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

Gov’t task force on Guimaras asked: Where’s
P 227 million rehab funds?

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday asked the government backed Task Force Solar Oil Spill (SOS) led by Task Force SOS chair Rafael Coscolluela about the P 227 million allocated for the rehabilitation program in the oil spill ravaged Guimaras Strait.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap pressed Coscolluela to explain the status of the P 227 million Guimaras rehabilitation fund recommended by the task force during a meeting among TF members held at the Office of the Civil Defense of the National Disaster Coordinating Council last July 11, 2007

“So what’s the real score? We want a complete detail and report if indeed the government released the proposed fund and have it distributed accordingly to the budgetary requirements of different agencies and such huge amount of taxpayers money were really used to provide help to the affected people, including the rehabilitation of Guimaras,” the fisherfolk leader said.

The Pamalakaya chair who was in Guimaras last week said victims of the oil spill told him that until now no projects have been undertaken by the national government and the Palace created Task Force in the oil spill ravaged island province.

“I was shocked to learn that the government has not accomplished anything for the people of Guimaras. Their efforts were limited to one-shot monitoring of people’s blood pressure and identification of possible respiratory diseases and distribution of paracetamol,” Hicap added.

Hicap said on July 2, the government task force held a meeting to review, re-evaluate and finalize the revised Work and Financial Plan submitted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Reform (BFAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Coscolluella reduced the proposed budget of P 302 million to P 277.728 million, saying the disapproved items amounting to P 74.272 million will be forwarded to the Office of the President for approval.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the approved items are the livelihood projects required by the budget for the Office of Agriculture Secretary ( P 35 M), BFAR ( P 55 M), DENR waste disposal management (P 8.657 M), coastal rehabilitation (P 57 M) and Department of Health’s disease surveillance, support operations, monitoring and evaluation (P 22 million).

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna party list Rep. Teodoro Casiño is set to file a House Resolution urging lawmakers to investigate the current predicament of Guimaras oil spill victims after learning that 125,000 claimants from Guimaras and 7,000 claimants in Iloilo were rejected by the London-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF).

On the other hand, Pamalakaya said it would ask a group of lawyers and experts whether they could question the decision of the IOPCF rejecting the claims of 133,000 victims or they could file criminal case against the IOPCF for denying justice to the victims of Guimaras oil spill. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:04 | link | comments (2) |

Atienza dared to suspend Enrile’s logging operations in Samar

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday urged Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Joselito Atienza to suspend if not permanently stop the logging operations of San Jose Timber Corp.- a logging firm reportedly owned by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said Secretary Atienza should not go on selective mode by suspending only the logging operations of Basey Wood Industries (Baswood). He said the DENR chief should also stop the Enrile firm from resuming its operations in the island.

“If he is really concern with climate change and other environmental disasters huge logging operations may cause to the environment and to the people, Secretary Atienza should also tell Mr. Enrile to quit from logging the forest areas of Samar,” the militant leader said.

The Pamalakaya leader was referring to the 95, 770 hectares of forest lands in Samar Island operated by San Jose Timber Corp. In August 2005, then Environment Secretary Michael Defensor allowed San Jose Timber to resume its operation in 95,770 hectares of forest lands in Samar Island and extended its logging permit by 16 years.

Quickly, the Catholic Church also opposed San Jose Timber’s planned resumption of operation, saying that circumstances leading to the lifting of the logging moratorium in Samar “had not been transparent and the processed flawed” and that the law was “applied without due consideration for the poor to please the powerful.”

Hicap said it seems Senator Enrile has become the untouchable logging king in Samar after he joined the Macapagal-Arroyo camp and has allowed himself to become Malacañang’s newest attack dog in the Senate, working as workaholic political defender of President Arroyo, playing the spoiler’s role in many of the Senate’s investigation on controversial issues like the Hello Garci tape scandal and the National Broadband Network scam.

“Is this some kind of an exchange deal? How come Secretary Atienza cannot stop Enrile’s logging operations in the protected forest park?

President Arroyo had declared on Aug.13, 2003 the 333, 300 hectare as Samar Island Natural Park, and therefore a protected area from logging interest groups. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:03 | link | comments |

Uncontrollable oil price hike may push fisherfolk to
abandon motorized bancas

The spate of oil price hikes in the country may push fisherfolk owners of 177, 627 motorized small boats
across the country to abandon their 4 to 16 horsepower motors, and go back to wood paddles to fish. "That's because they could no longer afford the cost of fuel, particularly regular gasoline now pegged at not less than P 47 per liter," the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

At present, there are 292,180 non-motorized boats out of 469,807 registered bancas in all the country's
municipalities or 62% of all registered municipal bancas all over the country.

Small Filipino fisherfolk use at least 8 liters of regular gasoline, costing them P 375 to P 400 per
fishing operation.

As per fishing operation, the normal average fish catch is 10 kilos at P 40 per kilo of fish or roughly
P 400. Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said with the increasing prices in petroleum products, the poor fisherfolk will operate at loss because their catch will only be used to finance the rising cost of
production, specifically on gasoline. "The situation is forcing our small fishermen to let go their banca motors and sell it, and just go fishing the backward or Jurassic way," Pamalakaya's Hicap said.

"The oil cartel is making money from our fisherfolk oil consumers, by making them slaves and perpetual
buyers of their overpriced and highly taxed regular gasoline, courtesy of the Oil Deregulation Law and
their patented practice of corporate exploitation," Hicap added.

Pamalakaya earlier pressed the government to immediately impose price controls on prices to caution
the impact of rising prices of petroleum products in the world market.

The group said the next step is to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law that allows oil companies
like Petron Corp., Shell and Caltex Corp. to jack up prices of petroleum products since 1996. The next step is to proceed with the nationalization of oil industry to make it service oriented, rather than super profit oriented. The militant group said all the three steps can be done in less than a month, if the government will exact political will.

Quoting data from the research think tank Ibon Foundation, Pamalakaya said oil companies Petron,
Shell and Caltex have taken advantage of the oil deregulation law and had used the developments in the
sharp increases in the prices of oil products abroad as a price barometer to justify successive oil price
increases since 1996.

Quoting the same data from Ibon, Pamalakaya said from April 1996 to January 2007, there had been 81 rounds of oil price hikes for diesel or an average of 8 oil price hikes per year. In 2005 and 2006, at least 36 rounds of oil price hikes for diesel have been recorded.

Using the same Ibon data, Pamalakaya said the three oil companies still owe the public P 1.39 liter in
overpricing in January 2007, and P 1.28 per liter in overpricing in 2006. Pamalakaya said the spate of oil price increases would further contribute to the marginalization of majority of the Filipino people currently living below the poverty line. The government’s own estimate reveals that 83 percent of the country’s total population is already living with only P 96 or less a day. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:02 | link | comments |

Japanese oil exploration firm fish ban in Tañon Strait, a preview of Jpepa, says militant fishers
By Gerry Albert Corpuz, Bulatlat.com

A militant group opposed to the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) on Saturday said, even the Philippine Senate has yet to ratify the economic pact, Japanese business groups are acting like they are the owners of country’s natural resources.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Saturday said the Japanese firm Japan Petroleum Exploration Corp or Japex has imposed a fish ban near the site of the to oil exploration activities in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros.

“It is a virtual takeover of Tañon Strait, as if Japex has put up its own Republic in this part of the Visayan Sea. Nobody is allowed to fish near the exploratory drilling site. This is pre-Jpepa ratification scenario, what more if this one-sided agreement is ratified?” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement emailed to Bulatlat.com

Hicap provided the case of protected seascape being explored by Japex for potential oil deposits as a step up its opposition against Jpepa. Last week, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to talk with the Japanese ambassador in Manila to discuss the proposed side agreement to correct flaws in Jpepa.

