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PNP blockade betrays Aquino’s growing unpopularity

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Participants in yesterday’s planned prayer and human chain activity to call for justice and accountability on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the first People Power uprising vented their ire on police officers who blocked their path and caused metro-wide gridlocks. Instead of sustaining the people’s solidarity in light of the Mamasapano debacle that butchered 44 of their colleagues, the police’s duplicity wasted the rare goodwill heaped on them by the people, the participants said.

Church leaders revealed in their speeches the excuses offered by police commanders who previously agreed to plans laid out by event organizers. These were greeted by jeers and hoots by the event participants.

A human chain was nevertheless held in the late afternoon when all efforts for the police to remove their blockade failed. It stretched from the foot of the EDSA-Santolan flyover all the way to EDSA-New York.

“Hand-washing” groups say of PNoy’s 2nd Mamasapano speech

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Activist groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan trooped to Mendiola earlier tonight to hold a public viewing of President Benigno Aquino’s second national address regarding the Mamasapano debacle that killed dozens last January 25.

AQUINO, RESIGN!
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Press Statement
February 4, 2015

We, party list representatives from the Makabayan bloc, add our voices to the mounting call for Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III to resign.

Aquino must resign! The President must resign for the sake of the nation, to save our nation from further disasters, moral bankruptcy, and massive poverty.

President Aquino is unfit to rule and has betrayed public trust. This is evident in the bloody Mamasapano fiasco and the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as affirmed by the most recent Supreme Court decision.

Aquino lost his moral ascendancy and legitimacy to govern when he lied to the people on his responsibility and accountability in the botched police operation that led to the deaths of 44 police, 18 Moro fighters and 8 civilians. He covers up the role of United States and the unlawful participation of suspended PNP Chief General Allan Purisima. He broke the chain of command and violated the required coordination in the peace agreements with the MILF. The blood of the fallen SAF 44 and 26 Moros are on his hands.

Aquino refuses to admit that he kowtowed to US’ instigation in the “Oplan Wolverine”, gave the go- signal to the highly dangerous police operation in Mamasapano without coordinating with the MILF, and sanctioned the illegal involvement of US military forces and suspended PNP Chief General Allan Purisima.

Aquino’s hand in the unconstitutional DAP was affirmed with the final ruling of the Supreme Court. He and Abad authored DAP and used billions of people’s money as “pork barrel” — to bribe senator-judges to impeach Corona, provide compensation for landlords including his family, fund his pet projects, and give patronage to favored politicians. With DAP, Aquino took away precious funds intended for social services for the people and the benefits of government employees.

Under Aquino’s administration, poverty has worsened, “pork barrel” funds became bigger, gross violations of human rights continued, the country became a big US military base, and calamities became disasters.

We must not wait for another transgression or disaster to happen. Give the nation a break, a chance for renewal. Aquino, resign! ###

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References: Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares, 09178350459
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate
Gabriela Women’s party list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan
Gabriela Women’s partylist Rep. Emmi de Jesus
ACT Teachers party list rep. Antonio Tinio
Anakpawis party list Rep. Fernando Hicap
Kabataan partylist Rep. Terry Ridon

KMU: Dagdag pasahe sa MRT&LRT, pabigat sa bayan

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Protest-action
MRT North Avenue Station
February 2, 2015

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 5-6))

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

5. Kailangan pa bang magpatuloy ang usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng MILF at GPH? Kung oo o hindi, bakit?

JMS: Dahil sa insidente, lalong kailangan ang usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng GPH at MILF. Kung matitigil ang peace negotiations, lalo pang mas maraming mamamatay sa labanan. Kasalanan ni Aquino na linabag niya ang ceasefire agreement sa pagbalewala sa konsultasyon at koordinasyon sa MILF.

Binalewala rin niya ang koordinasyon sa mismong mga sundalo niya sa PhIlippine Army sa paligid. Walang kwenta siyang commander-in-chief. Dahil sa kriminal na kapalpakan niya, baka matupad ang hangarin ng former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales na ikudeta siya.

6. Ano ang inyong masasabi sa pahayag ni dating president Erap na itigil na ang peace talks para hindi na maulit ang pangyayari?

JMS: Noon pang Presidente siya, nais na ni Erap na pulbusin ang MILF at Bangsamoro. Sinalakay niya ang mga kampo ng MILF. Pero hindi naman siya nagtagumpay sa panaginip niyang durugin ang MILF at Bangsamoro. Dahil sa pagsalakay niya sa Bangsamoro, lumubha ang kanyang budget deficit at lalong gumewang ang paghahari niya hanggang ibinagsak siya ng sambayanang Pilipino.

BAYAN MUNA CALLS FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF PURISIMA, AQUINO AND U.S. HANDS ON THE BLOODY MAMASAPANO POLICE FIASCO
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As reports linking US operatives to Mamasapano incident surface

Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate today said that as reports linking US operatives on the botched operation in Mamasapano are surfacing left and right thus it is imperative that a thorough investigation be launched by Congress to get to the truth.

President Aquino’s not admitting until now his responsibility, not telling the whole truth and passing the blame of the most bloody police fiasco to the commander of SAF is unacceptable and reprehensible. It is a vain attempt to hide the whole truth, especially his, Purisima’s and the US’ role in the botched operation to escape accountability.

As it is, newspaper reports say that agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and ranking Filipino police officials planned a secret operation aimed at getting a notorious international terrorist, a source who declined to be identified told the Inquirer.

The source said the target was on Washington’s list of priority terrorists: Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” who had a $5-million price then on his head. The bounty was later raised to $6 million.

