Various organizations held noise barrages in several communities around Metro Manila Thursday, March 26, demanding free mass testing for health workers and patients with corona virus disease (COVID-19) symptoms.
In Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, Gabriela Women’s Party member Tess Arboleda said their noise barrage inside their homes and through social media are in support of calls for mass testing of so-called frontliners in the fight against the pandemic.
The activity also demanded food and financial assistance to poor families and workers who could no longer work because of the government-imposed lockdown.
Arboleda added that the poor are already worried because their resources and savings are fast running out two weeks into the island-wide lockdown.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines also participated in the noise barrage and in the “Tiktok” online dance challenge to call for more government support.
The teachers also called for “emergency assistance, not emergency power.”
Congress has passed bills granting President Rodrigo Duterte so-called emergency powers to realign funds to address the pandemic, among other special powers.
Photo from Bayan Muna
Photo from SAKA
MMDA Traffic Enforcers
Workers from the National Food Authority (NFA)
Photos from COURAGE
Members of Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), Bayan Muna, and Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAKA) also participated in the noise barrage. #
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Naglunsad ng noise barrage ang isang komunidad sa Brgy. Holy Spirit sa Quezon City bilang pakikiisa sa sabayang protesta na “Kalampagin ang Gobyerno”, Marso 25, 2020.
Panawagan nila ang agarang ayuda para sa mga nasalanta ng pandemya na CoViD-19 at pagsasagawa ng sistematiko, libre at malaganap na mass testing.
Tinututulan din nila ang emergency powers na ibigay ng Kongreso kamakailan para kay Pangulo Duterte na anila ay sobra-sobra na at tanging aksyong medikal ang solusyon laban sa CoViD-19.
Bidyo nila Jola Diones-Mamangun, Jek Alcaraz at Joseph Cuevas/Kodao
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A senator of the Republic is currently reaping the whirlwind
after announcing he learned he is positive of the corona virus disease
(Covid-19) while accompanying his wife to a hospital delivery room. The Makati
Medical Center is livid with Senator Koko Pimentel for what it described as a
breach of Covid-19 home quarantine protocols. Pimentel is also being pilloried
online, and understandably so.
Pimentel’s ill advised caper followed widespread denunciation
of reports that senators, other high government officials and their families
pressure the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine to have their test kits
processed ahead of everybody else’s, including those who display symptoms of
the dreaded disease. Resentment is strong among the people who are being forced
to observe the lockdown imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte despite the lack
of a logical plan on how the lockdown should be implemented, save for the
deployment of police and military personnel with assault rifles on checkpoints
throughout Luzon island.
Pimentel’s gambol is not helping the government convince it
is doing a good job in containing the spread of the virus. Aside from the utter
lack of mass testing to pinpoint where the virus is spreading the fastest, what
Pimentel and fellow senators Francis Tolentino, Imee Marcos, and others have
demonstrated is their utter disregard for the people, particularly the poor, sick,
elderly, and the frontline health workers who need to be tested first with the
limited kits that are available.
This has led the people (at least those who have internet
connections at home) to launch trending tweet campaigns that demand
accountability, such that even this government’s well-oiled troll armies could
no longer cover up. President Duterte’s obvious absence isn’t helping his spin
doctors any. If he does go on television (often at ungodly hours of the
evening) he could only manage rambling speeches that help very little in
calming the nerves of an already nervous populace.
The populace’s nervousness is understandable. In communities, the people are afraid whether they would be able to feed themselves or whether there are still food items to be bought until the month-long lockdown ends. The fact that they are also humiliated—such as in Parañaque where those suspected of violating the so-called community quarantine are tortured by being forced to sit under the heat of the unrelenting sun or are harshly and publicly berated—contribute to the growing resentment.
I was in Switzerland and The Netherlands when the Covid-19
pandemic shifted to the region as its new epi-center earlier this month.