The lady senator, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said she and Senator Manuel Roxas III agreed to find a way so that the treaty will not be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Sen. Santiago said the main concern of the senators was that Japan appeared to have set more reservations in the treaty than the Philippines which had fewer reservations than Thailand and Malaysia’s treaty with Japan.

Harboring illusions

But Pamalakaya’s Hicap urged senators Santiago and Roxas to drop the idea of forging a side deal agreement with Japan, as he advised the two senators and their colleagues to close the doors to Jpepa.

“The side agreement being proposed by Senators Santiago and Roxas is not an assurance that the Philippines will get better terms from Japanese government. That’s an illusion and we don’t harbor illusions, aren’t we?” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya asserted that more and more economic and environmental disasters would take place under Jpepa, and that Japex imposition the fish ban near the site of offshore mining since the beginning of the oil exploratory drilling last Nov.15 is one concrete experience the senators should consider in making their decision on the controversial economic pact.


Fisherfolk of two towns said the bulk of fish are found near the oil exploration area, but members of Philippine Coast Guards stop them from reaching the fishing area. Sixty year old Fortunato Mercado, a fisherman of 50 years said he has to find a way to catch because of the “fish ban” imposed by Japex. Another fisherman, Anny Solon, 38 years old complained that their fishing nets get snared by the anchors of Japex.

Pamalakaya said what Japex had promised to small fishermen was a sack of rice for every fishing family in Aloguinsan and Pinamungajan, which the group described as “Consuelo de Bobo”.

The ambitious multi-million dollar oil exploration covered by Service Contract 46 which covers 2,850 square kilometers offshore of Tañon Strait will affect 13 barangays of Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan in Cebu, 14 towns and cities in Negros Oriental and four towns in Negros Occidental.

In May 2005, Japex held a 751-kilometer multi-channel sub-bottom profiling survey using M/S Veritas Searcher and two chase boats which carried a 3.5 kilometer cable. The survey held on 24 hour basis was meant to identify the potential of Tañon Strait to yield I billion barrels of oil and out of this potential reserve, 100 million barrels of oil can be recovered.

Parity rights to Japex in the absence of Jpepa

Pamalakaya said Japex oil exploration in Tañon Strait is Jpepa in action. He said Philippine government granted parity rights to Japan by virtue of the following privileges given to Japex: 1). Japex will get 40 percent of the net proceeds, 2). Exemption from all national taxes except income taxes, easy repatriation of investments and profits, 3). Free market determination of crude oil and natural gas prices, 4). Special income tax rate for sub-contractor of 8 % of the Philippine gross income and 5). Special income tax rate for foreign employees of service contractor and sub-contractor of 15% of the Philippine gross income.

“The case of Japanese oil and gas exploration in Tañon Strait is Jpepa in action. It is a preview on how Jpepa will work to the advantage of Japanese investors in the Philippines at the expense of national interest,” the group added.

Pamalakaya said in this particular Japanese investment, Japex managed to get national preferential treatment, the most favored treatment, general fair and equitable treatment, the prohibition of performance requirements, prohibition on expropriation or nationalization of compensation, transfers of investment and taxation measures as expropriation, all elements of Jpepa.

Pamalakaya said the Japanese offshore mining is conducted and manned purely by Japanese staff and personnel, an offshoot of article 93 of Jpepa which allows Japanese investors to prohibit the national government from requiring Japanese investors to hire or employ a certain level of Filipino workers in the operations of offshore mining.

The militant group said the privilege given to Japex to expatriate its investments and profits is reflected in Article 97 of Jpepa which states that a Japanese investor is allowed to transfer his investment in and out the Philippines, including his capital investment, additional investments, profits and other gains.

Pamalakaya said the tax exemptions and other tax holidays awarded to Japanese investors and their nationals were offshoots of the most favored national and most favored treatment provisions of Jpepa, where foreign groups or entities are given the same rights as Filipino investors. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:07 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya sees 4-month fishing ban in Western Visayas
as prelude to five year fishing ban in Visayan Sea

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday said the four-month fishing ban imposed by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Reform (BFAR) in Western Visayas is a prelude to the five-year fishing ban suggested by the national government all over the Visayan Sea.

The BFAR Region 6 issued Fisheries Administrative Order 167 banning fishing activities for four months from the mouth of Danao River on the northeastern tip of Bantayan Island to Madridejos, thru the lighthouse of Gigantes Island, to Clutaya Island, to Culasi Point in Capiz province, eastward along the northern coast of Capiz to Bulacaue Point in Caries, Iloilo, southward along the eastern coast of Iloilo to the mouth of Talisay River, westward across the Guimaras Strait to Tomonton Point in Occidental Negros, eastward along the northern coast of the Island of Negros and back from the mouth of Danao River in Escalante, Negros Occidental.

BFAR Regional 6 Director Drusila Esther Bayate warned that violators will be prosecuted and penalized. She said violators caught with the pregnant sardines, mackerels and herrings will be held accountable and faces fine of five hundred pesos (P 500) to five thousand pesos (P 5,000) or imprisonment from six months to four years.

But Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap described the fishing ban that would last for four months from November to February next year as economic dictatorship and all out curtailment of fisherfolk rights to explore the waters of Western Visayas to prepare the entire Visayan Sea for closure and pave way for the invasion of oil and gas exploration all over waters of Visayas.

Hicap said the reason given by BFAR Region VI that the four-month fishing ban was imposed to protect and conserve sardines, mackerel and herrings is not acceptable and highly questionable.

“The basis of which is a scientific study conducted decades ago, and BFAR is merely relying on a Jurassic study. What is true decades ago, could not be true anymore at present time. Something sinister is behind this sudden change of policy,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

The militant group said the proposal first suggested by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the helm of former secretary Michael Defensor came to their knowledge sometime in 2005.

It was also during the period, the national government started handing out service contracts to oil and gas exploration groups in Tañon Strait and Cebu-Bohol Strait separating and connecting the island provinces of Cebu, Negros, Bohol, Leyte, Masbate and Panay Island.

“The four-month fish ban will be extended later to one year, then to five years to suit the government’s plan of five-year fishing ban across the Visayan Sea. We see this BFAR Region VI move as pilot move to clinch the 5-year ban later and pave way for the invasion of oil and gas explorations in other parts of the Visayan Sea,” Pamalakaya said. The group said fish ban to give way to offshore mining in Central and Western Visayas and other parts of the Visayan Sea alone will affect not less than 100,000 small fishermen and 500,000 dependents, and it will further exacerbate the problem of food security of 87 million Filipinos.

Pamalakaya said the left-and-right oil and gas exploration in the Visayan Sea will affect fish
production in Region VI composed of provinces Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental which account for an average for 350,000 metric tons of fish harvest per year, while Region VII composed of Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu and Siquijor account for 205,000 metric tons of fish produced. Region VIII made up of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar and Southern Leyte yield and average of 100,000 metric tons of fish per year. #

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

Pamalakaya dares ASEAN to set up court to punish member nations with high crimes against environment

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday urged member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) to make an enforceable charter and set up an ASEAN court that would hold governments accountable for their horrible crimes against the environment in their respective countries.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap put up the challenge in connection with the series of summits of ASEAN in Singapore scheduled on November 19 to 22, as heads of the states meet to discuss environmental issues and other related concerns such as climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development.

The Pamalakaya leader said he is not expecting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will carry out the cause for the protection of environment and the conservation of coastal and marine resources.

“Nothing can be expected from her. She is the no.1 enemy of environmental protection across the country. In case the ASEAN puts up a Southeast Asian court to try governments for their crimes against the environment, Mrs. Arroyo would be the region’s first respondent to be tried for crimes against the environment and crimes against humanity,” Hicap asserted.

President Arroyo, who is scheduled to arrive late this afternoon to take part in the summit and sign a number of agreements, including the ASEAN Charter and a declaration on environmental sustainability. The key themes of the discussions in the 13th ASEAN Summit and related meetings are energy, the environment and climate change.

