As a multimedia group, Kodao publishes news stories, opinion essays, cartoons, photos and others here.

STREETWISE: Dark clouds over GPH-NDFP peace talks

/in , /by
By Carol P. Araullo
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s dramatic declaration of a unilateral ceasefire vis a vis the CPP-NPA-NDFP to usher in the peace talks slated to resume on August 20 was, for all intents and purposes, one of the high points of his one-and-a-half-hour-long State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 25.  He said it was to be effective immediately.
The President’s announcement was generally met with applause, enthusiasm and great expectations. The public awaited a similar declaration from the CPP-NPA-NDFP leadership in reciprocation of Mr. Duterte’s bold and grand gesture.

Read more

Sison: NDFP has been patient and working hard for peace

/in /by

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES (NDFP) chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison said that President Rodrigo Duterte failed to display patience in preempting the Communist Party of the Philippines’ announcement of its own unilateral declaration of ceasefire last night.

In this interview, Sison responds to Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process chairperson Jesus Dureza’s statement issued earlier today.  Read more

Duterte takes back ceasefire order

/in /by

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte lifted the unilateral ceasefire he announced at his first State of the Nation Address last July 25 against the New People’s Army (NPA) at seven o’clock this evening.

The announcement made through a statement by Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza came an hour before the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is supposed to declare its own unilateral ceasefire order.

In lifting his ceasefire order, Duterte also placed all government security forces on high alert. Read more

NPA to Duterte: You have been deceived, ridiculed

/in /by

THE NEW PEOPLE’S ARMY (NPA) said that President Rodrigo Duterte was deceived by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) when it claimed the ambush that killed one paramilitary trooper and injured four others in Bagnakan, Sitio Muling, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte last July 27 was unprovoked.

In response to Duterte’s demand to explain the ambush, NPA ComVal-North Davao-South Agusan Subregional Command’s spokesperson Aris Francisco said in a statement that the Civilian Auxilliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) under the 72nd Infantry Battallion of the Philippine Army and Alamara paramilitary troops were engaged in an active combat operation when they were ambushed by the NPA. Read more

Protest greets Kerry visit

/in /by

PROGRESSIVE groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) took to the streets of Manila last July 27 to protest United States Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to the Philippines.

Kerry is in the Philippines to dialogue with president Rodrigo Duterte on Philippine international relations, specifically on its ongoing dispute with China over the South China Sea.

The activists, however, said that Kerry’s visit is an attempt to make Duterte dependent on the US as his predecessors. Read more

People’s SONA rally reaches Batasan Road

/in /by

PROGRESSIVE organizations and activists from all over the country held a rally near the House of Representatives (HOR) as President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 25.

About 30,000 activists, including thousands from Mindanao, Visayas and Bicol, were allowed along Batasan Road that has never seen a rally as big in at least two decades. Read more

LARAWAN: SONA ng Bayan 2016: 40 libo nagmartsa sa Batasan

/in , /by

SONA ng Bayan 2016: 40 libo nagmartsa patungong Batasan

Tinatayang hindi bababa sa 40 libo ang nagmartsa mula sa iba’t ibang sektor at progresibong organisasyon sa pangunguna ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) mula sa Commonwealth Avenue patungong Batasan Road kaninang umaga. Ipinakita ng BAYAN ang kanilang pagsuporta sa mga maka-mamamayang programa ng bagong administrasyong Duterte sa kanyang unang SONA sa araw na ito. Naglakbayan ang mga delegasyon mula sa Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon at Northern Luzon patungong Maynila bitbit ang “agenda ng mamamayan” para kay Pangulong Duterte.

Commonwealth Avenue to Batasan Road, Quezon City
July 25, 2016

13691067_10154476504784866_3964514312320814416_o 13692758_10154476475974866_2635286068754631165_o 13692768_10154476547799866_8946448295141720086_o 13698275_10154476504319866_6606428421469283116_o 13708242_10154476510629866_5906111586879971484_o 13710416_10154476475879866_4932890541245002802_o 13717322_10154476548184866_3209492874826164190_o 13717394_10154476475104866_5419619796606104908_o 13724030_10154476550489866_7141435418697284913_o 13725051_10154476550239866_6838736976655931537_o 13731938_10154476477249866_1296781244160385330_o 13735742_10154476503934866_7819060949728308320_o 13767199_10154476476549866_2401763878110550741_o 13767274_10154476508874866_6004223941434485765_o 13767411_10154476549394866_7685947132271295506_o

Youth, sectoral groups form human chain for peace

/in /by

YOUTH and sectoral groups formed a “human chain” at Mendiola, Manila last Friday to support the resumption of the formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

The human chain is part of the metro-wide action led by Kapayapaan, a group of advocates who call for a just and lasting peace, in anticipation of the formal negotiations in Oslo, Norway presumably on August 20 to 27. Read more

Duterte approves new ‘inclusive’ peace roadmap

/in /by

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the new “inclusive roadmap to peace,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said in a press conference, Tuesday.

“There will be inclusivity in Duterte’s roadmap to peace,” Dureza said.

He explained that the approved “inclusive roadmap” will go over the engagements with the Bangsamoro factions, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the closure of arguments with other rebel groups. Read more

Cartoon: Elite police force as penitentiary guards

/in /by

IN ITS effort to rid the National Penitentiary at Bilibid, Muntinlupa City of suspected corrupt Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel, the Rodrigo Duterte government fielded the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force as jail guards.

In an unprecedented move, the elite police unit that was formed and trained as an anti-insurgency force is now tasked to rid the country’s premiere jail of dangerous drugs laboratories and operations.

There have been numerous reports that suspected drug lords are operating drug rings from their jail cells that have become luxurious apartments through the collusion of  suspected corrupt BJMP personnel.

SAF Bilibid