Countries were also closing their borders and lockdowns were imposed one after
the other. But there are no checkpoints in communities and the police do not
carry assault rifles to terrorize the people into staying indoors. Only food
stores and pharmacies are allowed to remain open but, pretty much, the
governments rely on their citizens to comply with self-quarantine requests
without unnecessary force. When I arrived back here, all I saw is the
overwhelming exercise of state power through the police and the military. Even
those who need to be at work because they are real frontliners in the fight
against the virus are finding it hard to do their jobs because of the
overly-strict and illogical edict of banning all forms of transport.
The Covid-19 crisis is the Duterte government’s Mamasapano and Hello, Garci crises of the past two administrations. If it slides through this one, it would only be through the heroism of the frontliners (doctors, nurses, hospitals, relief and emergency workers, and others) who battle through despite lack of supplies, absence of clear directions and plans, and even through thick-headedness and cheekiness of the likes of Pimentel. How this administration runs around like a headless chicken, albeit full-battle geared, in one of the country’s direst moments is turning out to be its true legacy to the people. #
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The
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) issued a unilateral nationwide ceasefire
order to all commands and units of the New People’s Army (NPA) as well as the
people’s militias Tuesday night, March 24.
The
order, published on the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) website,
says the ceasefire will take effect from 00:00 of Thursday, March 26 and ends
on 23:59 of April 15.
The
CPP said the order is upon the recommendation of the NDFP Negotiating Panel by
way of direct response to the call of United Nations Secretary General Antonio
Guterres for a global ceasefire between warring parties for the common purpose
of fighting the corona virus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“As advised by the NDFP Chief Political Consultant
[Jose Maria Sison] and relayed by the NDFP Negotiating Panel to the NDFP
National Council, the broad masses of the people themselves need to refrain
from launching tactical offensives to gain more time and opportunity to fight
the Covid-19 pandemic and to look after the health and over-all welfare of the
people in both urban and rural areas,” the order reads.
The
underground party said the purpose of its unilateral ceasefire is to ensure and
facilitate necessary, unhampered and immediate medical, health and economic
assistance, support and movement of the people brought about by the exigencies
of the current Covid-19 worldwide pandemic.
“This
ceasefire is also a gesture towards national unity and based on humanitarian
principles in the context of the serious public emergency to ensure the health,
safety and welfare of all, the CPP said.
“This ceasefire order shall take effect immediately
and is not dependent on the issuance of the Suspension of Military Operations
(SOMO) and Suspension of Police Operations (SOPO) issued or to be issued by the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP),” the CPP said.
Not a reciprocal truce order
Earlier today, NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson
Fidel Agcaoili formally recommended to the NDFP National Council the
declaration of a ceasefire, clarifying however that their truce order is not reciprocal
to the GRP ceasefire declaration effective March 19 to April 15.
“As in the past, the [Rodrigo]
Duterte government cannot be trusted in any mutual or unilateral ceasefire
agreements, as the bombings of communities, harassment, abductions and killings
perpetrated by its armed forces continue unabated. Thus, even while respecting
and following the unilateral ceasefire order, the New People’s Army and the
people’s militia must be alert and act in self-defense against any offensive by
hostile forces,” Agcaoili said.
Agcaoili’s recommendation followed Sison’s advise that the
NDFP Negotiating Panel may ask its principal, the NDFP National Council, to
heed Guterres’ call for a global ceasefire.
Malacañan Palace for its part welcomed Sison’s advise
for the NDFP forces to observe its own unilateral ceasefire amid the pandemic.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Sison’s
advise is “a positive development.”
“It
is about time they join the collective efforts of the nation to fight the
spread of the coronavirus,” Panelo told reporters.
The CPP however said that long before the GRP’s
quarantine declarations and “repressive measures”, NDFP forces have been informing,
training and mobilizing the people on how to fight the pandemic.
‘Active
defense’
In its ceasefire declaration, the CPP ordered all NPA
units and people’s militias to cease and desist from carrying out offensive
military operations against the armed units and personnel of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other
paramilitary and armed groups attached to the GRP.