Pamalakaya said the Macapagal-Arroyo government has virtually declared the Philippines as “destructive offshore mining capital of Asia” by virtue of its approval of 34 service contracts for offshore mining, two service contracts are found in Central Visayas namely the Tañon Strait, a body of water separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros, and Cebu-Bohol Strait, separating the provinces of Cebu and Bohol;

The group said foreign oil and gas exploration companies are also eying the waters of Antique, Leyte, Palawan and Mindoro Occidental in Southern Tagalog region and Ragay Gulf in Bicol region for offshore mining, virtually transforming the archipelago into an offshore mining country;

Pamalakaya said in Cebu-Bohol Strait, President Arroyo and capitalist clients want to subject 444,000 hectares of marine waters to oil and gas exploration, which met strong opposition from small fisherfolk, local government officials, beach owners and environmental groups.

“The Philippines rich marine biodiversity areas are offered for destruction in the name of this massive hunt for black gold allegedly deposited across the archipelago. Mrs. Arroyo has the guts to present herself an environmental crusader despite the fact that her government is no.1 seller and destroyer of the country’s marine resources,” the group said. Pamalakaya said under Mrs. /arroyo’s watch, oil spill happened in Guimaras forcing fish production to drop by 65 percent from annual production of 50,000 metric tons per year to 17,500 metric tons only this year since the August 11 oil spill last year.

The militant group said massive logging operations in Leyte and Quezon provinces also caused landslides and death of thousands of people, mostly farmers and fishermen several years ago. Pamalakaya said the Lafayette toxic spill in 2005, as well as the recent fish kill in Rapu-Rapu, Albay should also be blamed to government’s policy on mining. The group said resumption of logging activities in Samar’s 333,000 hectare protected forest park courtesy of Malacañang is another environmental crime Mrs. Arroyo has to face in the near future. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:04 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya sees Enrile switch to GMA camp behind resumption of logging operations in Samar

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) decision to allow San Jose Timber Corp.- a logging firm reportedly owned by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile was a classic act of political accommodation by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Senator Enrile became pro-administration in 2005, after former DENR Secretary Michael Defensor allowed the logging company of the senator to resume its operation in 95, 770 hectares of forest lands in Samar Island and extended its permit for 16 years,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The militant leader said Senator Enrile allowed himself to become Malacañang’s newest attack dog in the Senate, working as workaholic political defender of President Arroyo, playing the spoiler’s role in many of the Senate’s investigation on controversial issues like the Hello Garci tape scandal and the National Broadband Network scam.

Pamalakaya’ Hicap said the recent move of Senator Enrile to implicate House Speaker Jose de Venecia on the equally anomalous $ 550 North Rail Project with China was not meant to find the truth but to rock the House Speaker currently in intense silent war with the President, Jose “Joey” de Venecia III implicated the President, her husband First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo and scores of government officials in the controversial $ 330 million ZTE deal.

“We are not saying that House speaker has nothing to do with the North Rail project. In fact that issue has been raised against him. What baffles us is that how come it is only now that Senator Enrile brings the matter to public attention at the time Mrs. Arroyo and Speaker de Venecia are having an irreconcilable cold war,” he said.

Pamalakaya said to put premium to his crusade to pin down Speaker de Venecia on the North Rail project, which may be reopened by the Senate, Sen. Enrile should stop the logging operations of San Jose Timber Corp.

“Sen. Enrile has to do that to convince the public. He must also demand President Arroyo and the secretary of National Economic Development Authority to testify in the planned reinvestigation of the Upper House,” the militant group said.

The militant’s challenge to Sen. Enrile came a day after the DENR allowed Basey Wood Industries Inc. (Baswood) another big logging firm to resume operations in Samar after this was stopped in 1989 when the government declared a logging moratorium in the island.

The DENR has issued a Timber License Agreement (TLA) for a concession area of 57,525 hectares and effective from January 1971 to June 1995. The environment agency extended for six years the permit it granted to Boswood in 2005, but the DENR said the area where Baswood would be allowed to cut trees was reduced by 30 percent.

President Arroyo had declared on Aug.13, 2003 the 333, 300 hectare as Samar Island Natural Park, and therefore a protected area from logging interest groups. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:29 | link | comments |

Militants want National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez grilled by House parallel probe on Batasan blast

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday asked the House deputized probe body tasked to investigate the Nov.13 bombing inside the Batasan Complex to grill the controversial National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez.

“Let us put this top security official of Malacañang at the center of national inquiry. His name has been consistently mentioned as one of the authors of the series of bombings in Metro Manila by no other than an elected senator of the Republic and a self-confessed agent of the state,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The national security adviser along with Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. were tagged by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as probable masterminds in the Glorietta 2 bombing that killed 11 people, and wounded over 100 shoppers last Oct.19.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said a certain Abdul Rahman, who claims to be an agent of the National Regional Command surfaced two days after the bloody carnage in Batasan Complex to tell the Filipino public that he was recruited to work for the national security adviser.

Prior to his work as spy agent for the national security adviser, the 38-year old Rahman was a member of the “balik-Muslim” (return to Muslim) group Rajah Sulaiman Movement, an alleged terrorist group before he was recruited by a certain Muslim police officer Supt. Salim to the police regional command sometime in 2004. According to Rahman, he was recruited in 2004 to conduct “casing” activities in Metro Manila which included the Glorietta Mall in Makati City, the House of Representatives in Batasan Complex, the Centennial Building of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court in Quezon City and several television stations in the National Capital Region.

The self-confessed agent said among the assets of the regional police command in the main capital, eight were handpicked and detailed at the office of national security adviser Gonzalez. Rahman said his group received specific orders from Gonzalez’ office to case certain places for possible bombing targets, and had reported that the parking lot of the House of Representatives, as well as the House Speaker’s podium are the ideal places where they could place the bombs because of lax of security.

Rahman admitted that he had surveyed the House of Representatives several times in September 2006, but admitted that he does know whether his intelligence report had anything to do with the recent bombing in the House of Representatives, and earlier in Glorietta 2 last Oct.19. He said in his report, the best place to plant a bomb in the House is at the parking lot or near the podium of the Speaker of the House.

The agent said he met the security adviser three times in May, June and July 2006, and he also admitted that he was instructed to survey 30 left-leaning organizations critical of President Arroyo and the military establishment. “ Rahman’s story is both a prize puzzle and a working clue for the House initiated probe on Batasan blast, “ Hicap said/ The Pamalakaya leader added: “The assertion of the Philippine police is not only premature, it is also highly questionable and misleading. If the real target is Basilan Rep. Akbar, how come scores of people were killed and hurt in that bloody carnage inside the House of Representatives even if they are not targets of the bombers.

Pamalakaya said such political commentary is scripted by Malacañang, by the National Security Adviser and the National Security Council. It said all facts should be collated, analyzed and verified further by an independent and credible investigative body. The group said killers or hired assassins who are ought to kill Rep. Akbar could have chosen other places where they would carry out their operations against their target and they would not inflict harm to non-targets and they would not do that inside Batasan Complex which is heavily guarded by state security forces.

“The bombers of Batasan Complex may not be really after Rep. Akbar. The Basilan representative might be one of the victims. The real intention of the perpetrators of the crime is to deliver a political statement that those who wish to oppose the powers that be are no longer safe even inside their own institution or turf. It could be a message to the House speaker who is currently not in good speaking terms with Malacañang,” the Pamalakaya leader added. Hicap said this political angle is not being pursued by police authorities, although they offered Basilan politics as probable lead in the Batasan blast. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:28 | link | comments |

Leftists questioned Basilan politics as lead in Batasan bombing
Premature, highly questionable, misleading, says Pamalakaya

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday questioned the angle of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that Basilan politics could be a working clue in finding the truth to the powerful explosion in the south wing parking lot of Batasan Complex on Tuesday night.

