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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

Esperon’s pitch for Palparan to run in Congress
has Palace backing, leftists say

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and the militant party list group Anakpawis on Monday said the endorsement of the planned candidacy of retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan to run either as party list representative or congressman of Misamis Oriental by no less than Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has the blessings of Malacañang.

“Only persons with cruel intentions and criminal minds can do it. Malacañang security officials and the AFP Chief of Staff belongs to this category,” said Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis nominee Fernando Hicap in reaction to Esperon’s endorsement of Palparan’s bid for congressional seat in the May 14, 2007 elections.

Esperon on Sunday said he was rooting for Palparan in his bid for a seat in Congress so that the retired officer accused by leftwing activists behind hundreds of cases of extra-judicial killings could continue his fight against the communists on common ground.

“Esperon has one thing in mind when he endorsed Palparan’s ambitious political plan. He wants to tell all military officers and ordinary soldiers that if you kill a lot of people associated with the Left, you will be given full honors and support in whatever path you choose after retiring in military service. This is diabolical if not super evil,” Hicap said.

The AFP chief said if Palparan runs for Congress, he could gun for party list representation. Esperon said Palparan will be able to fight party lists that are connected and supporting the New People’s Army, which he said was good for the military.

The Anakpawis nominee said Esperon’s statement was a tall order for the military to perform cheating and other forms of electoral fraud to ensure the congressional bid of Palparan.

“We will not take Esperon’s statement at face value that the military will remain non-partisan especially in the case of “The Butcher”. Esperon is a certified criminal, an election fraud operator and a rabid anti-left political animal who would do anything, everything to attack us up to the point of endorsing Palparan’s congressional bid to the public,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said Palparan might run as the no.1 nominee of the anti-communist group Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) or other Palace-backed party list groups like Aksyon Sambayanan (AKSA), a sister party list group of Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) identified with National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales.

Both groups believed that the political plan of Palparan to run for a seat in Congress in May 14, 2007 elections has the blessings of the Cabinet Oversight Committee composed of Gonzalez, Esperon, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. “Since Malacañang has having a hard time where to deploy Palparan, they might have decided to field him as no.1 candidate of a Palace funded party list group,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list added.

Palparan was consistently named in the report of the Melo Commission as one of the principal suspects in the spate of political killings of leftwing activists by state security forces.

Leftwing and human rights groups attributed over 800 cases of extra-judicial killings to Palparan and top commanders of the AFP, which the military and Malacañang had persistently denied despite the recommendations of the government panel to investigate and bring Palparan and top military officials to bar of justice over charges of political murders of leftist activists and journalists. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:45 | link | comments |

Melo, Alston reports merit Congress withdrawal of anti-terror law

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list on Sunday said the report of Melo Commission and UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston on extra-judicial killings should compel lawmakers to withdraw the passage of Human Security Act of 2007.

“The 86-page report of the Melo Commission and the initial findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings attributing almost all cases of political killings of leftwing activists and journalists to armed agents of the state are enough to merit the recall of the anti-terror law,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said in a joint statement.

Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis nominee Fernando Hicap said the Human Security Act of 2007 is a clear piece of shotgun legislation that allows the government or the state to exact state-sponsored terrorism against critics and political rivals of the ruling clique in Malacañang.

“The Melo report and the findings of Alston, despite some shortcomings are clear. The incumbent government has used the military apparatus and powers to silence critics and staunch oppositionists by use of brute force like extra-judicial killings in the name of political survival and narrow political interests under the guise of fighting terrorism,” Hicap asserted.

The shortcomings of the Melo Commission and Alston, according to Hicap, was their failure to establish the fact that the political killings perpetrated by the military was a national policy of the government on anti-insurgency and that there was an existing national pattern governing the conduct of killings.

“The 830 cases of extra-judicial killings and the more than 200 cases of forced disappearances are lucid testimonies that the government had used state sponsored terrorism and political killings to decimate critics and foes of the present administration,” Hicap stressed.

The militant leader said the cases of political killings could reach over 1,000 or 2,000, after another report came out that there were also cases of extra-judicial executions in Sulu and other parts of Mindanao, especially in the areas of Moro people, which were not reported to media but were confirmed by human rights and peace advocates in Mindanao.

The law recently passed by Congress is now awaiting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s signature before it could be implemented. Yesterday, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, said despite the “sharp and mortal fangs of the controversial bill have been removed; doubts still persist about the law.

The outspoken bishop said the bad news about the measure is that it punishes those who bring about “widespread and extraordinary fear among the populace in order to coerce the government to give in to unlawful demand. “ Who decides what is fear and panic, and what makes them extra ordinary or otherwise,” Cruz asked.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the report of the Melo Commission and the initial findings of Alston must convince and compel legislators who enacted the Human Security Act of 2007 to call for its withdrawal at the soonest time possible to prevent President Arroyo and the military from using and exploiting the law in furtherance of government bred terrorism.

“ We strongly urge lawmakers of the 13th Session of Congress to recall the Human Security Act of 2007 and instead replace it with a law that would uphold, promote and strengthen basic human rights and civil liberties of the people,” he added.

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:44 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya: Palace, AFP plotting to
oust leftwing party lists in May 07 polls

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday accused Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of pressuring the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify leftwing party list groups running in the May 14, 2007 elections.

“The Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security wants to disenfranchise the leftwing party lists and deny them the political victory in the May 2007 polls. It is all written in the walls of Palace war room,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The militant fisherfolk leader said after a series of rebuffs from the Melo Commission, UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston and the London-based Amnesty International over the spate of political killings, the militarist Arroyo government is now hell bent to get back by disqualifying the party list bids of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela.

“The plot to oust our party lists in the May 2007 elections is Malacañang and AFP’s obsession since day one of the campaign trail. They will do anything, everything and will mobilize all the powers at their disposal to decimate us in the electoral derby. They are not contended with political killings. Aside from our blood, they also want to kill our rights to represent the people through electoral maneuvering,” Hicap said.

Hicap, also a nominee of Anakpawis party list, said President Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. are the brains behind the persistent move to disqualify his party and allied party lists like Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s Party.

“The Comelec is now under extreme pressure from Malacañang and Mrs. Arroyo’s top security advisers. They have been pressuring Comelec officials to act swiftly and favorably on the disqualification case against Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Gabriela fabricated by Malacañang in cooperation with highly suspicious looking characters and paid military agents,” he added.

Hicap was referring to the latest disqualification case filed against Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela by widows of slain rebel returnees in Nueva Ecija. The widows, who said their husbands were members of Akbayan party list groups, charged Bayan Muna Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño, Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis and Liza Maza of Gabriela of ordering the execution of three men between 2001 and 2004.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis urged Comelec to rise above the occasion and strike down attempts of Malacañang and the AFP to disqualify the leftwing party lists. The groups said the poll body should not entertain cases of the same nature and arguments, saying the poll body has previously acted on the same charges and dismissed the complaints due to lack of evidence.

