Posts

Groups welcome conviction of policeman in teeners’ killing

‘ICC investigations on Duterte’s responsibility must continue’

Activist groups welcomed the conviction of the Caloocan City policemen for the killing of two teenagers in 2017, but said there is no reason to rejoice yet as thousands of other victims are still denied justice.

Bayan Muna said that while it is glad that the families of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman received initial justice, the conviction of former Police Officer Jefrey Sumbo Perez for “intentionally killing” the victims is proof that genuine investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the drug war killings is necessary,

“This conviction does not in any way detract us from our assertion that the justice system in the Philippines is inhospitable to human rights prosecution. Thousands of families continue to wait for justice years after their loved ones were brutally executed in ex-president (Rodrigo) Duterte’s drug war,” former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said.

Colmenares said that only a few low-ranking police officers like Perez are being prosecuted while high officials like Duterte remain unscathed.

Brutal death

In a 80-page decision, Judge Romana Lindayag del Rosario of the Navotas Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 287 ordered Perez to suffer 40 years in prison without eligibility for parole.

The former policemen was also ordered to pay each of the victims’ kin P100,000 for civil indemnities, P200,000 for moral and exemplary damages, and P45,000 for actual damages.

Perez’s co-accused in the double murder trial, former police officer Ricky Arquilita, died in detention in April 2019.

Testimonies presented in court said Perez shot Arnaiz five times while the 19-year old was on his knees begging for his life while 14-year old de Guzman was stabbed 28 times.

Arnaiz was later found by relatives in a Caloocan City funeral home while de Guzman was found in a creek in faraway Gapan, Nueve Ecija.

ICC investigations must continue

In a statement, Bagong Alyansan Makabayan (BAYAN) said there is not much rejoicing in Perez’s conviction.

“The very long period it took to convict the dismissed police officer—which is just among a handful convictions in the last six years—shows what is wrong in the Philippine justice system and why the ICC probe should continue,” BAYAN secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said.

Human rights group Karapatan also welcomed the conviction but said it is lamentable and infuriating that it took a long time and that no higher-ups are made accountable.

“The drug war and its consequences are not mere acts of one or two police personnel – there are government policies behind it and there are those who ordered, incited and encouraged these killings and human rights violations. For the thousands of victims in Duterte’s drug war, this recent conviction remains a drop in the bucket,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

Colmenares, co-counsel for the victims in the ICC complaint against Duterte and other high-ranking government officials, said there should be vigilance in the Arnaiz and de Guzman cases as Perez is sure to appeal the case.

“We will continue to pursue the crimes against humanity case against Duterte and his subordinates in the ICC,” added the former Bayan Muna solon.

Colmenares said they will continue to oppose the demand of the Marcos-Duterte government for the ICC to stop its investigation.

“Kung matigil ang imbestigasyon sa ICC lalong mahihirapan makakuha ng hustisya ang EJK (extrajudicial killings) victims. Dapat mag partisipa ang pamilya ng mga EJK victims sa ICC para marinig din ang panig nila lalo nat kaanak nila ang pinatay sa drug war ng ex-president,” Colmenares said.

(If the investigations are stopped at the ICC, it will be more difficult to achieve justice for the EJK victims. The families of the EJK victims must participate to be heard as their loved ones were killed during the former president’s drug war.) # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Bayan Muna: ‘We are victims of massive electronic vote shaving’

International mission says elections neither free nor fair

Bayan Muna said “massive electronic vote shaving” was the main reason why it lost in the May 9, 2022 national elections, accounting for as much as 80% drop in the number of votes compared to 2019.

A winner in the last seven elections, even the topnotcher when it first ran in 2001, the party said its drop of votes from 1.117 million to just around 219,000 is “simply unbelievable and unacceptable.”

The last time Bayan Muna votes registered such a significant decrease was in the 2016 elections. From more than 946,000 in 2013, its counted votes was only 606,000 in 2016–good for a seat in Congress.

“Even at the height of red tagging, black propaganda, harassment and dirty operation against the progressive partylists by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Duterte regime in 2019, Bayan Muna still managed to double its votes from 606,000 to 1.117 M,” it pointed out.

Bayan Muna said it seems they was targeted since the 2019 elections by the NTF-ELCAC and the Duterte administration to “unjustly stifle the effective and progressive voice of the marginalized sectors in Congress.”

The group said it will continue to protest what it believes was a “massive fraud and terrorism” in the 2022 elections as well as continue to investigate and uncover various fraud including massive electronic cheating.