“It is not only premature, it is also highly questionable and misleading. If the real target is Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar, how come scores of people were killed and hurt in that bloody carnage inside the House of Representatives? The PNP is conditioning public thinking like what they did to Glorietta 2 bombing in accordance with the interest of their principal in Malacañang,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The Pamalakaya leader said PNP Director General Avelino Razon committed a national foul play when he immediately concluded that the Batasan blast was attributed to the intense political war in Basilan and that Rep. Akbar was the main target of the group behind the bombing incidence inside Batasan Complex two days ago.

“We will not entertain any political commentary scripted by Malacañang, by the National Security Adviser and the National Security Council. All facts should be collated, analyzed and verified further by an independent and credible investigative body,” Hicap added.

Hicap said killers or hired assassins who are ought to kill Rep. Akbar could have chosen other places where they would carry out their operations against their target and they would not inflict harm to non-targets and they would not do that inside Batasan Complex which is heavily guarded by state security forces.

“The bombers of Batasan Complex may not be really after Rep. Akbar. The Basilan representative might be one of the victims. The real intention of the perpetrators of the crime is to deliver a political statement that those who wish to oppose the powers that be are no longer safe even inside their own institution or turf. It could be a message to the House speaker who is currently not in good speaking terms with Malacañang,” the Pamalakaya leader added.

Hicap said this political angle is not being pursued by police authorities, although they offered Basilan politics as probable lead in the Batasan blast.

Pamalakaya reiterated its appeal to House de Venecia to deputize an independent body to investigate the Batasan tragedy Tuesday night. “We strongly suggest the House Speaker de and the leadership of Congress to authorize an independent investigation to determine the real score on the Batasan bombing. We cannot rely on the PNP and other government authorities to handle the investigation because of their highly questionable work on Glorietta 2 bombing last Oct.19,” Pamalakaya said.

Pamalakaya suggested the independent probe should be composed of former Supreme Court justices, Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, independent experts and scientists, human rights advocates, credible groups and representatives of party list groups and cause-oriented organizations. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:27 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya sends off 300 boats to protest oil exploration in Tañon Strait

Some 300 small fishing boats will surround today the ships to be used in the oil and gas exploration conducted by the Japan Petroleum Exploration Corp. (Japex) in Tañon Strait, according to the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said tomorrow their Cebu-based chapter Pamana-Sugbo and its main NGO partner- the Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center (FIDEC) and the fishermen of the municipalities of Aloguinsan and Pinamungajan will lead the daring protest against Japex oil hunt in the protected seascape separating the island provinces of Negros and Cebu.

“The government is not listening to the legitimate demands and grievances of the small fisherfolk and other affected the sectors. What they want is not energy for the people, but the fat kickbacks they will get from Japex,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap said.

“The fisherfolk is compelled to defend their main source of livelihood and the environment from the joint corporate onslaught of Malacañang and Japex. This daring sea-based protest is just the beginning of more high impact actions in the future,” the Pamalakaya leader added.

According to Hicap, the protest against Japex exploration will be sustained from November 15 to December 15, and another month-long protest action will be planned for late December until late January next year.

“They want a battle royale on Japex exploration; we will give it to them at all cost and whatever is at stake. This is a mater of life and death to Cebu and Negros fishermen, so they will show to Malacañang and Japex that they will fight in the name in the highest interest of the people and the environment,” the Pamalakaya leader added,

The ambitious multi-million dollar oil exploration covered by Service Contract 46 which covers 2,850 square kilometers offshore of Tañon Strait will affect 13 barangays of Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan in Cebu, 14 towns and cities in Negros Oriental and four towns in Negros Occidental.

In May 2005, Japex held a 751-kilometer multi-channel sub-bottom profiling survey using M/S Veritas Searcher and two chase boats which carried a 3.5 kilometer cable. The survey held on 24 hour basis was meant to identify the potential of Tañon Strait to yield I billion barrels of oil and out of this potential reserve, 100 million barrels of oil can be recovered.

Hicap said its chapters in Negros Island, Pamalakaya North Negros District and Pamalakaya-Vallehormoso with Aglipayan Forum, Bayan-Negros, Gabriela-Negros and Timbang Satellite Environmental Volunteers Organizations conducted a fact finding mission last October 22-25, 2007 to determine the impact of previous seismic surveys of Japex on the part of Negros Island.

The affected areas covered by the 12-man fact finding team were the coastal municipalities of Guihulgan City and Vallehermoso in Negros Oriental and San Carlos City and Calatrava in Negros Occidental.



The Negros-based team disclosed the following findings:

• Reduction of fish catch from an average of 10-15 kilos to 2-3 kilos per fishing operation
• A local fish called “baga” (bucaobucao) almost vanished in the fishing grounds off the waters of Guihulgan City. Before Japex’ seismic survey, fishefolks could produce 15-20 kilos but thereafter, they could only catch an average of 1-2 kilos.
• Fish kills occurred in San Carlos City during the seismic survey of R/V Veritas Searcher in May 2005.

Pamalakaya-Negros said starting Nov.15, Japex will drill a hole of 3,150-meters deep in an area some three kilometers west of Pinamungajan town in Western Cebu and it will use Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit known as Hakoryu V.

Prior to Pamalakaya-Negros fact-finding mission, on September 2005, Pamana-Sugbo also conducted an investigative mission on areas affected by the seismic surveys together with FIDEC and other fisherfolk and environmental groups.

The Cebu initiated mission yielded the following results:

• Average fish catch (in areas where seismic tests were conducted) were drastically reduced by 67 to 75 percent or from pre-oil gas exploration of 15 to 20 kilos average catch per day to 3-5 kilos of fish per day.
• A total of 120 “gangos or payaos”, local name for artificial coral reef and indigenous fishing methods were destroyed in Toledo City and municipalities of Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan. Only 33 payao owners were paid by Forum and Japex, during the early phase of oil and gas exploration.
• Fish kills occurred in coastal barangays of Talavera, Luray II, Calong Calong, Ibo and Bato in Toledo City, Tajao, Pandacan, Tutay and Cabiangon in Pinamungajan, and Cantabogon, Boho, Poblacion and Bonbon in Alguinsan.
• Skin rashes and other types of skin diseases occurred victimizing mostly children ranging from 5 years to 12 years old.

Two weeks ago, some 170 marine scientists met in Iloilo City and passed a resolution opposing any oil exploration in Tañon Strait citing its unique biodiversity and its status a protected area.

In a forum held at the University of San Carlos City last week, Department of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said the exploratory drilling for oil will start today, and it was scheduled three years ago as agreed upon between the government and Japex.

Sensing that there’s nothing anyone who could stop the oil drilling, the marine scientists volunteered to offer their expertise to monitor the water quality and behavior of cetaceans and other marine mammals, while drilling goes on for two months.

The drilling would be carried out from a floating rig that was towed to the site, some three kilometers off the coast of the municipalities of Aloguinsan and Pinamungajan in Cebu and the towns of La Libertad and Jimalalud in Negros Oriental. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:27 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya insists diplomatic protest against Taiwan despite released of 9 Filipino fishers

The left-wing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday insisted that the Philippine government should file a diplomatic protest against the Taiwanese government despite the release and safe return of 9 Filipino fishermen who staged a mutiny in high seas in protest against the abuse committed by their Taiwanese employer.

“We are happy with the release and safe return of our 9 colleagues from Mauritius. But that is not the end of the road. More and more fishermen are still out there, counting in thousands currently at the mercy of their Taiwanese employers as ship-based modern day slaves,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

“Their rebellion and collective action in the name of freedom and redemption paid juicy dividends for themselves. They owe it to themselves, not from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and not from Vice President Noli de Castro. The two officials merely had a free ride on the victory of our 9 fishermen against their foreign exploiter,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

Hicap said it is time the Philippine government files a diplomatic protest against Taiwan and stop this nation from engaging in human smuggling of Filipino fishermen into their fishing vessels to avail cheap and docile labor.

