Convenors and members of the citizens’ election watchdog Kontra Daya trooped to the Commission on Elections last March 7 to press the poll body to hold a clean, peaceful and orderly elections.
When elections in the Philippines have been automated in the 2010 and 2013, Kontra Daya had been instrumental in documenting many cases of fraud using the Precinct Count Optical Scanning machines.
Kontra Daya is again expressing alarm that the new machines will be used to commit fraud as the Comelec is refusing to implement safeguards, such as receipts for voters as well as opening the program source code for scrutiny by other parties.
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On the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power, demonstrators led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and affiliates of the Philippines chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) broke through layers of police and army phalanx to assert national freedom and democracy and say no to another Marcos.
Enraged by the unexplained decision to prevent them from commemorating the 30th anniversary of the People Power uprising, militant groups overpowered the Philippine National Police to reach the EDSA Shrine at the corner of the famous thoroughfare and Ortigas Avenue.
Waiting their turn after the official program led by President Benigno Aquino this morning, the protesters led by groups such as Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses in Malacañang (CARMMA) wanted to march all the way to the shrine but the police tried to block them.
During their own program, the groups took turns warning about the possible return of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’s family to Malacañan Palace with Ferdinand Jr.’s vice presidential bid in the coming national elections.
They also condemned the police actions as reminiscent of Martial Law policies.
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Human rights victims and defenders speak at the national gathering of the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacanang (CARMMA) at the Bahay ng Alumni in U.P. Diliman last Monday.
Former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, Sr., and former senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Rene Saguisag joined hundreds of other human rights victims during Ferdinand Marcos’ 27-year rule as they chanted “No more Marcos!”
Among the speakers were Marie Hilao-Enriquez of KARAPATAN, Joanna Cariño of the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA), Bishop Arturo Asi of the UCCP (United Council of Churches in the Philippines), and Bonifacio Ilagan of the FQSM (First Quarter Storm Movement).
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Declaring a “Black Heart’s Day,” public sector workers trooped to Mendiola leading to Malacanang Palace in Manila to denounce Pres. Benigno Aquino III and Budget Sec. Florencio Abad for the Salary Standardization Law 4 (SSL 4) discriminating pay and benefits for the country’s 1.5 million government workers. Similar actions were held in Baguio, Angeles, Naga, Legazpi, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and other cities in the Philippines.
Students, faculty and staff of the University of the Philippines in Diliman held its One Billion Rising 2016 event last February 12.
Themed “Escalating Revolution” this year’s commemoration marks the fourth straight year the university held its own program as its contribution to the global campaign against violence against women.
One Billion Rising was started by playwright Eve Ensler (Vagina Monologues) to call attention to reports that one billion women have been victimized by rape and other forms of abuse worldwide.
Women’s group Gabriela said that one woman or child is raped every 53 minutes and one woman is battered every 20 minutes in the Philippines.
The country is also one of the origins of trafficked women, Gabriela said.
The main One Billion Rising 2016 event will be held at Rizal Park in Manila on Sunday, February 14.
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Makabayan bloc’s bet for the Senate Neri Colmenares expressed hope in winning in this year’s national elections at Tuesday’s grand rally at Plaza Miranda.
Running as part of the Team Galing at Puso, Colmenares asked the crowd if a poor man like himself could be a senator.
The crowd enthusiastically said “Yes.”
Here is a video of Neri’s speech and Makabayan’s send off of his campaign.
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Bayan Muna congressman and senatorial aspirant Neri Javier Colmenares bared he was adopted by an aunt as a child because of his family’s poverty.
Speaking before thousands at yesterday’s Galing at Puso rally at Plaza Miranda in Manila, Colmenares said his father was a security guard and his mother a clerk.
He then asked the crowd if an adopted child from a poor family could be a senator, which responded with an enthusiastic “yes”.
Colmenares’ revelation was in obvious reference to his group’s standard bearer Grace Poe who some political camps want disqualified for being a foundling.
A highly regarded human rights lawyer with degrees from the Philippines’ best schools as well as a graduate degree from Australia’s University of Melbourne, it was easy to assume that Colmenares came from at least a middle class family.
He remains to be one of the poorest congressmen in his nine years at the House of Representatives, a distinction he proudly shares with fellow Makabayan bloc representatives.
In a Facebook post, journalist Dean Lacandazo shared that a tricycle driver once rushed for Colmenares as he was boarding a jeepney to shake his hand.
“Di ba Congressman adto han Bayan Muna? Makig-lamano unta ako. Kaupay ano, nagco-commute la hiya?” (He was the congressman of Bayan Muna right? I just wanted to shake hands with him. Isn’t it good that he commutes for transportation?), Lacandazo recounted.
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Bayan Muna representative and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares vows to push for more benefits for the elderly if elected to the Senate.
Colmenares addressed supporters in front of the Social Security System main office in Quezon City this morning as he begins his campaign for the Senate.
In his speech, Colmenares said the vetoed two thousand peso SSS pension increase will still be pushed on May 23 when Congress convenes for the canvassing of votes for the presidency.
If elected to the Senate, Colmenares said he will push for a minimum Php5,333 monthly pension for retirees.
He also vowed a sponsor a bill for a PhP1,500 monthly pension for all elderly who are non-SSS and Goivernment Service Insurance System members.
Earlier, Colmenares visited a Metro Rail Transit Station to assure commuters he will fight for better public transport in the country. #
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Commemorating the Philippine-American War on February 4, 2016, protesters against the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) marched to the US embassy in Manila carrying cut-outs of Heneral Luna as portrayed in a much-acclaimed historical film. The groups are affiliated with the Philippines chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN).
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