Bayan Muna mentioned massive media ads and vote buying by dynastic and rich party list candidates as other forms of cheating in the last elections.

Massive vote buying

Meanwhile, an international observers’ mission (IOM) reported that the last elections were neither free nor fair and “marred by a higher level of failure of the electronic voting system.”

Members of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said it began its monitoring of the elections in February and its members have been in Central Luzon, the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon, Central Visayas, Western Visayas and Mindanao since the first week of April to see firsthand how the campaign and elections were held.

In its report presented last Thursday, the IOM said it also witnessed rampant vote-buying, disturbing levels of state and military orchestrated red-tagging of candidates and parties, including numerous incidents of deadly violence.

It noted that main opposition candidate Leni Robredo was strenuously  red-tagged while another presidential candidate, labor leader Leody De Guzman, was the victim of a strafing attack in Mindanao.

“Many campaign activists were arrested on false charges. Large numbers of voters were unable to cast their ballots.  Vote-buying was widespread. Many found their names were no longer on the voter roll, and many had to trust that election officials would later put their marked ballot paper through a Vote Counting Machine (VCM) because of the breakdown of the voting machines,” the group reported.

The IOM also reported election-related violations of human rights from March 15, noting the first political killings related to the elections took place in Sorsogon, Bicol Region, on January 15.

“The elections took place in the most repressive atmosphere seen since the time of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The Duterte government has orchestrated state terror, marshalling the entire machinery of the state, including the judiciary, the military and police, the departments of education, social welfare and local government, in a war on dissent which continued through the entirety of the election campaign,” it said.

”The election is both a tragedy and farce of epic Shakespearean proportions, a farce in that the electoral charade was based on a sea of disinformation, disenfranchisement and intimidation of large swathes of the voting public,” the IOM added. # (Raymund B Villanueva)

Bayan Muna vows to remain ‘party of the poor’ even outside Congress

Bayan Muna (BM) has conceded defeat in Monday’s national elections but said its fight for the poor is far from over.

In a statement Thursday, BM said that based on partial and unofficial counts, the once leading party list group is set to lose its current three seats at the House of Representatives.

The party however vowed to continue to be the party of the poor and the marginalized and to carry on its “fight against fascism and corruption in the next government.”

BM also rejoiced that the Rodrigo Duterte government has failed in its bid to totally eliminate the entire Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan from the next congress.

“The Makabayan Coalition will still have three representatives from Kabataan, Gabriela Women and ACT Teachers parties,” it said.

Corrupted party list system

BM said its first defeat since it joined and topped the 2001 elections is the result of the continuing corruption of the party list system.

“Since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Supreme Court allowed the candidacy of bogus parties, money and the machinery of political parties and big business took over to increase their representation in Congress,” the group said.

The group’s claim mirrors the result of election watchdog Kontra Daya’s announcement that 70 percent of party list candidates in this years polls are linked to political clans, big businesses, and state groups such as the military.

Kontra Daya said that 44 of the May 2002 party list candidates are by political clans, 21 are by big businesses, 34 are by groups with unclear advocacy, 32 are connected to the military, 26 are by incumbent elected officials, while 19 have pending criminal charges.

BM said this has destroyed the essence of the party list system to give representation to the poor and the underserved.

Duterte’s dirty tricks

The group also blamed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for the worst attack it received, beginning in 2017 to as as late as election day last May 9.

 “With President Duterte leading through the NTF-ELCAC, the progressive parties suffered five years of unceasing red-tagging, vilification, bribery, threats, filing of trumped-up charges and assassination of our leaders and members,” BM said.

Among the dirty tricks employed against the Makabayan Coalition, BM said, was a fake Comelec resolution released on the eve of the elections lat May 8 alleging that the entire Makabayan bloc was disqualified.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also ordered its personnel to blast SMS (short messaging system) and social media messages urging the people not to vote for the progressive parties and their senatorial candidates as they were allegedly supported by the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

BM added that it is also looking into the effects of malfunctioning vote counting machines and the disenfranchisement of voters.

It added it would demand accountability from those who denied the Filipino people of progressive representation in Congress.

“The demand for change is louder than ever because the current system allows the unfettered rule of dynasties and oligarchs in our politics and economy,” the party said.  # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Voters turned away on 1st day of overseas absentee voting in Hong Kong, Migrante reports

Many migrant workers in Hong Kong who wanted to cast their votes on the first day of overseas absentee voting (OAV) were turned away, a Filipino migrant organization reported.