“All
units of the NPA must be vigilant and be ready to act in self-defense against
any tactical offensives or any hostile actions or movements contrary to the
ceasefire order launched by any enemy force against the people and
revolutionary forces in the guerrilla fronts of the people’s democratic
government,” it warned.
The
CPP further clarified that “active-defense” operations by the NPA shall be
undertaken only in the face of clear and imminent danger and actual armed
attack by hostile forces.
“All
branches and committees of the CPP, units of the NPA and people’s militias and
revolutionary mass organizations should closely monitor any hostile actions
being carried out by the armed units and personnel of the GRP or of any act or
omission inconsistent with the intent and purpose of this ceasefire. Such
information should be reported to the concerned commands of the New People’s
Army and leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines,” it said.
The
CPP said that with both the NDFP and the GRP declaring their unilateral
ceasefire orders, the situation may potentially contribute “towards a positive
atmosphere conducive to the eventual holding of informal talks preparatory to
the formal meeting to resume the peace negotiations.”
Backchannel talks between GRP representatives and the
NDFP Negotiating Panel have been ongoing since December last year.
The NDFP also urged the GRP to release all political
prisoners and a general amnesty be issued “as a matter of justice and
necessity.” # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
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The
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel may
recommend for a unilateral ceasefire declaration in response to the United
Nation’s (UN) appeal for a global truce during the corona virus disease
(Covid-19) pandemic, Jose Maria Sison said.
Sison
said he is advising the NDFP peace panel to recommend to its principal, the
NDFP National Council, the issuance of a unilateral ceasefire declaration by
the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to the New People’s Army (NPA) in
response to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres’ call for a global ceasefire.
“The NDFP and the broad masses of the people
themselves need to refrain from launching tactical offensives to gain more time
and opportunity to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and to look after the health and
over-all welfare of the people in both urban and rural areas,” Sison said.
“The world must know that long before the belated
quarantine declarations and repressive measures of the GRP (Government of the
Republic of the Philippines), the NDFP and the revolutionary forces have been
informing, training and mobilizing the people on how to fight the pandemic,” he
added.
Guterres called for
an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world last Monday,
March 23, saying it is time for humankind to put
armed conflict on lockdown and focus together “on the true fight of our lives.”
Guterres asked the warring parties to pull back from
hostilities, silence the guns, stop the artillery and end the airstrikes. “This
is crucial to help create corridors for life-saving aid, open windows for
diplomacy and bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to #COVID19,” he said.
Sison said the UN’s appeal is what the revolutionary forces in the
Philippines may respond to, instead of the “bogus
unilateral ceasefire declaration of the GRP.”
He warned that reciprocating President Rodrigo
Duterte’s ceasefire order may appear as “directly condoning and becoming complicit
in the criminal culpabilities of the Duterte regime for allowing the Covid-19
to spread nationwide since January, for making no preparations against the
pandemic and for making lockdowns on communities and yet failing to provide
mass testing and treatment of the sick, food assistance and compensation for
those prevented from work.”
The GRP declared a unilateral ceasefire against
the CPP, the NPA, and the NDFP effective 00:00 hour of March 19 to 24:00 hours
of April 15, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced Wednesday
evening, March 18.
Sison
further advised that while the NPA can cease and desist from launching tactical
offensives, it must be vigilant and be ready to act in self-defense against any
tactical offensive launched by GRP military, police and paramilitary forces against
its own guerrilla fronts.
He added that the GRP has persisted in launching
tactical offensives and bombing of communities in the countryside as well as
campaigns of red tagging, abductions and murder in the urban areas against
civilians, justifying NDFP’s desistance from reciprocating Duterte’s ceasefire
offer.
NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili
told Kodao that they shall submit their recommendation to their National
Council soon. # (Raymund Villanueva)
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Dalawa lamang sina Tatay Leon at Tatay Diosdado sa mga tsuper na apektado ng tigil-pasada dahil sa lockdown.