“Comelec has dismissed all disqualification cases against leftwing party lists. There’s no reason to entertain nuisance and recycled cases. Chairman Abalos should stop Malacañang and the AFP from turning the poll body into a 24/7 circus,” the groups added.

“Please allow us to remind the Comelec that this quasi-judicial body remains under fire and currently being watched vigilantly by the Filipino people. Every step, action and decision it make that seems to favor the ruling military-political syndicate in Malacañang would be rejected and condemned to the highest order,” the Anakpawis nominee added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:43 | link | comments |

Unity Team senatoriables urged to
break silence on extra-judicial killings

Militant groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list on Sunday urged Palace-backed senatorial candidates to break their silence on the issue of extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists and journalists.

“Their silence puzzles us a lot. We want to know where they stand on the issue,” the groups said in a joint statement.

“The Melo Commission and UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston have made their conclusion that many of the summary executions of activists and journalists are perpetrated by armed agents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The public now want them to break their silence,” Pamalakaya chair and Anakpawis nominee Fernando Hicap said.

“Are they afraid of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the military establishment? Are they in favor of state-sponsored terrorism? We want to hear their position on this issue,” Hicap added.

The militant leader said as far as their groups are concerned, the issue of political killings would remain an electoral-political agenda, and it would be used as one of the yardsticks on whether to support or junk candidates in the May 14, 2007 elections.

Hicap said among the senatorial candidates, so far only House Minority Floor Leader Francis “ Chiz” Escudero have openly denounced the Macapagal-Arroyo administration on political killings of leftwing activists and journalists.

Hicap said they are not expecting Surigao Rep. Prospero Pichay to denounce the killings since he is a staunch ally of President Arroyo, a politician closed to AFP chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and a leading figure of Malacañang’s unity team. The same goes to former Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, whom Pamalakaya and Anakpawis described as ultimate lackey of the President.

The Anakpawis nominee warned that their continuing silence on the issue of extra-judicial killings will be construed by the Filipino people, relatives and colleagues of victims as tacit approval of the Arroyo administration’s national security policy involving the political assassination of leftist critics of the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo clique in Malacañang.

“If they want to get the support of the militant bloc or the political Left , senatorial aspirants must work hard and pursue the people’s economic and political agenda, including a clear political stand against political killings,” Hicap said.

The two groups earlier announced their plans regarding the issue of political killings. Pamalakaya and Anakpawis would formally ask the United Nation’s High Commission Office on Human Rights to recommend the trial of Macapagal-Arroyo over charges of extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists and journalists.

The Philippine commission created to investigate the spate of political killings of leftwing activists and journalists concluded that President Arroyo could be held liable under international law if extra judicial killings remain unresolved and unabated under the President’s watch.

The commission led by former Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo warned that the government could not sit idly by and refuse to act. “Ultimately, the State has the responsibility of protecting its citizens and making sure that their fundamental liberties are respected,” the commission added.

The Melo commission said if the State fails to investigate, prosecute or redress private, non-state acts in violation of fundamental liberties, it is in effect aiding the perpetrators of such violations, for which it could be held responsible under international law.

Both the Melo Commission and Alston concluded that majority of the extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists could be attributed to top officials and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which were denied by the top leadership of the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the military.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said they will also ask the UN to include Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan and other top military commanders of the AFP in charge sheet.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said they would also ask the European Commission to support the trial of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration before the UN human rights body. Both groups are optimistic the European community will help them pursue the cause for truth and justice. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:31 | link | comments |

Leftwing groups urge UN to
put Philippine President on trial over extra-judicial killings

Militant groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list on Saturday announced they would formally ask the United Nation’s High Commission Office on Human Rights to recommend the trial of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over charges of extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists and journalists.

The formal letter is now being drafted by Pamalakaya and Anakpawis public information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz, according to Fernando Hicap, national chairperson of Pamalakaya and nominee of Anakpawis party list in the May 14, 2007 elections.

“We expect to finish and send the letter to UN by Monday or Tuesday next week. We will attach the 86-page report of the Melo Commission and the initial findings of UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston. The 830 cases of extra-judicial killings merit the trial of President Arroyo before the International Court of Justice or any appropriate court that would be designated by the United Nations,” Hicap said.

The Philippine commission created to investigate the spate of political killings of leftwing activists and journalists concluded that President Arroyo could be held liable under international law if extra judicial killings remain unresolved and unabated under the President’s watch.

The commission led by former Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo warned that the government could not sit idly by and refuse to act. “Ultimately, the State has the responsibility of protecting its citizens and making sure that their fundamental liberties are respected,” the commission added.

The Melo commission said if the State fails to investigate, prosecute or redress private, non-state acts in violation of fundamental liberties, it is in effect aiding the perpetrators of such violations, for which it could be held responsible under international law.

Both the Melo Commission and Alston concluded that majority of the extra-judicial killings of leftwing activists could be attributed to top officials and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which were denied by the top leadership of the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the military.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said they will also ask the UN to include Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan and other top military commanders of the AFP in charge sheet.

“President Arroyo and her gang of extra ordinary judicial killers are guilty beyond reasonable doubt of large-scale human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The people of the world are now calling for their trial and there would be no daring escape for them. The criminals behind the spate of political killings must face the verdict of history and the collective anger of the people,” the leftwing groups said.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said they would also ask the European Commission to support the trial of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration before the UN human rights body. Both groups said the European community is expecting their leaders to pursue the cause for truth and justice of kin and relatives of victims, their colleagues and other human rights defenders in the Philippines.

“We appeal to European Union’s sense of justice and respect for human rights. We have the documents, the testimonies and the damning evidence to tell the people of the world that this administration and its military are guilty of crimes against humanity,” the groups said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:08 | link | comments |

Militants reject AFP chief appeal to denounce NPA
“We don’t have the right to condemn
the insurgents’ right to self-determination”, leftists say

Two militant groups on Friday turned down the challenge of Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to left-leaning organizations to denounce the violence committed by New People’s Army (NPA).

“We don’t have the moral and political right to question and denounce the insurgents’ right to self-determination. It is an inherent right. Even the UN documents on social, economic, civil and political rights justify the use of armed struggle as a mean to fight an ultimately brutal and oppressive state, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list said in a joint press statement.

“We found Esperon’s challenge to Bayan and other militant organizations extremely subjective, totally illogical and grossly immoral,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said in a joint statement.

Esperon yesterday dared Bayan to denounce the acts of violence committed by the NPA to prove that they are not connected with the communist guerillas. “ What I am saying is Bayan, if it’s not connected with the NPA, should denounce the violence,” he said. “ If it can denounce the violence of the NPA, then it’s very clear it stand,” the AFP Chief of added.

But Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis nominee Fernando Hicap said Esperon’s challenge and issues raised against militant party list groups and organizations had long been answered, argued and defeated in the parliament of the streets, in the halls of Congress, in the legal court and in the court of public opinion.