United Filipinos-Migrante Hong Kong leader Dolores Balladares Pelaez said in a Facebook broadcast the Philippine Consulate in the Chinese territory started refusing voters wanting to cast votes before 12 noon today .

Pelaez said that the five vote counting machines (VCM) sent by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to the territory could not cope with huge number of registered voters who turned up on the first day of the OAV.

“Five VCM are not enough to accommodate the 93 thousand of Filipinos here in Hong Kong. The 10 they sent us in previous elections were not even enough,” she said in Filipino.

Pelaez said they fear that many Filipinos in Hong Kong may be disenfranchised if the COMELEC fails to fix the problem.

“Those refused to cast their votes are very angry. Sunday is the only day they could exercise their right to vote,” Pelaez said.

The OAV in the territory is being held at the Bayanihan Center at Victoria Road, Kennedy town.

WATCH THE FACEBOOK VIDEO HERE: Bayan Muna-Hong Kong

Bayan Muna Representative Ferdinand Gaite called for an immediate investigation of the “chaotic and disorganized” voting in Hong Kong and raised fears of “potential disenfranchisement of thousands of voters.

 “We cannot allow the potential massive disenfranchisment of our overseas voters due to the ineptitude and lack of proper organizing by these officials. The slashing of funds by the DBM for the overseas voting must also be looked into,” Gaite said in a statement.

Gaite saidthat he will ask the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms of the House of Representatives to summon the COMELEC, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Hongkong Consular office to investigate the incident.

READ: Migrante Int’l warns of massive voters’ disenfranchisement among OFWs

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has yet to issue a statement on the matter. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Political dynasties and billionaires hijack ‘democratic’ party-list system in the Philippines

Party-list seats were first reserved for marginalized sectors of society

By Siegfred Deduro

The “party-list” system, originally designed to provide space for the democratic representation of marginalized sectors in the House of Representatives of the Philippines, has been taken over by political dynasties.

The inclusion of the party-list elections in the electoral system was a result of the political struggle against the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship which was toppled by the People Power Revolution in 1986. Before the constitutional amendment that enabled the party-list system, it was almost impossible for the marginalized sectors to be represented in Congress. Elected positions from the municipal up to the national levels were monopolized by political dynasties as, historically, elections were won by those who had “guns, gold and goons.”

Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution declares that the “State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” However, to this day, no anti-dynasty law has been promulgated by the Congress, which is dominated by political dynasties, though a bill nearly succeeded in being approved in the 15th Congress. The bill passed the first and second readings but failed to make it in the final plenary voting. With the enactment of the Party List law in 1995 marginalized sectors gained space in the elite-monopolized Congress. This allowed sectors such as women, workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, and cooperatives to come together, and build coalitions to participate in government. Foremost among the successful party-list organizations were Left-leaning groups, for example, Bayan Muna (People First). Though outnumbered by members of political dynasties, party-list representatives became “fiscalizers” of the people within the legislature.

Some political observers suggest that the party-list system favors a more democratic representation. For instance, among 53 democracies around the world where there are single-member districts, only 7.3 per cent of legislators are women, but in legislatures elected entirely by a party-list, women make up 17.2 per cent of members. But not in the Philippines. Instead, political dynasties saw this system as a backdoor entry to Congress, a means to broaden their turfs and get access to pork-barrel benefits. For example, the son of former President Gloria Arroyo has served in Congress as a party-list representative. Political dynasties-sponsored party-lists win by cheating, vote-buying and patronage politics.

Aside from political dynasties, even billionaires have become legislators by registering as representatives of marginalized groups. For three years now, the country’s richest congressman has been Rep. Michael Romero of party-list group 1-Pacman or One Patriotic Coalition of Marginalized Nationals. His main family business develops and operates port facilities in the country, including the Manila North Harbor.

Veteran lawmaker Edcel Lagman, one of the principal authors of the Partylist System Act, emphasized that:

The purpose [of the system] is to afford and guarantee the marginalized sectors of having representation in Congress which they cannot win in the traditional district elections.

But in 2013 the Supreme Court decided that the party-list was not a reserved-seat system for particular sectors but a system of proportional representation where all types of organizations, including political parties, could participate.

Retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban noted that the current party-list system can be “manipulated” to serve the interests of a select few. He called for the urgent revision of the law.

Clearly, the most urgent need of the hour is for legislation to be passed to revise the partylist act and install permanent safeguards to prevent abuses and misuses of the system.