“The Taiwanese human smuggling of Filipino fishermen to serve as slaves in their fishing expedition in high seas has been going on since time immemorial, but the national government has not done anything significant move to stop and correct this practice of injustice,” he said.

Pamalakaya put to task President Arroyo and VP de Castro, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers to file diplomatic protest against the Taiwanese government despite the amicable settlement agreed by parties that paved the way for the return of 9 Filipino fishermen led by their leader Roderick Sumang.

The militant group said the Filipino fishermen are hired by Taiwanese fishing corporations in the high seas of General Santos, Davao City, Moro Gulf, Celebes Sea, La Union, Pangasinan and Ilocos provinces because the price of their labor is cheap and they could do anything like subjecting our Filipino fish workers to 12 to 21 hour work because they have no papers and documents.



Pamalakaya said from 1980 to 1991, more than 6,514 fish workers on Taiwanese fishing vessels have been detained in other countries. The militant group nearly 1,000 of detained fish workers aboard Taiwanese fishing vessels are Filipinos. The rest are Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Mauritius fishermen and Chinese.

The militant group recalled that sometime in 1991, a Filipino fisherman named Alberto de Leon, who was 34 years old then said working on a Taiwanese tuna boat is like being in prison.

Pamalakaya said de Leon recalled that Filipinos and other nationalities aboard Taiwanese fishing vessels were forced to render 12, 19 and even 21 hours of non-stop work in sometimes two years trip.

The militant group said a Filipino fish worker averagely receives $ 1,000 or P 43, 000 based on the current exchange rate for six months work. In 1991, Pamalakaya said a fish worker from Mauritius documented 240 cases of Filipinos beaten or disabled by their barbaric Taiwanese employers.

Pamalakaya quoting the same chronicles penned by Jean Varcher of Mauritius said the atmosphere on board is so intense, fish workers from different countries don’t understand one another and very suspicious of one another and constantly in fighting.

The militant group said such condition degenerated into a mutiny in January 1991. The captain and four Taiwanese fish workers were killed on board, some Filipinos were also killed and the survivors of the mutiny were in prison on the island of Mauritius.

Pamalakaya said Taiwanese fishing vessels are unsafe. From 1980 to 1991, 2,00o ships were lost at sea and that more than 3,000 fish workers have died, an average of 24 men per month. The Taiwanese fishing vessels are old or over 20 years, lack safety equipment, and these ships were procured from Japan at cheap prices because they are substandard. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:22 | link | comments |

Militants offer radical and historical land reform bill as fitting tribute to victims of Hacienda Luisita massacre

One of the proponents of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) on Sunday said the radical and historical land reform bill the would be filed on Tuesday at the House of Representatives by militant party list solons to the victims of the Nov.16, 2004 Hacienda Luisita Massacre.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the progressive land reform bill crafted by farmers’ organizations, fisherfolk groups, peasant women associations and agricultural workers union is fitting tribute to the 14 farm workers who were massacred by government troops three years ago in the sprawling 6,453 hectare sugar plantation owned by the family of former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.

On that day, over 1,000 soldiers and cops brutally dispersed and fired shots at the striking workers of Hacienda Luisita, leaving 14 people dead including two children who died of suffocation, injured 200 others, over 30 with 30 gunshot wounds. The military and the police also arrested 130 striking workers.

“The radical and historical land reform bill is a fitting tribute to the martyrs of Hacienda Luisita Massacre, the 13 martyrs of Mendiola Massacre and all other peasant martyrs killed by the extrajudicial killing team of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration over the last six years,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The radical land reform bill penned by leaders and members of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Pamalakaya, Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women and Unyon ng Mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) will be sponsored by Anakpawis party list Rep. Crispin Beltran, and to be co-authored by Bayan Muna party list representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño, and Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela Women’s Party.

The land reform envisioned by the militant groups seek to nationalize all agricultural lands across the country and have these lands distributed to farmers’ organizations, cooperatives, associations, including workers unions and councils for free.

The GARB will cover private agricultural lands leased to foreign corporations, hacienda plantations and even government and public lands for nationalization and distribution. The bill if enacted into a new land reform law to replace the 20-year old Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) will cover the landholdings of big landlords like Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, the 6,543 hectare Hacienda Luisita, the land holdings of the Arroyos in Negros Occidental and the Floirendo family’s vast hectarages of land in Davao.

According to Pamalakaya, Cojuangco has over 30,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands allegedly acquired through unlawful, brutal and immoral means and these would be automatically confiscated, nationalized and distributed to farmworkers’ council, cooperatives and associations once the proposed radical agrarian reform law is passed by Congress.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the groups which provided the meat to the radical Genuine Agrarian Reform Act said Cojuangco’s 30,000 hectares of land located in the provinces of Negros, Isabela, Cagayan, Davao del Sur, Cotabato, Palawan and other areas will be subjected to automatic expropriation without compensation, since his landholdings are sullied lands or lands acquired through unlawful means and sheer use of brute force.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said aside from Cojuangco, the landholdings of warlord politicians like Faustino Dy of Isabela and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile of Cagayan will also subjected to automatic expropriation without compensation. The militant leader said the Dy family maintains more than 11,000 hectares of land in the province together with Cojuangco, while the Enrile clan has 2,085 hectares in their home province in Cagayan.

“It is an uphill battle. But we are politically prepared to face this expected eruption of class war between the Filipino peasantry and the landlord class,” Hicap said referring to the chances of their land reform bill to get pass in Congress.

The Pamalakaya leader said also included in the automatic expropriation of lands without compensation are the 11,048 hectares of banana plantation owned by the Floirendo family in Davao del Norte, the 6,453 hectare Hacienda Luisita owned by the family of former President Corazon Aquino, the 1,000 hectare sugar land owned by the family of First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, including the 157-hectare sugar estate of the Arroyo family in Hacienda Bacan in Guintubhan, Isabela, Negros Occidental.

The militant group said government lands leased to transnational groups like Dole Philippines and Del Monte and Nestle Philippines will also be subjected to automatic appropriation and they will be told to leave the premises of their plantations immediately after the enactment of the genuine agrarian reform act. Pamalakaya said the proposed radical land reform law will automatically place more than 230,000 hectares of agricultural lands leased to foreign agricultural business corporations under land reform and immediately transfer these lands held under leaseback arrangements to workers management councils, associations or cooperatives.

“It is about time a new law should be passed by Congress that would place genuine agrarian reform at the center of national development, saying the current land reform law and previous land reform laws are anti-farmers, bogus and merely legalized landlessness, land grabbing and land appropriation by the powerful few,” the groups said.

The proposed radical land reform law asserts that expropriated lands shall be distributed to the tillers for free, with preference given to those who have been occupying their lands as tenants and leaseholders. The proposed law asserts that sale, mortgage or any mode of transfer of all expropriated land shall be prohibited, except to the peasant associations or political authority constituted under the initiative of parties concerned in cases where the owner-tillers can no longer till the land for one reason or another.

The policy of expropriation with compensation shall only apply to landlords who have record of actively supporting progressive land reform, and despotic landlords with criminal records are not entitled to expropriation with compensation,” the rural-based militant groups added.

The radical land reform law envisioned by farmer groups in the Philippines also assures that the welfare of all agricultural workers in terms of adequate wages, satisfactory working conditions, retirement and other benefits shall be promoted and undertaken.

To increase productivity in the agricultural sector, the Genuine Land Reform Act provides technical and financial assistance in the form of subsidies for the purchase or rent of farm machinery and equipment, low interes or interest-free credit within definite periods shall be offered to enable them to expand production and raise productivity in order to assure urban areas of their stable supply of food and other agricultural products. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:21 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya tells VP Noli to file diplomatic protest in Taiwan, fly to Mauritius to save 9 abused Filipino fishermen

The left-wing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday put to task Vice President Noli de Castro, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers to file diplomatic protest against the Taiwanese government and immediately fly to Mauritius to fetch the 9 abused Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety from Taiwanese and Mauritius authorities.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap likewise asked Department of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) office and the Manila Economic Cultural Office (MECO) in Manila to coordinate in ensuring the safe return of 9 Filipino fishermen.