“Mr. Esperon is like a chimpanzee playing a broken record on the side. The Filipino public is after the truth on political killings of leftwing activists by armed agents of the state and not after recycled cheap shots,” Hicap said.

Hicap said the 17-minute video of communist founder Jose Maria Sison taken 20 years ago was no big deal. “ I wonder why they represent the video as something that was acquired from an NPA camp. Please allow us to set the record straight, the 2-decade old video was really for public consumption since it was aired on national TV, produced write ups for local newspapers and foreign journalists who were interested on how the legal left would fair in the May 1987 senatorial elections,” he said.

Hicap added: “Activists made a round of the video in a number of premier universities in the National Capital Region in 1987 because the public was after the Left’s view and assessment on the first year of the first People Power revolution and prospects of the militant’s participation in the senatorial race in May 1987.”

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis asserted that Sison did not say that Bayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers and League of Filipino Students (LFS), Kadena and other militant groups were front organizations of the CPP-NPA.

“ Professor Sison said aside from armed revolutionaries, there are legal democratic forces in the Philippines waging the struggle for genuine change. There’s a big difference between legal fronts and legal democratic forces, and only decent thinking people could see the difference here, definitely not low life political animals like Gen. Esperon, Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts in Malacañang,” the groups added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:38 | link | comments (3) |

Militants oppose Sino production of hybrid rice, corn in 2 regions

Two militant groups on Friday rejected the plan of a Chinese firm to start commercial production of hybrid rice and corn in several Central Luzon provinces, including the Cagayan Valley region.

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and the activist party list group Anakpawis slammed the government’s proposal to allow Fu Hua Co. of Jinlin, China to spend P 1.3 B on a project involving mass production of hybrid rice and corn in the country.

“This is foul. A direct affront to the agrarian and production rights of small corn and rice farmers in Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley regions,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Hicap, also a nominee of Anakpawis party list, said the plan to plant hybrid corn and rice would facilitate landgrabbing of some 50,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands in Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Cagayan Valley region.

Mr. William Co, the Philippines agricultural attaché to China said the Chinese firm wants 30,000 hectares of land for hybrid corn production and 20,000 hectares for hybrid rice production to boost local production.

Co, who is also the vice President for agriculture and food security of the influential business group Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said corn is very important because it is used as input for poultry and hog feeds. He also said the output will be sold domestically and would be enough to cover the shortage of corn in the country.

Based on Fu Hua computation, 30,000 hectares devoted to production of hybrid corn would result to 300,000 metric tons based on the average per yield of 8 to 10 metric tons per hectare per year.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list further described the plan of the Jinlin based producer to plant hybrid rice and corn in Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley regions as imminent threat to food security. The groups said the direction to venture into commercial production of hybrid rice and corn will open the floodgate for massive land grabbing in the region.

“The presence of Chinese breeders of commercial rice and corn across the country will be a clear and present danger to the food security and peasant rights of more than 60 million farmers nationwide. Secretary Arthur Yap must do his homework to stop this forthcoming catastrophe in the agricultural sector,” both groups said.

The Macapagal-Arroyo government has earmarked some P 4.B peso to improve the country’s agricultural production. Government data said P 1.788 B was allocated for the production of hybrid rice, P 658 million for the production of hybrid corn and P 459 million for the production of other genetic engineered seeds in 2007.

The government planned to hand out 26,700 bags of hybrid corn, 407,000 bags of hybrid rice and 225,000 bags of certified rice seeds and 32,500 kilograms of assorted seeds under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program of the present administration.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list earlier branded the GMA project as fund sourcing campaign to finance the election sorties and materials of candidates allied with President Arroyo. They said, the government is seemed determined to score another big crime of corruption in the tradition of the P 728 million- fertilizer scam in May 2004. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:43 | link | comments |

Militants perform exorcism rites at DA to denounce
alleged plan to use P 887 million fisheries fund for GMA poll bets

The fisherfolk activist group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and its staunch ally Anakpawis party list on Thursday performed “exorcism rites” at the gate of the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City to denounce what it called “an alleged plan” of Malacañang to use P 4.2 B in total agricultural fund, P 887 million earmarked for fisheries sector development program to fund the election campaign of the administration bets in the May 14, 2007 elections.

“The Department of Agriculture will surely deny this to high heaven. But Malacañang is determined to take a second shot of the P 728-million fertilizer scam in May 2004,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said in a joint statement.

Based on the approved budget for 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will allocate P 887 million for her fisheries program under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program in 2007, as part of the
P 4.21 B seed fund for agriculture and fisheries projects, representing 22 percent of the DA budget this year.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said President Arroyo will hand out 170 million tilapia and 150 million milkfish fingerlings and broodstock this year. Part of the package, Hicap said, will include the establishment of 137 seaweed nurseries, 39 central and satellite hatcheries nationwide.

“We will contest these unthinkable and mind-boggling allocations of taxpayer’s money. It seems to us that this is part of the preparations for May 2007 polls,” he said.

Hicap, also one of the nominees of Anakpawis party list said the P 887 million fisheries fund from the P 4.2 B seed fund this year is 21 percent of the total allocation for GMA program. The other banner programs and their allocations: rice program (P 1.788 B or 42.4%), corn (P 658 M or 15.6%), high variety seeds ( P 459 M or 10.7%) and livestock ( P 430 M or P 10.2%)

The fisheries program under the GMA project in 2007 will also fund the construction and rehabilitation of 8 regional and 7 municipal fish ports, 2 ice plants and cold storages and establishment of new mariculture parks in addition to 28 existing sites across the country. “Something fishy is going on. It seems to us that the government is up for a fingerling scam to able to support the candidacy of Mrs. Arroyo’s most favored bets in the May 2007 national elections from senatorial down to municipal mayors,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said the release of P 887 million has yet to be disclosed by agriculture secretary Arthur Yap, but they suspect that the entire P 4.2 B seed and fisheries fund would be released at the soonest possible time in time for the election campaign.

“The amount for GMA fisheries program is more than the P 728 million fertilizer scam engineered by the ruling syndicate in Malacañang. Another scam which is bigger the fertilizer scam is in the offing,” the groups predicted.

The militant groups said aside from fingerlings, the government planned to handout 26, 700 bags of hybrid corn, 407,000 bags of hybrid rice and 225,000 bags of certified rice seeds, 32, 500 kilograms of assorted seeds and 4.78 million pieces of planting materials.

“Corruption in the name of patronage politics is written all over it, nothing more, nothing less,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:46 | link | comments (1) |

European Union asked to stop aiding a government of extra-judicial killers
Leftists urged UN to hold GMA on trial for crimes against humanity

Leftwing militants belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list on Thursday urged the United Nations to put the Macapagal-Arroyo government on trial on the spate of political killings of leftwing activists perpetrated by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

On the same level, Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis nominee Fernando Hicap appealed to members of the European Union to immediately stop aiding the Macapagal-Arroyo government, which he said was manning a Republic of extra-judicial killers victimizing left-leaning activists and critics of the Arroyo administration across the archipelago.