Nagsimula ang lockdown sa buong Metro Manila noong Marso 15. Ito ay para pigilan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa bansa. Kaugnay nito ang pagbabawal sa mga pampublikong transportasyon na mag-operate. Tinatayang nasa 75,000 ang bilang ng mga nakarehistrong jeepneys sa Metro Manila lamang.
Giit ni Tatay Leon na dapat mag-isip ang pangulo kung paano matutulungan ang mga Pilipinong walang trabaho dahil sa lockdown. Simula pa noong lunes, Marso 16, tigil-pasada na ang mga jeepneys at hirap ang mga tsuper sa paghahanap ng makakain.
Naganap ang panayam noong Marso 20.
Bidyo nila Jola Diones-Mamangun, Arrem Alacaraz, Reggie Mamangun at Jo Maline D. Mamangun
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Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison sa pamamagitan ni Prof. Sarah Raymundo ng BAYAN National hinggil sa COVID-19 at paano hinaharap ito ng pamahalaang Duterte.
Opening: Kamusta sa ating mga tagapakinig! Sana ay nananatili tayong ligtas at nasa maayos na disposisyon sa gitna ng krisis pangkalusugan na dala ng bagong Corona Virus Disease na lumitaw noong 2019 o COVID-19. Sa mga nakaraang araw, nasaksihan at naranasan natin ang pagkadeklara ng COVID-19 bilang isang global pandemic, ibig sabihin ay kumakalat ito sa maraming bansa sa buong mundo. Isa sa mga dumagdag sa ating ligalig ay walang iba kundi ang naging tugon ng gobyernong Duterte rito.
Marami ang hindi naaabot ng ayuda ng gobyerno, o halos walang ayuda, matumal at hindi malinaw ang impormasyon hinggil sa COVID-19. Minarapat natin dito sa Itanong Mo Kay Prof na makasama kayong muli lalong-lalo na ang ating mga mahal na tagapakinig sa kanayunan at maralitang lungsod, na nananatiling kumakayod sa harap ng COVID-19.
Hindi nga ba, kung hindi lumalabas at magtatrabaho, walang gobyernong Duterte ang susuporta sa gitna ng kinakaharap nating sakuna?
Pag-uusapan at uunawain din natin ang nangyayari sa atin at sa buong mundo kasama na ang ilang mga hakbang na kaya nating pagtulungan. Kagaya ng lagi, kasama natin ang Chairperson Emeritus ng International League of Peoples’ Struggle at Chief Peace Consultant ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines si Professor Jose Maria Sison dito sa Itanong Mo Kay Prof.
Kamusta sa inyo, Prof. Joma?!
JMS: Maalab na makabayang pagbati sa inyo Prop. Sarah Raymundo at sa lahat ng ating kababayan.
Mga Tanong:
SR1: Prof Sison, ipaliwanag muna natin sa ating mga tagapakinig kung ano nga ba itong tinatawag na coronavirus o Covid-19.
JMS: Ang Covid-19 ay isang tipo ng sakit sa anyo ng virus na lumitaw sa Wuhan, China noong Disyembre 2019 at nailathala ito bilang epidemya sa Wuhan noong Enero 2020. Ang mga mayor na sintomas nito ay lagnat, ubong tuyo, hiráp sa paghinga at bulós. Nauuwi ito sa pneumonia na puedeng humantong sa kamatayan para sa 2 hanggang 5 por syento sa mga nagkakasakit ng Covid-19 sa ibat ibang bansa.
Mabilis makahawa ang virus na ito sa mga tao sa pamamagitan ng paghawak sa iba at paghawak sa hinawakan ng maysakit o may dala ng virus. Pinakabulnerable ang matatanda at dati nang may sakit sa baga. Madaling kumalat bilang epidemya sa isang bansa tulad sa Tsina kung saan nagsimula.