“Mr. de Castro is hereby tasked by the Filipino people to address this issue. He is not doing anything. He is a lame duck vice president like President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Hicap said.

The Pamalakaya leader added:” The Vice-President is only good in getting media publicity. He is nothing as far as the issues and problems of the people are concerned. Let us see how this aspiring 2010 presidential wannabe will take this crisis.”

Marianito Roque, OWWA chief administrator yesterday said sanctions against the nine Filipino fishermen who took the Taiwanese fishing vessel off Mauritius are unlikely because the sympathy belongs to the abused fishermen.

The OWWA official learned that the fishermen were forced to work 24 hours straight without rest, fed only once a day, were not paid their wages and suffered inhuman working conditions.

“Is that the only thing the government can say? The problems of Filipino fish workers who are illegally recruited from backdoor seas, exploited and abused by Taiwanese employers have been going since the early 80s and nothing has been done to stop this practice, except the publication of reports,” Pamalakaya said.

The militant group said the Filipino fishermen are hired by Taiwanese fishing corporations in the high seas of General Santos, Davao City, Moro Gulf, Celebes Sea, La Union, Pangasinan and Ilocos provinces because the price of their labor is cheap and they could do anything like subjecting our Filipino fish workers to 12 to 21 hour work because they have no papers and documents.

Pamalakaya said from 1980 to 1991, more than 6,514 fish workers on Taiwanese fishing vessels have been detained in other countries. The militant group nearly 1,000 of detained fish workers aboard Taiwanese fishing vessels are Filipinos. The rest are Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Mauritius fishermen and Chinese.

The militant group recalled that sometime in 1991, a Filipino fisherman named Alberto de Leon, who was 34 years old then said working on a Taiwanese tuna boat is like being in prison.

Pamalakaya said de Leon recalled that Filipinos and other nationalities aboard Taiwanese fishing vessels were forced to render 12, 19 and even 21 hours of non-stop work in sometimes two years trip.

The militant group said a Filipino fish worker averagely receives $ 1,000 or P 43, 000 based on the current exchange rate for six months work. In 1991, Pamalakaya said a fish worker from Mauritius documented 240 cases of Filipinos beaten or disabled by their barbaric Taiwanese employers.

Pamalakaya quoting the same chronicles penned by Jean Varcher of Mauritius said the atmosphere on board is so intense, fish workers from different countries don’t understand one another and very suspicious of one another and constantly in fighting.

The militant group said such condition degenerated into a mutiny in January 1991. The captain and four Taiwanese fish workers were killed on board, some Filipinos were also killed and the survivors of the mutiny were in prison on the island of Mauritius.

Pamalakaya said Taiwanese fishing vessels are unsafe. From 1980 to 1991, 2,00o ships were lost at sea and that more than 3,000 fish workers have died, an average of 24 men per month. The Taiwanese fishing vessels are old or over 20 years, lack safety equipment, and these ships were procured from Japan at cheap prices because they are substandard. #


Fact Sheet

November 5

• Nine Filipino crew members of Taiwanese fishing vessel UAICSIXA staged a mutiny taking over their ship while sailing off the African nation of Mauritius in the southwest Indian Ocean to protest alleged maltreatment by their Taiwanese captain and owner of the vessel Jui-yin Huang.
• VP Noli de Castro said the leader of the Filipino crew Roderick Sumang, was able to speak to him and reported the alleged maltreatment
• The other 8 Filipino fish workers who joined Sumang in the mutiny are Delter Alday, Dennis Tolentino, Edwin Lee, Cerilo Moraleja, Jesus Baniqued, Jose Mempin, Noel Cusi and Socrates Silan Jr.





November 6

• OWWA administrator Marianito Roque said sanctions against the 9 Filipino fishermen are unlikely because they were maltreated and abused by their Taiwanese employer
• The DFA consular team in Nairobi, Kenya will send a team in Mauritius to help the Filipino fishermen
• The Mauritius government has assured the Philippine government that the 9 Filipino fishermen who took control of the ship will be treated well
• Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. confirmed that the Filipino crw members of the seized Taiwanese fishing vessel will be steered back to its home in Port Louis, Mauritius
• VP de Castro and Vice Consul in Nairobi, Kenya Bernadette Mendoza has sought the assistance of East Africa Seafarers Assistance Program in receiving the 9 Filipino fishermen
• Sumang, the leader of the Filipino crew said they would not disembark from the ship unless welcomed by Philippine officials

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:04 | link | comments |

Inquirer asked not to buy bastardized mural on press freedom

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday appealed to Philippine Daily Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot, editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, board chair Marixi Prieto and President Alexandra Prieto- Romualdez to turn down the National Press Club (NPC) for the newspaper to buy the bastardized mural on press freedom.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said if the Inquirer procures the desecrated mural, it will reduce the newspaper as a buyer of “prostituted work of art” done to please and appease the resident sponsor in Malacañang.

“The repressed mural on press freedom does not worth a single centavo. It cannot even be classified as a work of art worthy to join the country’s modern-day art collection. It would be better if the Inquirer uses the money for the Christmas bonuses its reporters and working people, rather than spend its hard-earned profits for a thrash,” Corpuz said.

The Pamalakaya spokesperson is optimistic the Inquirer publishers, editors and board of directors will just take the NPC offer with a grin of salt and politely turn down the detestable and ridiculous offer of the conservative press association.

“Definitely it is not a collector’s item. However, we suggest the NPC to let it stay inside the press club office in Intramuros and allow the public to have a view of the distorted mural on press freedom for free. The purpose is to remind the Filipino people that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the no.1 enemy of press freedom in this country and that she would do practically everything, anything to stop any kind of protest art against her rotten regime,” Pamalakaya’s Corpuz added.

Corpuz other proposal is for President Arroyo to purchase the controversial mural. It is no longer a mural about press freedom. The mural is now all about the censorship and gross violation of press freedom authored, painted and scripted by the present NPC grandmother in Malacañang. So why not sell it to Mrs. Arroyo, instead of peddling this abominable art to the public,” he said.

NPC Secretary Louie Logarta on Thursday said the press group is selling the “bastardized” mural on press freedom with the alterations that have given the club an “undeserved notoriety. Logarta, also former NPC president offered the mural to the Inquirer since the mural is all about the Inquirer, pointing two women who are supposed to be the newspaper’s founding chair Eugenia Apostol and Magsanoc.

In addition, Logarta said, there’s an image of a man who looks like Inquirer columnist Amando Doronilla. Three other Inquirer columnists are on the mural- Randy David, Juan Mercado and Conrado de Quiros.

Logarta said the controversial mural on press freedom has potential buyers but he did not disclose the names of those who are interested to keep the mural. The NPC secretary said the mural was paid for with contributions from NPC officials and donors. Logarta reportedly shelled out P 80,000. The others who contributed were Hataw publisher and NPC Director Jerry Yap, P 300,000, and NPC Vice President Benny Antiporda, P 150,000. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:03 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya to 2010 presidentiables: Jpepa Ok is a kiss of death

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday warned senators with presidential ambitions in 2010 national elections that they would face rejection of the Filipino people if they vote for the ratification of the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa).

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, also one of the convenors of the broad anti-Jpepa coalition No Deal! Jpepa, Movement against Unequal Economic Agreements said his group is closely watching the political positioning of senators reportedly running for president less than three years from now.

“Their vote for Jpepa is a kiss of death. That’s not a slogan. That’s a concrete political warning to all politicians seeking the highest elective post in the land in 2010. We will campaign for their rejection if they insist in pushing this economic monster against the will and collective interest of 88 million Filipinos,” the Pamalakaya leader.