Hicap made the bold challenge to the UN, after UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings Philip Alston wrapped up his two-week investigation with a statement that extra-judicial killings are happening in the country, and that most of the killings were convincingly attributed to the military contrary to AFP assertion that it was part of the internal purge within the communist movement.

“The trial of President Arroyo and her loyalist generals before an appropriate international court of justice is necessary, logical and politically correct. Truth and justice seekers in and out of the Philippines are raring to see this regime being tried for its bloody annihilation of social activists and critics,” the militant leader said.

Alston said he wanted a statement from President Arroyo, defense secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to issue statements that they would not tolerate extra-judicial killings in the country.

The UN special rapporteur said the military’s claim that most of the killings were done by communist insurgents as part of internal purge was “especially convincing”, adding that the military remains in the state of almost denial.

But Alston said the UN cannot sanction the Macapagal-Arroyo government over the left and right killings of leftwing activists by members of the AFP, however, the UN special rapporteur said his visit has begun the process of acting as a catalyst to deeper reflection on the issue.

Hicap, one of the complainants against the Macapagal-Arroyo government said the findings of Alston would justify and facilitate the proposal from the relatives of the extra-judicial killings to try President Arroyo, including Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security adviser Norberto Gonzales and other members of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COCIS) before the UN special court attending to cases related war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“This is a long-way process. But nobody has the right to stop us from seeking justice. It is non-negotiable and we would do our homework in the name of those unsung heroes vilified and summarily executed by this regime of greed and certified human rights violators,” Hicap stressed.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list asserted that the military violated the 1987 Constitution and the country’s penal laws as well as the 1998 Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Law and a number of treaties and covenants like the UN Charter, the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the 1977 Protocols 1 and 2, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1996 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1966 Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights, the Treaty Against Genocide, the 1984 UN Convention against Torture and UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said a total of 833 cases of extra judicial killings since 2001 were perpetrated by the military, the police, para-military units and Palace-funded death squads across the archipelago under the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya I (2001-2006) and Oplan Bantay Laya II (2007-2012). #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:45 | link | comments |

15 envoys told: Listen to what kin of victims say

Militant groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list on Wednesday asked the ambassadors of 15 countries in Europe who visited the country to look into the spate of political killings upon the invitation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to listen to the relatives and colleagues of slain activists over the past six years to find the truth about the left-and-right extra judicial killings.

“The truth will set us free and the carriers of truth are willing to tell their stories. We hope the European ambassadors would spend more time listening to relatives and colleagues of victims. As for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we cannot expect this rotten and criminal institution to tell the truth,” Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said in a joint statement.

Fernando Hicap, chairman of Pamalakaya and one of the nominees of Anakpawis said he is appealing to the envoys of Vatican, Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Australia, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, the European Commission, Romania and Canada to have an audience with all the relatives of the victims, including himself and his family.

“I appeal to their great sense of justice and respect for human rights. We have the documents, the testimonies and the damning evidence to tell the people of the world that this administration and its military are guilty of crimes against humanity,” Hicap said.

The militant leader said the military has been harassing all members of his family in Castilla town, Sorsogon province to force him to surrender to the military commander in Bicol region. Hicap said the military has tagged him as a “higher up” in the New People’s Army because he is a leader of Pamalakaya.

“I am a leader of a legitimate, legal and high-esteemed people’s organization in the country. My advocacy defending people’s rights and welfare and exposing and opposing the evil administration of President Arroyo has caught the ire of this criminal government,” Hicap said. “I hope my story and other stories of my colleagues would reach the ambassadors of the European Commission and other countries,” he added.

Yesterday, the military went to his son’s boarding house Fryan, a veterinary student in Sorsogon to check if his son was able to send the message to his father that a top AFP commander in Bicol wants to meet him in Legaspi to arrange his surrender.

But Fryan was in school doing the on-the-job training when the Army dropped by at his boarding house. Hicap said since December last year, his family has been regularly harassed by the military and this forced his wife and other sons to leave their house and small farm lot in Castilla.

“The military has been telling my family that Pamalakaya is a front organization of Communist Party of the Philippines, and therefore I am a high ranking officer of the communist guerillas due to my leadership in the organization,” Hicap said.

Hicap added: “Pamalakaya is a legitimate people’s organization of small fisherfolk across the country effectively advocating the interests of small fishers against the anti-people policies of the present administration of Mrs. Arroyo. The President and the military don’t like what we are doing exposing and opposing their big crimes against the people.”

Yesterday, the 15 ambassadors from Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand were received by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:44 | link | comments |

Leftist leader writes US House Speaker
on RP-US war exercises

The leader of the left-wing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday wrote United States’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging the first woman speaker of the US Congress to convince US President George W. Bush to stop deploying American troops in the country.

In his two page letter addressed to Speaker Pelosi, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap told the woman lawmaker to the presence of American troops under the RP-US joint military exercises violates the country’s national sovereignty and has paved way for US increasing military presence, indirect and direct intervention and war of aggression in the Philippines.

The letter sent through speed mail was addressed to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, with mailing address Office of the Speaker, H-232, US Capitol, Washington, DC 20515. Hicap said his letter would reach Pelosi’s office in a week’s time.

Pelosi, who won the elections under the banner of Democrats, said in one of her congressional speeches that “the war in Iraq is a grotesque mistake, it is not making America safer and the American people know it” was first elected in 2003 as the first woman to lead the Democrats in the history of US Congress, before getting elected as the first woman speaker of the House January this year.

In his letter to Speaker Pelosi, Hicap, also a nominee of Anakpawis party list, said there were reports of US servicemen actual involvement in the counter-insurgency program of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration from the level of conceptualization, planning and actual combat.

Hicap said the US government is spending hundreds of millions of US dollars paid by American taxpayers for the unproductive, anti-Filipino and anti-American RP-US joint military exercises. He said the amount spent for military exercises in the Philippines was separate from the 350 billion US dollars the Bush government has spent over the last six years in its war in Iraq.

The Anakpawis nominee also cited the controversial case of Nicole, a 22 Filipina woman who was raped by US marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith as one of the effects of RP-US joint military training, as one concrete case why the US government should stop sending troops foreign countries.

“The level of distrust on visiting US forces is so high. Our elders have advised their women and children to avoid American soldiers because of past abuses and the Filipino people’s recent sad experiences with US troops,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said the presence of top US military officials and troops further emboldened the mercenary Armed Forces of the Philippines to pursue unjust and senseless war resulting to spate of extra-judicial killings under the pretext of eliminating domestic terrorists.