At dahil sa mga byaherong may dala ng sakit, kumalat na ang virus sa higit ng 160 countries at naging pandemya o epidemya sa maraming bansa. Ayon sa Worldometer noong Marso 18, 198, 739 na ang nagkasakit sa Covid-19, 107,971 ang recovered at 7,989 ang patay. Kabilang sa mga bansang may pandemya ng Covid-19 ay Tsina, Italy, Iran, South Korea, España, Estados Unidos at iba pa.
Unang nahalata ang virus sa Pilipinas noon pang Enero nang namatay sa virus na ito ang matandang lalake sa mag-asawang turistang Tsino. Nahawa pa ang ilang Pilipinong doktor na nag-asikaso sa kanila. Ayon sa Department of Health (DOH) noong Marso 18, 193 na ang nagkasakit sa Covid-19, 14 ang namatay at 4 ang recovered sa kanila. Hindi tumpak ang mga bilang na ito dahil sa kumalat na ang sakit sa buong Pilipinas sa nakaraang dalawang buwan at kung kailan lamang nag-umpisa ang bilangan sa mangilan-ngilang lugar.
SR 2.: Marami na pong mga bansa ang apektado ng kumakalat na Covid-19. Sa panahong tinatalakay natin ito sa ating programa, 14 na ang namatay at 187 at positibo sa COVID-19. Lockdown ang naging tugon ng gobyernong Duterte. Enhanced Community Quarantine ang utos niya sa lahat ng residente hindi lang sa National Capital Region kundi sa buong Luzon. Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin ng Enhanced Community Quarantine? At ano po ang inyong masasabi dito, Prof. Sison?
JMS: Kasalanan ni Duterte at kanyang buong rehimen na kumalat na ang Covid-19 sa buong Pilipinas, lampas sa opisyal na sinasabing bilang ng nagkasakit sa virus. Noong ikalawang linggo pa lang ng Enero, may alerto na ng World Health Organization tungkol sa epidemya ng COVID-19 sa Wuhan, Tsina. Pero pinayagan pa rin ni Duterte na pumasok sa Pilipinas ang mga biyaherong mula sa Tsina, higit sa 14,000 mula Wuhan at kalahating milyon mula sa buong Tsina. Katwiran niya na kailangan ang kita mula sa mga turistang Tsino at sa tinatawag na mga POGO o mga kasinong Tsino.
Militarista at pasistang katarantaduhan ang lockdown na ipinataw ni Duterte sa National Capital Region. 40,000 ang bilang ng militar at pulis na dineploy para harangin ang mga tao sa napakaraming checkpoint. Sinisita ang bawat isa para magpresenta ng ID at kunwari may isang gumagamit ng thermal scanner sa noo ng napakaraming tao. Ang masama pinagtitipon ang mga malusog at mga posibleng maysakit. Nagagambala ang hanapbuhay ng mga tao at lalong kakalat ang Covid-19 dahil pinaghahalo ang may dala ng sakit sa mga walang sakit.
Lalo pang masama ang Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) na sumasaklaw na sa buong Luzon. Ipinagbabawal na ang mga tren, bus, jeepney, taxi, SUV, P2P bus at tricycle. Lalong hindi nakakarating ang mga tao sa trabaho nila. Lalong patay ang ekonomya, mga pagawaan at mga serbisyo. Ang pinakamasama ay hindi makarating sa mga ospital at klinika ang mga may sakit ng Covid-19 o anupamang seryosong sakit. Pati mga doktor, nars at medikal supply ay mahirap o hindi makarating sa mga ospital, klinika o health center.
Katarantaduhan ang panghaharang ng mga armadong alipuris ni Duterte sa malulusog na tao, mga health professional at mga maysakit. Ginamit ang Covid-19 bilang dahilan para gambalain at takutin ang mga tao. Mas masahol pa ang Duterte virus sa Corona virus. Sa totoo lamang, nakapatay na ng higt sa 30,000ang Duterte virus magmula pa 2016. Kung paghambingin, kakarampot pa lang ang pinapatay ng Covid-19.