Hicap urged Senate President Manuel Villar and Senator Mar Roxas, two of the current leading presidential candidates to state their true position on Jpepa. The Pamalakaya leader also asked other probable presidential candidates what is their respective stand on Jpepa.

“Let us all be aboveboard here. We cannot play the usual merry-go-round guessing game. After five Senate hearings, the government failed to convince the Filipino public about the merits of Jpepa. The senators’ only option at this point is to bury this economic treaty six feet under,” he added.

Pamalakaya agreed with opposition Senator Jamby Madrigal that certain pro-Jpepa elements in the business sector are engaged in active lobby work, pressuring the presidentiables and other re-electionist senators to approve the modern-day parity rights agreement in favor of the Japanese owned transnational corporations.

“Potential funders of the May 2010 presidential elections, and who will benefit from Jpepa, are now making their presence felt in covert and over manner. Big business groups obsessed with the Japan-RP trade pact have joined Malacañang in campaigning for Jpepa ratification because the present administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is suffering from chronic crisis of extreme credibility,” the group said.

The 80,000 strong fisherfolk alliance predicted that Japanese tuna investors will gain at P 43-B in total profits in tuna trade, while local tuna producers will face the consequence of loosing P 18-B in industry profits once Jpepa becomes a treaty.

Pamalakaya said a single 3,000-gross ton Japanese factory ship is capable of harvesting 50,000 metric tons of tuna a year or 150 metric tons of tuna per day. Based on industry standard said a single factory ship could earn as much as $ 32.5 million in gross profits from the sale of skipjack tuna (50,000 metric tons x 65% yield x $1,000 landed price per ton in Japan).

Pamalakaya said the bulk of the profit will come from the remaining 35 percent of the 50,000 metric ton tuna catch, which is $ 210 million ( 50,000 metric tons x 35% x 80% meat yield x 1,000 kgs. x $ 15 per kg).

“A single medium size factory ship thus will earn $ 242.5 million a year, and since Japan at the very least, employs four factory ships in its regular tuna fishing expedition per country, we expect them to earn a total of $ 970 million or P 43.5 B per year,” the group said.

Pamalakaya said the devastating impact of Jpepa to local tuna industry include the summary execution of 100,000 jobs provided by the local tuna fishing companies in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City and the Davao regions.

At present the local tuna industry yearly produces 400,000 metric tons of tuna, 15 percent of the production goes to domestic market and 85 % are for exports. The European Union accounts 40 percent of the country’s fresh and canned tuna exports or roughly 64,000 metric tons per year. The rest of the exports are shipped to tuna markets of Japan and the United States.

Pamalakaya said efforts of local tuna producers to upgrade their operations to world class standards will be put to waste once Japanese factory ships invade the country’s tuna rich fishing waters courtesy of the one-sided agreement.

“The gains the Philippine government would derive from Jpepa in the form of taxes and profit sharing would be minimal compared to what Japan will get from this economic pact. The fishing, particularly the tuna aspect of Jpepa is meant for the survival of Japan’s tuna industry to the detriment of Filipino tuna producers,” the fishers group said.

“Jpepa is like allowing this imperialist power to treat 87 million Filipinos as modern-day slaves and second class citizens in their country, and it will further reduce our countrymen to objects of transnational greed,” Pamalakaya added.

According to Pamalakaya, the entry of Japanese factory ships to Philippine waters, including the country’s excusive economic zones is guaranteed under Jpepa as provided in Articles 28 and 29, Section 2 of Jpepa which covers the Rules of Origin and the manner of which the goods are obtained from the party like hunting, tripping, fishing, gathering, capturing, goods produced on board of factory ships, goods of sea-fishing and other goods taken from seabed or subsoil.

The group said under Article 88, every kind of asset owned and controlled directly and indirectly by a Japanese investor which includes factory ships and fishing vessels shall be maintained by the investor, as well as the right to operate the same through lease or by any other form of arrangement.

“It may include a situation where a Japanese owned entity will merely secure a fishing contract from the Philippine government,” Pamalakaya said.

The anti-Jpepa group said article 93 of the agreement allows Japanese fishing investors to invest in deep sea fishing and prohibit the Philippine government from requiring Japanese investors to hire Filipino fish workers, stop the government from setting up quota or certain volume for export and set certain percentage for domestic content.

Under the same article, Japanese owners of factory ships will not be required to source fuels, supplies and raw materials from the Philippine market and reject government’s move for transfer of technology. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:01 | link | comments |

‘Cash gift givers’ dared to take lie detector tests

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday urged “cash gift givers” to submit themselves to series of lie detector tests and submit themselves to congressional inquiry to be undertaken by the Philippine Senate next week.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said stalwarts of the administration party Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s political party and the pro-administration League of Provinces of the Philippines (LLP) to take series of lie detector tests and submit themselves to Senate inquiry to be conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Accountability.

The militant leader said his group is supporting the resolution filed by opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson regarding the cash gift controversy, as Hicap urged the main proponent of the resolution, together with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Alan Peter Cayetano and Richard Gordon to pursue the probe.

In particular, Pamalakaya’s Hicap wants President Arroyo, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, a top official of Kampi, LPP’s Palawan Governor Joel Reyes and Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone and House Deputy Speaker Mindoro Occidental Rep. Amelita Villarosa to take lie detector tests and testify before the Senate investigation on the Oct.11 controversial cash gift scandal inside Malacañang Palace.

Except for Secretary Puno, who earlier said the cash gift funds came from House Speaker Jose de Venecia, the rest of President Arroyo’s allies admitted the funds came from LPP and the president’s party Kampi.

“In the name of truth and public accountability, we ask Mrs. Arroyo and her gang to come forward, take lie detector tests and testify under oath before the Senate investigation on the alleged bribe scandal that happened in the entire working day of Oct.11 inside Palace grounds,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya said the President and key officials of Kampi and LPP involved in the “awarding of early Christmas bonuses to 190 congressmen and 48 governors cannot invoke Executive Order 464 and Memorandum Circular 108 to evade the Senate investigation.

“The cash gift issue is not an issue of national security, and definitely this is not an international agreement, unless they said the money came from the Armed Forces of the Philippines or from the Philippine National Police, then that is national security and high crime of corruption rolled into one,’ the militant group added.

Pamalakaya likewise asked House Speaker de Venecia to conduct parallel probe at the House of Representatives to determine in the Oct.11 distribution of P 500,000 cash gifts to lawmakers and governor allies during a meeting in Malacañang Palace. “It could be a good start for the speaker’s campaign on moral revolution,” said Pamalakaya.

Rep, Villarosa also revealed that she was the one who gave Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. P 500,000 during the controversial gathering of administration lawmakers in Malacañang last Oct.11. #

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

Militants say US Senate conditions on aid should trigger immediate resignations of Esperon, Gonzalez

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday said the conditions set by the US Senate for the Macapagal-Arroyo government before approving military aid merit the immediate resignations of Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said aside from the resignations of the AFP Chief and the national security adviser, the conditions also implied that President Arroyo should order the investigations and subsequent prosecutions of controversial retired Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan and other military officials implicated in extra-judicial killings from 2001 up to present.

“Is it a deal or no deal for Mrs. Arroyo and her cabal of extraordinary political killers in Malacañang, nothing more, nothing less,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

Foreign affairs secretary Alberto Romulo thanked the US Senate for approving an increase in regular military funding to the Philippines from $ 11 million to $ 30 million. The US Senate, he said, also set conditions for the additional $ 2 million in military assistance.

According to Romulo the US Senate wanted an assurance from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the Philippine government will implement the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings, summary or arbitrary executions, the Macapagal-Arroyo government will implement a policy of promoting military personnel who demonstrate professionalism and respect for human rights, will investigate and prosecute military personnel involved in the spate of political killings and other violations of human rights and the Philippine military will not engage in acts of intimidation or violence against legal organizations who advocate human rights.