“A number of political analysts attributed the left and right political killings of activists in the country to a national policy directed by the George W. Bush administration,” both groups said. Human rights groups in the Philippines have documented over 800 cases of political activists across the country. The latest victim was Farley Alcantara, 22 years old and former spokesman of the League of Filipino Students (LFS), a leftist student group.

Hicap in his letter to Speaker Pelosi reminded her that the victory of the Democrats in mid-term elections last year came from voters critical of Bush policy in the US war against Iraq. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:04 | link | comments |

Green groups complain senatoriables not talking “green”

Two militant groups on Monday said they have yet to hear senatoriables discussing their respective electoral agenda on environmental protection during their campaign sorties in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other provinces in the Visayas and the Mindanao.

“We strongly appeal to senatorial candidates to bare their plans regarding the protection of our fragile environment across the country. Let the public know their Green agenda so the electoral public could decide who they would vote in the May 07 elections,” the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list said in a joint statement.

The groups added: “The green agenda of the Filipino people is not being given the appropriate weight and value in the recent campaign sorties of all senatoriables. It’s about time they put priority on the environment and other economic and political agenda of the people.”

Pamalakaya has 300,000 strong members and allies, while Anakpawis has 400,000 individual members. Given a combined votes of 700,000, the votes were enough to ensure the victory of any senatorial candidate in a hotly contested and close fight senatorial race.

“If they want our support, they must state their position favorable to the cause of national interest and the environment,” both groups added.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said among the senatorial candidates, it was only Sorsogon Representative Francis Escudero III who made an open attack against the resumption of the operations of Lafayette Philippines Inc. in Rapu-Rapu Island, in Albay province, which his group said was an advantage to gain the precious “green votes”.

“What’s keeping them away from the environmental issues of the day? Are they afraid to catch the ire of mining and logging operators in the country? Who care’s about their available contributions in hundreds of millions of pesos? The concern for the environment and the corresponding program of action for its protection is a matter of life and death for all us,” said Hicap, also one of the nominees of Anakpawis party list.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis are set to stage an electoral forum on the environment in the first week of March to discuss the Green Agenda of the Filipino fisherfolk in early March among senatorial candidates.

The groups said would invite senatorial candidates Senate President Manuel Villar, Senator Ralph Recto, ex-Senators Loren Legarda and Vicente “Tito” Sotto, Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Benjamin “Koko” Pimentel III and Rep. Escudero in the electoral forum billed as “Fish Talk II: The Fisherfolk Electoral Agenda for the Environment”.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis would present the environmental issues concerning the resumption of Lafayette mining operations in Rapu-Rapu Island, the oil and gas drilling explorations in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros and in Cebu Strait, another protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Leyte. The groups would also present during the forum their opposition and call for investigation on the more than 4,000 environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) issued by former Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Michael Defensor last 2005. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:44 | link | comments |

Hollywood film on Abu Sayyaf questioned

The plan of renowned Hollywood film producer Jerry Bruckheimer to make a movie on Abu Sayyaf was questioned by the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), saying the movie will be just turned into a propaganda movie to justify the US war of intervention and aggression in the Philippines.

“It is a propaganda and psy war movie aim to justify the US unwanted, immoral and anti-people intervention in the domestic affairs of the country to promote US war of terror and amplify its tagging of the Philippines as the second front for US military aggression,” Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said in a press statement.

“If Mr. Bruckheimer wants to make a true picture of the Abu Sayyaf, he should contextualize his silver screen adaptation of the Moro bandit group on the ground that the US created Abu Sayyaf to undermine the Moro people’s quest for self determination and divide and rule them in the process,” he added.

Bruckheimer is the top Hollywood producer behind big-budgeted and top grossing films “Armageddon” (Bruce Willis), “ Pirates of the Caribbean” (Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom), “The Rock (Sean Connery) and “Pearl Harbor”. He is also the producer of the popular TV series “The Amazing Race” and the “CSI” series.

Corpuz, a self-confessed film enthusiast, said the Hollywood film maker will not dwell on the controversial beginning of Abu Sayyaf bandits as a group of armed Muslims formed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States in late 80s and early 90s and made them appear as breakaway group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) of Nur Misuari.

He said the Abu Sayyaf was formed to pressure and compel Misuari to sign the peace agreement with the administration of ex-President Fidel V. Ramos in exchange for some concessions like the establishment of Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the governorship of ARMM to Misuari and the surrender of MNLF arms to the government.

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz said if Bruckheimer really wants a honest film on Abu Sayyaf, he would also take into account the alleged collusion of the Abu Sayyaf with some top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and political warlords in the South, particularly the kidnap-for-ransom activities of the group where top military and local government officials are involved and received shares of paid ransom money to the bandits by their  kidnap victims.

“We hope the Hollywood film would also take into account that the AFP has used the exploits of Abu Sayyaf as rallying point to justify bombings, intense military operations in Mindanao and yearly request for high military budget,” the group’s spokesperson said.

The Variety.Com, website of the popular Variety Magazine said that the Hollywood producer acquired the rights to film Jihadists in Paradise, an article written by Mark Bowden and published in the Atlantic Monthly Magazine.

Bowden, author of the book Black Hawk Down, which was also made into a movie produced by Bruckheimer, is set to write the screenplay for the Abu Sayyaf film. “Jihadists in Paradise, according to Bowden details the emergence of the Islamic terrorist faction Abu Sayyaf and one of its leaders, Aldam Tilao, popularly known as Abu Sabaya.

“ We hope the in the end of the film on Abu Sayyaf, the movie will end with this premise—the US made a monster out of its own creation in the name of US intervention and war of aggression,” Corpuz added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:42 | link | comments |

Green groups urged to reject Defensor senatorial bid

Call it a radical Green Revolution.

But two militant groups on Sunday called on various environmentalist groups across the country to unite and frustrate the senatorial bid of former environment and natural resources Secretary Michael Defensor in the May 14, 2007 senatorial elections.

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and militant party list group Anakpawis said “Green Revolution” is necessary and should prosper to defeat anti-environmentalist candidates like Defensor, one of the 12 senatorial candidates of the Unity Team of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

“Mr. Defensor is not a green person. He is a certified enemy of the environment,” Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Last year, Pamalakaya and Anakpawis filed a complaint against Defensor before the Office of the Ombudsman for approving more than 4,000 environmental compliance certificates in 2005, and for allowing the oil and gas exploration activities in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros, and for his failure to punish Lafayette Philippines Inc. on the two massive toxic spills that occurred between October and November 2005.

Charged with Defensor for violation of anti-graft and corrupt practices act and other environmental laws before the Office of Ombudsman were President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, directors and officials of Department of Environment and Natural Resources offices in Region V and Region VIII, owners and officials of Lafayette Philippines Inc. and oil exploration companies Japan Exploration Corporation (Japex) and Forum Inc. of Canada.