Based on the reports, a former ranking police official in Central Mindanao, claimed that during the meeting, which he attended, the FBI agents shared an intelligence report on the exact whereabouts of Marwan and another terrorist, Filipino Abdul Basit Usman.

The source said the Americans were certain about their intelligence data because it was provided by a mole from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“They were paid cash in exchange for the information,” the source said.

The source said the FBI agents validated the information relayed to them by their mole through the use of “drones and global positioning system.“We can even see the hideout of their target,” he said.

During the meeting, it was decided that those involved in the operation would not share information with any other government agencies “to prevent a leak of the plan. They will only coordinate with other government troops—posted along the highway—on their way to their mission,” he added.

“Ito ang nakakalungkot dito ang US ang nagplano at ipinahamak ang mga SAF. Matapos ibala sa kanyon ang mga SAF pa ang may kasalanan sa pagkasawi nila,” said Rep. Colmenares

“This is one of our fears when the Philippines entered the Visiting Forces Agreements (VFA) and now the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) we are dragged into their fights and battle plans under the heading Target of US enemies. Filipinos are the ones dying for the US to get what they want. Worse because we are now seen as part of US military operations against its enemies, we also become a target of attacks by the enemies of the US. This should really be investigated and adds to the numerous reasons why these treaties should be junked,” added Senior Deputy Minority Leader Colmenares.

“Malala pa ay Si Pres. Aquino ay naghuhugas kamay at hindi ipinaliwanag kung bakit di pinaalam ang operasyon sa DILG Secretary at PNP chief. Ito ay patunay na totoo nga na si Gen.Purisima ang nagcommand ng operations.May pananagutan si Pres. Aquino sa ginawa nyang pag utos sa operasyon at pagdefy sa order ng Ombudsman na suspendido si Purisima at sa talumpati pa niya ngayon ay lalo lang nagalit sa kanya ang mga kamag-anak at kaibigan ng mga nasawi maging ang sambayanang Filipino,” he added.

“As for his part Rep. Zarate said that “even as other government agencies will conduct their own probes of the incident, Congress must also conduct a thorough investigation, since it appears that there was breakdown in the established mechanisms agreed upon by the GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as well as to see the veracity of reports that US agents or troops were also in the area after the incident,”

“There are more questions now than when this was exposed. As for example, if SAF commander keep on insisting that Operation Wolverine is very much alike the US operation to get Osama bin Laden then he has already admitted that this botched operation has US backing, support and participation. Another question is how are we certain that the US agents seen in the evacuation of the dead and wounded SAF did not take the supposed body of Marwan or his cut finger for them to test for his DNA? These are just few of the questions that have to be answered for us to get to the truth,” ended Rep. Zarate. ###

Bayan presses gov’t to come clean on Mamasapano debacle

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Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chairperson Dr. Carol P. Araullo presses President Benigno Aquino to come clean on event surrounding the debacle that killed at least 44 police commandos last January 25.

Araullo reacts after Aquino addressed the nation Wednesday night in a speech that Bayan says lacked forthrightness. She said that the peace process between the government and the Bangsamoro people should continue despite this incident.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 2)

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

2. Naglabas po kayo ng mga tanong kaninang umaga para makatulong sa taumbayan sa kanilang pagsusuri sa naganap na engkwentro, marami po dito ay hindi nasagot ni Pnoy sa kanyang pahayag sa telebisyon. Ano po ang inyong masasabi dito?

JMS: Hindi sinagot ni Aquino ang aking mga tanong na inilathala bago siya nagpahayag.
Wala siyang sinabi tungkol sa prinsipal na pananagutan niya, kung bakit sinarili niya at nina Executive Secretary Ochoa at resigned PC chief Purisima ang command responsibility sa proyektong laban kay Marwan at Usman, kung bakit walang alam sa proyekto sina DILG secretary Roxas and PNP central command, kung bakit walang koordinasyon ang SAF sa mga army unit ng AFP at sa MILF alinsunod sa ceasefire agreement, kung bakit malaki ang pakialam ng mga opisyal at militar na Amerikano sa buong proyekto at operasyon at sunud-sunuran si Aquino sa mga bos niyang Kano.

Pahapyaw na sinabi ni Aquino na alam niya ang proyekto at operasyon. Pagkatapos , bumuhos na ang pagsisinungaling niya at pagbibintang niya sa iba. Pero may sapat na pagtanggap siya bagamat unwitting sa pinakamalaking pananagutan sa pagkapatay ng maraming sundalo ng SAF.

Bayan calls for accountability on the Mamasapano incident

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Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan condoles with the bereaved families of those killed at the Mamasapano, Maguindanao incident last January 25 that killed dozens of police commandos, Moro rebels and a civilian. It also calls for an impartial investigation on the real nature of the incursion by the police and urges accountability for the terrible loss of lives, including the possible involvement of foreign forces in its planning.

Reports say as many as 64 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force commandos, along with four MILF rebels and a civilian were killed in a gun battle that lasted as long as 11 hours. Government authorities claim the police were in the area to effect a warrant of arrest against two “high value targets” which the United States have identified as “international terrorists.” The MILF, for its part said, they had no choice but to defend themselves from the incursion that was in violation of their ceasefire agreement with the government.

In this video, Bayan spokesperson Teddy Casiño issues their initial statement on the incident.

2014 IBON Yearend Birdtalk

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2014 IBON Yearend Birdtalk
Political and Economic Briefing
UP College of Education, Diliman
January 23, 2015

More news at www.ibon.org