“The decision of the US Senate to impose conditions on military aid to the Philippines in the context of putting an end to the spate of political killings and enforced disappearances across the country is a right on your face indictment of President Arroyo and the ruling military-civilian junta in Malacañang in relation to the government’s involvement in the mass murder of political activists in the country,” Pamalakaya said.

“It is also a de facto condemnation of the unholy alliance of US President George W. Bush and President Arroyo regarding their immoral, brutal and unjust partnership in so-called US-led war against terror whether the ruling clique in Malacañang admits it not,” the militant group added.

Meanwhile, Pamalakaya said the 21-page report prepared by and submitted by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston on Oct.28 UN General Assembly will be discussed among members of its 43 provincial chapters nationwide.

The militant group said copies of Alston report will be distributed by Pamalakaya to member countries of the World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP) this coming November 28-December 4 on the occasion of the group’s 4th General Assembly in Sri Lanka.

Pamalakaya which represents the Philippines in WFFP, the largest assembly of small fishermen and fish workers across the globe, said the Alston report will be shared to member fisherfolk organizations in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand, Kenya, Ghana, Canada, South Africa, France, Brazil, Spain, Honduras, Senegal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Uganda, Mali and Mauritania. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:31 | link | comments |

Proposed radical land reform law places Danding’s 30,000 hectares under automatic confiscation without compensation

One of the proponents of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Act on Sunday revealed that the 30,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands allegedly acquired through unlawful, brutal and immoral means by businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco will be automatically confiscated, nationalize and distributed to farmworkers’ council, cooperatives and associations once the proposed radical agrarian reform law is passed by Congress.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the groups which provided the meat to the radical Genuine Agrarian Reform Act said Cojuangco’s 30,000 hectares of land located in the provinces of Negros, Isabela, Cagayan, Davao del Sur, Cotabato, Palawan and other areas will be subjected to automatic expropriation without compensation, since his landholdings are sullied lands or lands acquired through unlawful means and sheer use of brute force.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said aside from Cojuangco, the landholdings of warlord politicians like Faustino Dy of Isabela and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile of Cagayan will also subjected to automatic expropriation without compensation. The militant leader said the Dy family maintains more than 11,000 hectares of land in the province together with Cojuangco, while the Enrile clan has 2,085 hectares in their home province in Cagayan.

“We are all convinced that the fight for the Genuine Agrarian Reform Act to replace the bogus CARP and thwart moves to extend this anti-farmer land reform program in the landlord dominated Congress is an uphill battle. But we are politically prepared to face this expected eruption of class war between the Filipino peasantry and the landlord class,” Hicap said.

The Pamalakaya leader said the proposed radical land reform law will be sponsored by Anakpawis party list Rep. Crispin Beltran and would be co-sponsored and endorsed by fellow militant party list colleagues Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna and Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela Women’s Party.

The Pamalakaya leader said also included in the automatic expropriation of lands without compensation are the 11,048 hectares of banana plantation owned by the Floirendo family in Davao del Norte, the 6,453 hectare Hacienda Luisita owned by the family of former President Corazon Aquino, the 1,000 hectare sugar land owned by the family of First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, including the 157-hectare sugar estate of the Arroyo family in Hacienda Bacan in Guintubhan, Isabela, Negros Occidental.

The militant group said government lands leased to transnational groups like Dole Philippines and Del Monte and Nestle Philippines will also be subjected to automatic appropriation and they will be told to leave the premises of their plantations immediately after the enactment of the genuine agrarian reform act. Pamalakaya said the proposed radical land reform law will automatically place more than 230,000 hectares of agricultural lands leased to foreign agricultural business corporations under land reform and immediately transfer these lands held under leaseback arrangements to workers management councils, associations or cooperatives.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the failure of the Manila government to institute a meaningful and liberating agrarian reform program has prompted peasant groups like the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women and Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) to exhort the Philippine lawmakers to enact a radical version of land reform that would lead to expropriation of large-scale landholdings across the Philippines, nationalization of lands and free distribution to landless farmers.

He said consultations and workshops have been going on since last month for the drafting of a new land reform act among farmers and fisherfolk organizations to determine the democratic contents of a new agrarian reform law that seeks to replace the obsolete and pro-landlord CARP.

In a joint statement, KMP, Pamalakaya, Amihan and UMA said the proposed radical land reform law is aimed to correct the historical injustice committed against the Filipino farmers and break the monopolization of lands all over the Philippines currently enjoyed by big landlords and corporate interests.

“It is about time a new law should be passed by Congress that would genuine agrarian reform at the center of national development, saying the current land reform law and previous land reform laws are anti-farmers, bogus and merely legalized landlessness, land grabbing and land appropriation by the powerful few,” the groups said.

The proposed radical land reform law asserts that expropriated lands shall be distributed to the tillers for free, with preference given to those who have been occupying their lands as tenants and leaseholders. The proposed law asserts that sale, mortgage or any mode of transfer of all expropriated land shall be prohibited, except to the peasant associations or political authority constituted under the initiative of parties concerned in cases where the owner-tillers can no longer till the land for one reason or another.

The policy of expropriation with compensation shall only apply to landlords who have record of actively supporting progressive land reform, and despotic landlords with criminal records are not entitled to expropriation with compensation,” the rural-based militant groups added.

The radical land reform law envisioned by farmer groups in the Philippines also assures that the welfare of all agricultural workers in terms of adequate wages, satisfactory working conditions, retirement and other benefits shall be promoted and undertaken.

To increase productivity in the agricultural sector, the Genuine Land Reform Act provides technical and financial assistance in the form of subsidies for the purchase or rent of farm machinery and equipment, low interes or interest-free credit within definite periods shall be offered to enable them to expand production and raise productivity in order to assure urban areas of their stable supply of food and other agricultural products.

CARP which started in 1988 under the administration of former President Corazon Aquino was supposed to distribute 10.3 million of hectares of land to farmer beneficiaries across the Philippine archipelago. The law mandates the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to undertake distribution of 3.8 million hectares and 6.5 million hectares of land respectively.

In 1995, the national government reduced CARP scope to 7.5 million hectares, with the agrarian reform department tapped to distribute 4.3 million hectares and the environment department 3.5 million hectares. The CARP, which was extended from 1998 to 2008, merely achieved a poor 57 percent performance rating, according to Ibon Philippines, an independent think tank by the end of 1997.

From 1987 to 1992, the Aquino administration distributed a total of 1,104, 380 hectares, the Fidel Ramos administration from 1993-1998, distributed 1,778, 371 hectares and the Joseph Estrada administration distributed 242, 547 hectares from 1999-2000. The present Arroyo government distributed 548,916 hectares of agricultural lands from 2001 to 2005. The total aggregate number of hectares distributed over 18 years of CARP was 3,584,214 hectares from the scope of 10 million hectares of land eyed for distribution in 1988.

But Ibon Philippines and other farmers groups in the Philippines agreed that government land reform reports should be taken with a grain of salt and high rate of doubts because these reports were not credible indicators of the true state of landlessness in the Philippines.

On the other hand, the KMP said 65.9 percent of the total 12 million agricultural lands in the Philippines were exempted from the government’s land reform program. Worse, the government is engaged in left-and-right and continuous confiscations of land reform awards such as emancipation patents, certificate of land ownership awards and certificate of land transfers to pave way for land remonopolization and land refeudalization and land use conversions for industrial and commercial purposes.

The KMP also said some P 62.31 B of funds coming from taxpayers’ money, including foreign donations and those from confiscated accounts representing ill-acquired wealth of the family of former President Ferdinand Marcos were spent for the bogus and anti-farmer land reform program of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration—an indication that CARP is a milking cow of those in power. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:30 | link | comments |