Hicap and his group were openly campaigning against Secretary Defensor and had engaged the former environment secretary in a number of tit-for-tats over the past three years, starting with the landslides in North Quezon and Aurora provinces in 2005, when Pamalakaya blamed Defensor and accused the secretary of coddling illegal loggers in two provinces. Fighting back, Defensor accused members of Pamalakaya of helping illegal loggers to ferry illegally cut logs through the Umiray Channel.

Defensor and Pamalakaya crossed paths again on the issue of Navotas Dumpsite in Barangay Tanza, Navotas when the former DENR secretary allowed the operations of land fill which affected the livelihood of small fisherfolk in the adjacent town of Obando and polluted one of its’ major river systems.

Likewise Pamalakaya lambasted Defensor for endorsing Proclamation 1017, which placed the country under State of National Emergency, after military and security authorities foiled an alleged coup plot against Mrs. Arroyo orchestrated by leftist and rightist elements in the military.

Defensor justified the raid on media outfits critical of President Arroyo and hauled militant party list solons of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela to court, charging them of rebellion with the military faction of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) critical of President Arroyo. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:44 | link | comments |

Leftist fisherfolk leader to file case of
political persecution vs. PGMA before UN

A leader of the leftwing fisherfolk alliance will file a formal complaint before the Human Rights Commission of the United Nation against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee Fernando Hicap executed a three-page complaint affidavit to be sent to the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. The militant leader said the human rights group Karapatan will facilitate the filing of the case of political persecution against the Macapagal-Arroyo government before the UN body.

“I have a case and I will state my case against the Arroyo government before the UN High Commission on Human Rights,” said Hicap, whose wife and children are reportedly being harassed by the military since December last year.

In his three page complaint-affidavit, Hicap said the government was persecuting and harassing him and his family because of his involvement as chair of Pamalakaya and for taking a critical stand against the anti-people policies of the present administration, and for calling President Arroyo to step down from public office for betraying the national interest and collective sentiment of the people.

Hicap said government security forces placed him under surveillance after filing a P 20-million libel case against retired Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan in July, 2006.

In December 2006, a “survey” was conducted by elements of the Alpha Coy of the 22nd Infantry Batallion of the Philippine Army in his town in Castilla in the province of Sorsogon. Sometime in January 2007, his son Fryan Hicap, chairman of Sangguniang Kabataan in their barangay was invited for questioning by the military.

Hicap said the “invitation” placed his son under interrogation by a certain 2nd. Lt. Gamboa. During the interrogation, the military official told his son that he as chairman of Pamalakaya is a high ranking official of the New People’s Army because Pamalakaya is a front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The militant leader said the military official told his son to convince him to surrender and if Hicap refuses to surrender, he should not show his face ever again in the community. Hicap also said the military intends to invite another son Fullbert Hicap at the detachment near their house.

“As a result of continuous harassment and threat, and for their own safety and security, my family was forced to leave our family home in Castilla,” Hicap added.

Pamalakaya asserted that the military violated the 1987 Constitution and the country’s penal laws as well as the 1998 Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Law and a number of treaties and covenants like the UN Charter, the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the 1977 Protocols 1 and 2, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1996 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1966 Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights, the Treaty Against Genocide, the 1984 UN Convention against Torture and UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said a total of 833 cases of extra judicial killings since 2001 were perpetrated by the military, the police, para-military units and Palace-funded death squads across the archipelago under the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya I (2001-2006) and Oplan Bantay Laya II (2007-2012).

Hicap said instead of providing the EU and visiting UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings Philip Alston the Melo report, the military submitted a bogus military report authored from the psy war script done by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales containing false allegations regarding extra-judicial killings conducted by the New People’s Army, the armed-wing of the CPP.

The Pamalakaya leader and Anakpawis party list nominee was referring to the military document it gave to Alston during his meeting with top military officials. The document said the CPP-NPA was behind the liquidation of 1,335 persons from 2000 to 2006 and that most of these killings took place in communist infested areas of Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, Southern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Caraga regions.

The AFP document given to Alston said the NPA killed 650 civilians, 499 military and police personnel and the rest were former rebels, rebel returnees and government officials.

“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,” Pamalakaya added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:43 | link | comments |

800 environmentalists from 33 countries sign
petition to stop cash flow to Lafayette mining

Some 800 environmentalists from 33 countries have signed a petition urging foreign banks to terminate their financial support to Lafayette Philippine Inc., an Australian owned mining firm operating in Rapu-Rapu Island, province of Albay.

The development was revealed by the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Defend Patrimony, Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment and Anakpawis party list, two of the groups which charged top Lafayette executives and top government officials last year before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the two destructive mine spills that took place between October and November 2005.

Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis party list nominee Fernando Hicap said over 800 environmentalists and non-government organizations from The Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece, Switzerland, Norway, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Australia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Ecuador, the United States, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Taiwan,. Indonesia, Thailand, India, Nigeria, Egypt, Sweden, Pakistan, Africa, Austria, Japan, Afghanistan and Mexico have signed the petition of Rapu-Rapu fishermen and residents seeking the closure of LPI.

The international petition was spearheaded by Paul de Clerck, Friends of the Earth International (Belgium), Techa Beaumont of the Mineral Policy of Institute (Australia), Andreas Missbach of Berne Declaration (Switzerland), Catherine Coumans of Mining Watch (Canada) and the Hong Kong-based Rey Asis of Asian Students Association.

“In less than a week, more than 800 influential environmental leaders and activists have signed the petition calling for an end to Lafayette’s destructive mining,” the militant fisherfolk leader said.

Hicap added: “This is a major victory for the Rapu-Rapu people and all crusaders for the environment and public interest. This is the beginning of Lafayette’s end.” On Valentines Day, Pamalakaya, Anakpawis and environmental groups Defend Patrimony and Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment staged a fishapalooza at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office to demand the closure of Lafayette and resignation of Secretary Angelo Reyes.

The petition sought ABN AMRO of the Netherlands, ANZ of Australia, KFSC of South Korea, and Standard Chartered of United Kingdom to end their financial support to Lafayette, despite the lifting of the suspension order imposed on the mining firm and government assurance that strict measures will be implemented to assure the public and Rapu-Rapu residents that the toxic spills in 2005 will not happen again.



Hicap said Mr. Johan Frinjis, coordinator of the group BankTrack, is organizing international support for the petition of the communities of Rapu-Rapu and surrounding areas affected by the two mine spills and has lead the gathering of international support for the closure of Lafayette mining operations in the country.

According to its website, BankTrack is network of civil society organizations tracking the operations of the private financial sector that includes commercial banks, investors, insurance companies and pension plans and their effects on the people and the planet.

The main objective of BankTrack is to make clear to the banks involved that contrary to what was claimed by Lafayette, the firm lacks social license to operate, and that the people of Rapu-Rapu do not want their island to be transformed into a mine site and banks providing financial support to Lafayette, need to be made aware that continued financing of the mining operations would make these banks parties to the conflict.

