agriculture departments respectively.

“The two cabinet officials of President Arroyo are guilty beyond reasonable doubt of conspiring with the Office of the President in selling the country’s national sovereignty and patrimony to Chinese invaders,” Hicap added.

Earlier, Pamalakaya likened the release of 30 Chinese poachers to case of convicted rapist Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, saying the Philippine government allowed the Sino fishermen to escape even if they were convicted of raping the country’s national sovereignty and patrimony. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:37 | link | comments |

Workers told: Reject GMA bets as punishment for Palace
plan to veto legislated pay hike

A group of left-leaning fishermen on Wednesday urged Filipino workers to reject pro-administration bets from the regional to local levels after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday said she would veto any legislated wage increase passed by Congress.

In a press statement, the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said President Arroyo's statement declaring her intent to veto the proposed
P 125 hike in the daily take home of private workers was an open declaration of war against the Filipino
workers. "The May 2007 national elections is an occasion for payback. It is time to punish Mrs. Arroyo and the rest of anti-labor officials and politicians of the ruling regime," Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said in a press statement.

"The Filipino workers must exercise their political strength and collective action against those who would kill the P 125 pay hike. President Arroyo must pay a very dear price for betraying the class interest of our working people", Corpuz added.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Regional Wage Boards is the appropriate government body to determine wages, adding that President Arroyo had instructed RWBs to do the appropriate act to balance the viability of enterprise and the welfare of Filipino workers across the country.

Bunye said the regional wage boards have approved reasonable wage hikes in different areas last year,
saying any wage hike this year should pass heavy consultations from the business and labor sectors.

Corpuz said the P 125 wage increase in the daily take home pay of private workers was long overdue, saying the workers had been clamoring for the increase almost a decade ago.

"Mrs. Arroyo is after the welfare of her client businessmen. She is the ultimate enemy of the Filipino
working class, along with big business groups. Their policy is to keep wages at very depressed levels at
all times," the group's spokesperson said.

Pamalakaya's Corpuz said Mrs. Arroyo does not want to offend the business sector that's why she plans to veto the legislated wage increase once Congress submits it for her approval.

He said President Arroyo also wants to get the support of big business groups to her favored candidates from the national to the local levels. "She is taking our Filipino workers hostage to regional wage boards controlled by agents and representatives of big business groups," Corpuz said.

Pamalakaya said the business sector merely spent 10 to 20 percent of their production cost to labor, saying most of the expenses incurred from performance of the business and production of products come from other segments of production like procurement of raw materials, advertisement and other operating expenses. "That is why a wage increase would not affect the profitability of business, and in fact, the increase in the purchasing power of workers would further fuel the economy, the militant group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:21 | link | comments |

COMELEC Chair pressed to pull out military troops
in Metro on or before January 15

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday urged Commission on Elections national chair Benjamin Abalos Jr. to order the pull-out of government troops currently deployed in several barangays in five cities in Metro Manila on or before January 15, the official start of the May 2007 national elections.

Citing reports from allied group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) and Anakpawis party list, Pamalakaya national chair said Chairman Abalos should recall the presence of Army troops in Sta. Mesa, Pandacan, Isla Putting Bato and Baseco compound in Manila; Litex, Payatas and Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City, Barangay Silang in Caloocan City and other urban poor areas in Makati and Pasay City.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said Army troops are using barangay halls as their basing areas or detachments to monitor the communities and residents and have been conducting house-to-house interviews among residents asking them if there are party list groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela in their areas and who are the leaders and members of these groups tagged by the military as front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“The military is now implementing Oplan Bantay Laya II in Metro Manila and are targeting legitimate party list groups, their leaders and mass members in urban poor communities. They are conducting rigid psy war campaign to discourage the people from voting these party list groups, which are a concrete expression of partisan politics and electioneering barred by the constitution,” Hicap said.

“Worse, this urban-based military campaign might open the floodgate of political killings in Metro Manila and stir more election-related violence and criminal acts within the National Capital Region with leaders and members of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela and allied militant groups as victims of state-sponsored terrorism,” Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said a petition is being readied by their legal counsels before Comelec asking the poll body to recall the deployment of Army troops in Metro Manila and prevent them from exercising partisan politics and allow party list groups and legitimate people’s organizations to campaign in urban poor communities in Metro Manila.

The militant group said they would also seek an audience with Chairman Abalos and other Comelec commissioners about their complaint, warning that they would file criminal and other administrative charges against the military if they will not act on their demand for the immediate pullout of troops before the campaign season starts.

Pamalakaya said an oversized squad of government troops is stationed per barangay and regularly visit urban poor households asking them about the activities and leaders of militant party list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela.