Political science Professor Jorge Villamor Tigno of the University of the Philippines Diliman observed that the inadequacies and conflicting features of the party-list system law can be traced back to its key designer—Congress—whose members may have looked upon the party-list organisations either as potential competitors or useful platforms in their quest to retain their positions of power and privilege. Either way, the lasting effect of the party-list system can be regarded as one that undermines (rather than reinforces) the legacy of People Power.

In the coming 2022 party-list elections, party-lists of the marginalized sectors face formidable challenges. On October 8, the last day of filing of Certificates of Candidacies (COC), a total of 270 party-lists filed their COCs, the overwhelming majority of which are controlled by political dynasties.

Furthermore, the government propaganda network has shifted focus from attacking “drug addicts” to activists, many of whom are party-list members. Online information operations against activists and progressive groups take off from the Rodrigo Duterte government’s drug war playbook—attack online, then kill. 

Bayan Muna Iloilo city coordinator Jory Porquia was gunned down by suspected state agents on April 30, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On August 10, 2020, activist land rights defender and Anakpawis Party-list chairman Randall “Randy” Echanis, 72, was killed inside his home in Quezon City. His body bore multiple stab and gunshot wounds. Echanis had been active in opposing a new anti-terrorism bill, which the President signed into law in July 2020. 

Human rights activist Zara Alvarez was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Bacolod City on August 17, 2020. She had been receiving death threats for more than a year. Alvarez was a  former campaign and education director and paralegal in Negros for the human rights group Karapatan. Amid the pandemic, she had been coordinating and conducting relief operations as part of a community health programme. She was the 13th member of Karapatan to be murdered since Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016. Other Negros Island-based activists reportedly received threatening messages through their social media accounts saying, “You’re next.”

The government has even moved to disqualify activists from joining the party-list race by branding them as legal fronts of the communist movement. Against forbidding odds, genuine party-lists of the marginalized sectors have to rely on effective campaign strategy, their organized mass base and support of opposition allies to overcome and neutralize the formidable advantages of the party-lists of political dynasties in the coming 2022 elections.

On September 27, the Fifth National Convention of the progressive Makabayan Coalition elected a mixture of seasoned legislators and first-time congressional candidates for its official slate in the 2022 election.

From the party-list groups forming the Makabayan bloc—Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Kabataan—six candidates for the 19th Congress are former lawmakers who held party-list posts.

The coalition has vowed to mobilize its constituency nationwide to launch a strong electoral campaign that adapts to current state-instigated terrorism and restrictions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. #

= = = = =

Kodao publishes Global Voices articles as part of a content-sharing agreement.

Neri grateful for his and Labog’s inclusion in Pacquaio and de Guzman slates

Makabayan reveals Robredo camp refusing requests for dialogue.

The inclusion of progressive candidates in at least two senatorial slates is a positive development, a sign that other political groups recognize the need for candidates that genuinely represent the marginalized sectors, Senate aspirant and former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said.

In a statement, Colmenares thanked both Sen. Manny Pacquaio and labor leader Leody de Guzman for his and Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog’s inclusion in their respective slates for next year’s national elections.

“The recognition and support of a presidential candidate, like Sen. Pacquiao, is very important for candidates like me who rely on the support of ordinary Filipinos in our campaign. We value such unconditional endorsement,” Colmenares said.

“I would also like to express my gratitude to labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman for including me in his senatorial slate for his presidential run in 2022,” he added.

‘Why endorse someone we haven’t talked to yet?’

Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño revealed that the Makabayan bloc has yet to endorse any presidential candidate, belying allegations by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV the group has already made a deal with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

“Just to be clear, Makabayan hasn’t declared support for any presidential candidate yet, whether Isko Moreno, Leni Robredo or Manny Pacquiao,” Casiño said.

Casiño said their group has been bombarded with questions on why Makabayan has not yet declared support for Robredo.

The former legislator also said they have been asked if they really supporting Moreno or why are they even talking with Pacquiao and Moreno.

While the bloc has spoken to both the Pacquiao and Moreno camps, Casiño said it is for the purpose of unifying opposition parties to form a stronger alliance against the return of the Marcoses in Malacañang Palace.

“We believe that if these three candidates can unite under one slate the chances of preventing a Duterte dynasty or the return of the Marcoses to Malacañang will be greater. This is in parallel to 1Sambayan’s efforts to unify the democratic forces for the 2022 elections,” Casiño explained.

 Makabayan also wants to engage presidential bets on their platforms, particularly on matters involving human rights, workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, sovereignty, among others, he added.

“We believe that only through earnest and continuous dialogue can we contribute in their crafting a progressive platform of governance,” Casiño said.