Signatures from Rapu-Rapu

Kalikasan coordinator Clemente Bautista said more than 2,000 Rapu-Rapu fishermen and residents have signed the petition demanding foreign banks funding the mining operations of LPI to withdraw their support to the Australian mining company.

The petition said contrary to what is routinely claimed by LPI and communicated to its financiers, the project utterly lacks local community support, therefore operating without having obtained the social license to operate as required in covenants like “ Equator Principles” that supposed to govern investment decisions.

Bautista blamed LPI for the death of 11 residents last November and December 2006. Quoting the petition, he said: “The Rapu-Rapu Island is directly located in the Philippine typhoon belt with a hilly terrain and steep slopes. It is inherently vulnerable to natural disasters such as tropical storms and landslides, which may have significantly damaged the area and killed the residents when the two typhoons devastated the Bicol region particularly Albay and Sorsogon provinces last year.”

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:43 | link | comments |

Fishers dare GMA to tell Mikey, Iggy and Dado
to withdraw in May 07 polls

Fisherfolk activists belonging to the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and militant party list group Anakpawis on Valentine’s Day challenged President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo to recall the re-election bids of her son Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo and the candidacy of another son, Diosdado Macapagal-Arroyo, running in one of the congressional districts of Camarines Norte.

“We strongly dare Mrs. Arroyo to tell her sons and brother-in-law to recall common ambition to convert the House of Representatives into House of the Arroyos. The three-year terms of Mikey and Iggy are fatal to the Filipino people, what more with another Arroyo coming into the picture. Give us a break,” Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

“Is the D.I.M team or the Dado-Iggy-Mikey team capable of rising above the occasion? We don’t think so, because they champion the President’s politics of opportunism and narrow-interest,” Hicap added.

Hicap, a vocal critic of rabid pro-Arroyo politicians has criticized some of the administration bets in the senatorial derby in the May 14, 2007 elections. His group recently issued a statement calling for the rejection of Arroyo-backed candidate Mike Defensor, whom Pamalakaya branded as anti-environment, anti-people and all-out puppet of the President.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list said President Arroyo was building her own political empire by fielding her close relatives and associates as administration candidates in the May 2007 elections. The militant group said the President through her own political party Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) is engaged in political raiding of other parties to assure that despite she lost the presidential race in 2010, her close allies are still in government to deny any attempt to prosecute her on or before 2010.

“This strategy will fail. It has been exposed long time ago. The mid-term elections in May 2007 will decide the fate of this extremely hated and isolated presidency of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime,” Hicap added.

The President yesterday rallied her allies to engage in high level campaign and avoid muckraking and mudslinging during their campaign sorties across the country. Mrs. Arroyo said her candidates would focus on issues like job creation, further reduction of cost of living, strong peso, more investments, better education, better health care, housing, hunger mitigation, better environment and strong anti-terror measures.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis said they will engage the administration on the same focus issues the President have mentioned to her candidates by further exposing and opposing Arroyo’s anti-economic policies that impoverished almost 90 percent of the 86 million Filipinos.

“Mrs. Arroyo is engaged in double-speak. While she’s talking about the same issues, she is avoiding the collective inquiry and sentiment of the people against her anti-people economic policies. She’s providing us with rhetorics and doctored statistics, while avoiding big crimes of corruption, puppetry and brutality raised against her administration, “the groups added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:43 | link | comments |

Fishers group to file raps vs.
Army general for campaigning vs. leftist party list bets

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) announced on Monday it would file appropriate charges against Brig. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin, commanding officer of the 402nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Naga City for campaigning against progressive party list groups and branding such groups as front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and supporters of the New People’s Army.

“Brig. Gen. Sadiarin will be definitely named as one of the respondents in the complaint our group will file in the Commission on Elections for violating the Fair Election Act and other election related jurisprudence,” Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Army Gen. Sadiarin said party lists Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan Party and Suara Bangsa Moro are NPA supported party lists based on the documents allegedly confiscated by the military from communist guerillas.

The Army Gen. said the victory of five party lists in the May 14, 2007 elections would mean more arms and computers for the NPA rebels. The commanding officer also said the NPA are campaigning for leftwing party list groups to win more seats in the May elections to strengthen their forces and increase their technological capability.

Hicap added: “While the military leadership from the top down to the lower level professed that they won’t allow the armed forces to engage in partisan politics, the case of Gen. Sadiarin is extreme and the opposite of such professed vow.”

Hicap said Pamalakaya and Anakpawis are also contemplating to file a separate P 20-million libel case against the Army Gen. Sadiarin, stressing that the military official was engaged in black propaganda and political slander against legitimate party lists groups seeking to represent the people’s voice and agenda under the party list system.

Last year, Pamalakaya and Anakpawis filed a P 20-million libel case at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan. The controversial military official accused Pamalakaya and Anakpawis of sowing trouble in the coastal areas of Bulacan, forcibly recruiting residents to join the NPA and extorting P 50,000 monthly from fishpond owners.

Hicap said their legal counsel is now preparing the charge sheet, and the complaint would be filed in Comelec not later than this week or early next week. To be named respondents are Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the AFP Chief for Civil Relations, Brig. Gen. Sadiarin of the 402nd IBPA and other military officials.

Pamalakaya said the statement made by Brig. Gen. Sadiarin should be an eye opener to visiting UN panel tasked to investigate and validate charges of extra judicial killings ranged against the military. “We will teach this brutal, corrupt and arrogant general a lesson of a lifetime. He must be brought to the court of justice,” the group added.

The militant group said UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston should relate Sadiarin’s electoral offensive against militant party lists in the conduct of investigation on political killings and establishing a national policy and pattern executed by the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the military establishment. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:42 | link | comments |

Fish Palooza staged at DENR national office
Fishers kiss fish to denounce Lafayette re-opening,
demand resignation of Sec. Reyes

Fisherfolk activists belonging to the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and militant party list group Anakpawis on Valentine’s Day staged a Fish Palooza at the main gate of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to protest the lifting of the suspension order against the mining operations of Lafayette Philippines Incorporated (LPI) and demand the resignation of environment Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Forty fisherfolk activists kissed “tilapia” and hanged placards in their necks to protest what they called a brazen and bizarre betrayal of public interest by the national government in the name of super monopoly profits and super bureaucratic corruption.

“The decision of Secretary Reyes to lift the suspension order on the mining operations of Lafayette shows how Malacañang cherish its immoral and anti-people partnership with the Australian mining giant at the expense of public welfare and the environment,” Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Hicap added:” The DENR is acting as if it is the investment house of all mining companies in the Philippines. The lifting of the suspension order against Lafayette is an open declaration of war against the national interest and collective sentiment of the people.”

Secretary Reyes has assured the public that despite the lifting of suspension order, the DENR would impose stringent conditions which include implementation of operational control measures identified by the mines bureau and the independent team of experts from the academe, non-government organizations and other stakeholders.

Lafayette’s President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Dominguez said they have completed the 36 conditions set by DENR and PAB. He said the company has spent $ 2.8 million for the rehabilitation of mine site and it is planning to further improve the facilities in anticipation of future strong typhoons.