“That’s partisan politics and political character assassination rolled into one. The Comelec should perform its constitutional duty to stop the military from interfering on the guaranteed rights of the people to suffrage,” the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:54 | link | comments |

“GMA turning ASEAN Summit into a pro-US affair” –Pamalakaya

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday accused President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of turning the 12th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit of Leaders into an all American show.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said most of the key issues to be tackled by ASEAN heads of states during the summit concerned about the regional agenda of Washington in Asia, one of the them was the Convention on Counterterrorism, the blue print for which, according to the militant leader was prepared by the US government and its principal ally in Southeast Asia- President Arroyo.

“This is supposed to be an all Southeast Asian affair, but the host country and the host government is representing and advocating for the hegemonic interest of the United States in Southeast and East Asia. President Arroyo is playing her role to the hilt as the alter ego of US President George W. Bush at the 12th year staging of the ASEAN meeting,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said aside from the convention on counter-terrorism, the acceleration of the goal of an ASEAN community in security and social cultural affairs, the ASEAN position against the nuclear testing and enhancement by North Korea and the ASEAN-US free trade agreement re all issues pertaining to US agenda in the region.

“ Although US is not coming to ASEAN Summit of Leaders in Cebu, its’ workaholic puppets led by President Arroyo, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea Prime Minister Roh Moo-hyun will move heaven and earth to assure tactical and strategic victory for US interest in Southeast and East Asia,” the militant leader said.

Hicap noted while ASEAN leaders are keen in discussing the human rights situation in Burma and the military coup in Thailand, they are not interested to tackle the grave human rights violations committed by the Philippine and US governments against social activists in the country, so not offend Mrs. Arroyo and US President Bush.

Pamalakaya said leftwing activists will conduct a week-long series of protest to condemn the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and US intervention in the Philippines, assail the US war of terror and present the grave human rights condition across the country.

The militant group and its Cebu-based affiliate Panaghugpong ng Gagmay’ng Mangingisda sa Sugbo
(Pamana-Sugbo) will spearhead the half-day protest billed as Swim Against the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and US War of Terror and Intervention on Sunday where they would mobilize 30 fisherfolk leaders tapped to cross the 2 kilometer Mactan Channel from Lapu-Lapu City to Cebu City.

“This is the ultimate people’s exercise of their patriotic deeds and sovereign rights against the one-sided military agreement and the US day-to-day violation of the country’s sovereign rights,” Pamalakaya said.

“We are not aiming for a new Guiness Book of Record here. What we want is the world stage to let the people across Asia and across the globe know the US-Arroyo war crimes and gross violations of basic human rights and civil liberties in the country,” said Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz.

“We also want to inform the misinformed ASEAN heads of states and communities about the Filipino people’s views on Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in relation to the ongoing fight on the custody of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, the continued illegal poaching activities of Chinese fishing operators in the country and the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA),” the Pamalakaya spokesperson added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:52 | link | comments |

Militants slam Mike Defensor for reducing May polls into proxy war between GMA, Erap
“Ridiculous, insulting, preposterous”, says Pamalakaya

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday assailed Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Chief Michael Defensor for reducing the senatorial election in May 14, 2007 as round three of the political fight between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and deposed President Joseph Estrada.

“Ridiculous, insulting and preposterous”, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap commented, saying President Arroyo’s favorite cabinet member was misrepresenting the collective sentiment and political verdict of the Filipino people against her boss by reducing the May elections into a fight between President Arroyo and former president Estrada.

“The forthcoming May electoral fight is the battle between the isolated ruling regime and the Filipino people. That’s the real score and that’s how it should be billed. Mr. Defensor is making too much noise again and talking non-sense as expected,” Hicap added.

Defensor last week said Malacañang is billing the senatorial polls in May as Round 3 of the continuing battle between forces of President Arroyo and deposed President Estrada. He said it had yet to be seen who would win in the third showdown.

“This is not a proxy war between Gloria and Erap. The truth of the matter is that President Arroyo will face the electorate’s verdict on May 14, 2007. This is the beginning of her end,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap added.

But Hicap dared Defensor to run in the senatorial race to taste the wrath of the majority anti-Arroyo population and suffer humiliating defeat at the electoral box-office. “If Defensor wants to run, then he better runs for the senatorial race and feel and experience wholesale rejection, the militant leader added.

Pamalakaya earlier urged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to field 12 of her most notorious government officials in the Senate derby this year to test her legitimacy and acceptance among the Filipino electorate.