In case a unified opposition slate is not feasible, Casiño said the Makabayan wants to explore the possibility of working together with other opposition groups to end Rodrigo Duterte’s rule or prevent a Marcos restoration in 2022, including various terms of cooperation based on the outcomes of the ongoing dialogues.

“There is nothing wrong with talking to all three candidates on these three important matters. Other groups should not begrudge nor cast any malice on Makabayan for doing what any progressive political party ought to do,” he said.

Casiño also revealed they have failed to meet with Robredo despite numerous requests for a dialogue.

“To be honest, it would be difficult for Makabayan to ask its constituency to support Robredo when we do not even know her stand on contractualization, the national minimum wage, free land distribution for poor peasants, indigenous people’s rights, the peace process, and a host of other issues that matter to our constituency,” Casiño said.

 “To be blunt, how can we rally our constituents behind a candidate who has refused to even meet us?,” Bayan Muna’s first nominee asked. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘Si Spokesperson Harry Roque, nagkasakit at sino umatupag sa kanya?’

“Remember, si Spokesperson Harry Roque [ay] nagkasakit at sino [ang] umatupag sa kanya? ‘Di ba ang mga healthcare workers and hopefully mas malaki dapat ang kanyang pag-unawa, lalo na sa ating healthcare workers na itinaguriang heroes pero ganyan na lamang nila lapastangin.”Rep. Ferdinand Gaite, Bayan Muna Party-List

‘Ang magiging biktima lamang lagi ay ang pinakabulnerableng grupo’

“Kitang-kita sa kasong ito kung paano ginagamit ng estado ang Terror Law sa paglabag sa karapatan ng mga katutubo, at kung papaano sila mabilisang pinaratangang terorista. Patunay ito na mapanganib ang Anti-Terror Law, sapagkat ang magiging biktima lamang lagi ay ang pinakabulnerableng grupo na mga katutubo, lalo na yaong mga lumalaban para sa lupaing ninuno at karapatan para sa sariling pagpapasya.”Rep. Eufemia Cullamat, Bayan Muna

‘The cyberattacks were traced back to the government’

“Malinaw na malinaw ito, the cyberattacks were traced back to the government, which means it is an official policy of this administration to attack media organizations, especially those critical of the Duterte regime. This is damning evidence that the government is out to silence the press, and belies the administration’s repeated claims that they are not attacking press freedom.”Rep. Ferdinand Gaite, Bayan Muna

Groups urge SC to act on attacks against rights lawyers and clients

Human rights and civil society organizations petitioned the Supreme Court (SC) to take urgent action against threats, red-tagging and killings of judges and lawyers as well as their clients.

In a letter to the SC Tuesday, May 18, Karapatan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance, Kilusang Mayo Uno, and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advance of Government Employees said the attacks against court officers continue despite clear condemnation by the High Court last March 23.

Addressed to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the petition said the “attacks against human rights lawyers violate the basic principle that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.”

The groups said that attacks against the lawyers and judges deprive them of effective access to legal services and adequate protection for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The letter reminded the Court that there have been 147 reported attacks against court officers in recent years.

Eighty-four or 57% of the victims are human rights lawyers affiliated with the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), Public Interest Law Center, Union of People’s Lawyers in Mindanao and the Free Legal Assistance Group, the petition said.

In its March 23 statement, the SC acknowledged that members of the bar and the bench have been attacked and asked the lower court to submit reports on the matter.

The SC statement also came after NUPL member Angelo Karlo Guillen was stabbed with a screw driver on his lower left temple and back by two unidentified assailants in Iloilo City.

“The court condemns in the strongest sense every instance where a lawyer is threatened or killed, and where a judge is threatened and unfairly labeled. We do not and will not tolerate such acts that only perverse justice, defeat the rule of law, undermine the most basic of constitutional principles, and speculate on the worth of human lives,” the SC said.


‘State sponsored’

In their submission, the signatories also asked the Court look into the attacks suffered by the lawyers’ clients “and to understand the overarching government policies that cause them.”

The signatories asserted that the lawyers who represent activists, human rights defenders and ordinary people also become targets of the government’s counterinsurgency drive.

“An urgent and decisive action from the Supreme Court is a matter of life and death for activists and human rights defenders especially now when we are being increasingly targeted in the government’s counterinsurgency and counterterror campaign for our work and causes,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, one of the signatories, said.

“Despite the Supreme Court en banc’s much-needed statement two months ago, we are concerned that the attacks have only continued, if not worsened to even more alarming forms.” # (Raymund B. Villanueva)