Pamalakaya and Anakpawis party list did not spare the House Committee on Environment from their scathing attack against the resumption of the Lafayette mining operations in Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay. The group said the house probe body favored the lifting of the cease and desist order imposed by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) on the mining operations of Lafayette Philippines Inc. in exchange for favors related to election. “It’s election time. Every traditional politician will do their best to please major corporate interests across the country to get favor in return,” the groups added.

The House Committee on Environment chaired by Rep. Leovigildo Banaag (Agusan, 1st district) last week approved the resumption of Lafayette mining despite the strong opposition and strong public opinion ranged against LPI accused of intoxicating the fishing waters of Rapu-Rapu and nearby coastal towns in Sorsogon province. “This shotgun decision of the House Committee on Environment practically absolves Lafayette from its crimes against the people and the marine environment. This is a scam to the highest order,” Hicap said.

It was Pamalakaya, Anakpawis party list and the environmental group Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment which prodded the house body on environment to investigate the toxic spill last October 2005 in Rapu-Rapu Island, which also affected several coastal towns in Sorsogon province.
company maintains its compliance with the conditions set by PAB and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:41 | link | comments |

Fishers group slams House decision re-opening Lafayette

The decision of the House Committee on Environment in favor of lifting the cease and desist order imposed by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) on the mining operations of Lafayette Philippines Inc. was strongly rejected by the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair and Anakpawis party list 4th nominee Fernando Hicap said the House Committee on Environment chaired by Rep. Leovigildo Banaag (Agusan, 1st district) betrayed the collective interest and sentiment of small fishermen and residents in Rapu-Rapu Island and nearby coastal municipalities in Sorsogon province when it recommended the re-opening of the Australian-owned mining company.

Hicap said the decision of House Committee endorsing the resumption of Lafayette’s operations was released in time for the lifting of the suspension order against the company’s mining operations in Rapu-Rapu Island.

“This shotgun decision of the House Committee on Environment practically absolves Lafayette from its crimes against the people and the marine environment. This is a scam to the highest order,” Hicap said.

Hicap added: “The House Committee did not address real issues raised by the opponents, affected fishermen and residents and merely acted as legal counsels and legislative warriors for the Australian mining firm.”

It was Pamalakaya, Anakpawis party list and the environmental group Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment which prodded the house body on environment to investigate the toxic spill last October 2005 in Rapu-Rapu Island, which also affected several coastal towns in Sorsogon province.

“We are dismayed with the decision of the legislative committee. Whatever angle we look at it, it is a scam and first-rate crime of betrayal of national interest,” the Anakpawis nominee added.

Rep. Banaag said his committee would continue to monitor the mining operations to ensure that the company maintains its compliance with the conditions set by PAB and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Agusan congressman said the House Committee on Environment based their recommendation on the result of the ocular inspection conducted by its members led by Rep. Jose Solis (2nd district, Sorsogon), the committee’s vice-chair last year.

Banaag said part of the recommendation was the conduct of continuous test runs until Lafayette has fully complied with the conditions set by DENR and PAB. But the lawmaker said the report and recommendation of the committee has yet to be approved by the House in plenary session.

But Pamalakaya and Anakpawis would campaign for the rejection of the House Committee report and recommendation once the body submits it to the House in plenary session for approval. “We will ask our allies and other environmental groups opposed to Lafayette mining to go the House and tell these congressmen that is a national crime to allow Lafayette operations in Rapu-Rapu Island,” the groups said.

Lafayette’s President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Dominguez said they have completed the 36 conditions set by DENR and PAB. He said the company has spent $ 2.8 million for the rehabilitation of mine site and it is planning to further improve the facilities in anticipation of future strong typhoons. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:17 | link | comments |

Leftwing party list optimistic they can win 3 seats in May 07 polls

The left-leaning Anakpawis party list is optimistic the political party could clinch the maximum three seats in the House of Representatives in the May 14, 2007 national elections under the party list system.

“The only factor that would deny us the right to represent the toiling masses in Congress is this brutal regime which is out to stage a nationwide brutal campaign against our forces and steal our victory at the political box-office,” said Anakpawis fisherfolk nominee and Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

Hicap said Anakpawis now commands over 400,000 individual members nationwide, and such strong machinery is enough to win the maximum three seats in Congress. “We have 400,000 strong army of electoral campaigners for the party list election enough to counter the evil plan of the ruling political syndicate in Malacañang,” he said.

“The onslaught of political killings and state terror perpetrated by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime will not stop us from winning the elections and represent the people’s voice and agenda inside the reactionary congress,” Hicap added.

Last 2004, the militant party list group cornered over 400,000 votes for party list representation, enough to send its first two nominees labor leader Crispin Beltran and peasant leader Rafael Mariano to the House of Representatives. Over the past two years, Anakpawis has sponsored more than 130 bills and resolutions, the landmark bill was the P 125-across the board wage increase sponsored by Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Gabriela party lists.

In addition to the legislative success of the three-year old political party, Anakpawis has successfully built for 4 national bridges, 13 flood control-systems, 107 health centers, 2 information technology based projects, 94 livelihood projects, 68 multi-purpose buildings, 28 school buildings, 30 social service related projects, 10 trainings, 69 water systems and 12 education projects, excluding tens of thousands of medical assistance to financially handicapped sick persons.

Hicap said 297 projects of Anakpawis were not implemented in 2006, because Malacañang has refused to release the countrywide development fund of Reps. Beltran and Mariano.

Hicap said the party list needs at least 900,000 votes this coming elections to win three party list seats in Congress, but the Anakpawis party list nominee said the huge masses of people who are sick and tired of the Arroyo government will transform their anger into protest votes to bring the genuine representatives and anti-Arroyo politicians in Congress top ensure the success of the next impeachment case against the present administration.

“The 43.5 million Filipino voters will punish President Arroyo and her militarist gang by entrusting their votes to Anakpawis and sister party list groups like Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, Kabataan Party and Suara Bangsa Moro, the carriers of politics of the masses and politics of change all over the country,” the Anakpawis nominee added.

In its second national convention held in Manila last February 5, the 1,500 delegates of Anakpawis voted the currently detained Beltran as the party’s first nominee, followed by Mariano and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Secretary General Joel Maglunsod as second and third nominees respectively. Other nominees of Anakpawis include Ferdinand Gaite of the government union Courage, Francisco Baylon Jr. of peasant group Sagupa-Eastern Visayas, Jaime Paglinawan of Central Visayas, Orly Marcellana of Kasama-Timog Katagalugan, Lito Ustarez of KMU, Willy Marbella of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Carmen Buena of Amihan peasant women, Medardo Roda of Piston transport group. Roy Velez of Anakpawis-National Capital Region, Nicolas Galia of Mindanao, Tito Tanduyan of Mindanao. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:16 | link |