The group said, since many senatorial wannabes do not want to be identified with the Macapagal-Arroyo camp despite of the promise of huge election funding for electoral campaign, the President has no choice but to field the Dirty Dozen composed mostly of controversial government and military officials identified with the Arroyo clique.

Pamalakaya said, aside from Defensor, Palace dirty dozen includes Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Interior and Local Government secretary Ronaldo Puno and Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales.

The other six include House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Hello Garci general AFP chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., ex-Army Maj.Gen. Jovito Palparan, former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, exiled agriculture secretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante and environment Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Anticipating the question, why the group urged GMA to select the 12 pro-Arroyo officials as her bets in the senatorial derby, Pamalakaya said: “Rejection becomes them, so better push them to face the final verdict in May 2007 polls.”

“Senatorial wannabes are all well informed by national surveys and published and scientifically measured collective sentiment of the Filipino people that majority of them will not vote for administration backed-candidates. That’s why Palace has no option but to test the waters and field these checkered candidates in the May 2007 polls at its’ own risk,” the militant group added.

During her Christmas vacation last year, President Arroyo announced the candidacy of Defensor at a dinner meeting with local government officials led by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson. The Chief Executive asked Northern Luzon officials to support and produce votes for Defensor, one of the closest associates of the President.

Pamalakaya said Secretary Defensor will not make it in the senatorial race this year, stressing that Defensor lacks credibility and often seen as one of the stooges of President Arroyo. The group said Defensor merely placed between 20th and 25th in all surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia late last year regarding the chances of senatorial hopefuls in the May 2007 elections.

“The people will only elect 12 senators, not 20 or 25 senators unless Malacañang changes the rule of the game to accommodate its’ senatorial candidates,” the group said.

Administration and opposition parties have begun their respective hunt for candidates to complete their respective senatorial line ups for the May 2007 elections. Secretary Ermita and Claudio, two of the most trusted men of the President already have a shortlist of names that President might endorse as administration bets in the senate race this year.

The administration, according to Ermita and Claudio would be banking on the campaign management expertise of Puno, who was once the chief strategist of deposed President Joseph Estrada suggests that the ruling party should reduce the aspect of personalities in the senatorial elections and bring in the aspect of ideology as their best chance to win the hearts and minds of the electorate. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:52 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya pressed hold departure order against 30 Chinese poachers
Group says 24 Sino fishermen posted bail last night

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday urged the judge handling the case of 30 Chinese fishermen arrested by Palawan authorities last December 21 to compel the Department of Justice to issue hold departure orders, a day after legal counsel of 24 Sino poachers posted bail Friday night.

Last week, six of the 30 Chinese fishermen arrested for illegal fishing in Tubbataha Marine Reef Park were freed by the Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court, after lawyers of charged poachers bailed
P 30,000 each.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap learned Friday night, that one of the 24 Chinese fishermen was freed and joined the first batch of poachers freed last week on bail. He said the 23 other poachers charged before the Palawan court for violating a number of laws are set to be freed anytime today and next week.

Hicap also said the latest inventory of illegal caught fish by 30 Chinese poachers in Tubbataha reef was 2,313 endangered species, 359 of them was Napoleon wrasse fish, locally known as “Mameng” which are sold for over $ 100 US dollar per kilo in Hong Kong and other Asian markets.

“We appeal to Judge Perfecto Pe, of Branch 42 of the Puerto Princesa Regional Trial Court to immediately compel Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to immediately issue a hold departure order against the 30 Chinese poachers charged for plundering the country’s national patrimony,” Hicap said.

Hicap added: “The case the Great Sino Raid of Tubbataha Reef is beyond the confine of ordinary activities like illegal fishing. The real issue here is the rape and plunder of the national patrimony and people’s national sovereignty. That’s why this case merits the exercise of the country’s sovereign and territorial powers.”

Pamalakaya said while Palawan authorities are keeping the passports of 30 Chinese fishermen to prevent them from leaving the country, it still not an assurance, that they would be made available once regular court proceedings start tackling the charges filed against them.

“There’s no guarantee even if we have possession of their passports. The Chinese government will just whisk them away courtesy of the tin cup diplomacy of Malacañang and later issue new passports for their nationals once they are back in mainland China,” the group said.

Pamalakaya asked Judge Pe to recall the bail awarded by Puerto Princesa regional trial court to 30 Chinese fishermen and send them back to Palawan provincial jail.

“Please allow us to remind Judge Pe that the Sino raid of Tubbataha reef last Dec.21 is not only a case of illegal fishing committed by foreign fishermen. What they did was a gross violation of the country’s national sovereignty and patrimony which merits their imprisonment over and above
the P 30,000 bail as required by the fishery law and other existing local ordina