SR 3: Sa unang araw ng mga checkpoints na ginawa ng mga pulis at sundalo, lumikha ito ng mahabang pila at trapik. Marami ang nagalit dahil sa nahuli sa trabaho ang maraming commuters. Ano po kaya ang marapat talagang gawin para sa maraming nagtatrabaho sa Metro Manila mula sa mga kalapit na probinsya, Prof. Sison?
JMS: Dapat medikal ang solusyon sa Covid-19, hindi militar. Antemano dapat nagdeploy ng mga doktor, nars, health attendants, face masks, personal protection equipment, thermal scanner, testing kit, mga oxygen tank, mga gamot at mga bed space para sa mga pasyenteng nasa malubhang kondisyon sa mga quarantine centers sa antas ng mga komunidad. At dapat libre ang testing at treatment. Nagawa ito sa Tsina, Vietnam , Cuba, Singapore, South Korea at iba pang bansa.
Sa gayon, naihihiwalay ang mga may sakit at malayang magbiyahe ang mga malulusog para makapunta sa kanilang mga trabaho. Masama na pinagbabawalang magbiyahe ang malulusog. Mamamatay sila sa gutom dahil walang kita. At babagsak ang ekonomya. Pinamakasama para sa mga may sakit na hindi sila makarating sa opspital, klinika o health center. O kaya ihinahalo sila sa mga walang sakit sa mga military at police checkpoints.
SR4: Ayon sa Alliance of Health Workers o AHW, kulang ang mga health workers at doktor ng mga tamang kagamitan para sa monitoring ng mga pasyenteng posibleng may Covid-19 . Face mask nga ay halos wala o tumatagal ng tatlong araw imbis na ilang oras na paggamit lamang sa isang araw. Dahil sa budget cut sa pangkalusugan kung bakit lalong gipit ang kalagayang ng mga health workers. Ano po ang inyong masasabi sa bagay na ito, Prof. Sison?
JMS: Totoo ang sabi ng Alliance of Health Workers o AHW, kulang ang mga health workers at doktor, mga tamang kagamitan para sa monitoring at testing ng mga pasyenteng posibleng may Covid-19. Pati face mask ay halos wala at kung mayroon, ginagamit ito nang maraming araw imbes na ilang oras lamang. Mas masahol pa ay walang sapat na public health workers at kagamitang panggamot sa mga positive sa COVID-19.
Ang ugat na dahilan kung bakit walang preparasyon at sapat na mga tauhan at kagamitan sa public health ay ang military overspending at korupsyon ng rehimeng Duterte. Kinaltasan nang malaki ang mga badyet ng Department of Health nang 14 bilyong piso, gayundin ang mga badyet sa public education at iba pang social service para mapalaki ang badyet para sa office of the president, sa militar at mga kagamitan nila , sa intelligence at discretionary funds at sa pork barrel ikinabubusog ng pamilya, mga kroni at mga kongresista ni Duterte.
SR5: Sa talumpati ni Pangulong Duterte, humihingi siya ng ceasefire sa New People’s Army. Ceasefire daw muna pareho habang hinaharap natin ang ganitong kalagayan. Ano po ang inyong opinyon sa kahilingan na ito ni Duterte, Prof. Sison?
JMS: Mahirap maniwala na sinsero o seryoso siya sa paghingi ng ceasefire sa New People’s Army o NDFP. Kung kailan lamang nag-utos siya sa kanyang mga militar na tapusin ang NPA at kilusang revolusyonaryo bago matapos ang term niya sa 2022. At ‘yong deployment ng militar at pulis sa mga lungsod ay hindi naman para lutasin ang problema ng Covid-19 kundi supilin ang legal na demokratikong kilusan at para palakasin ang kanyang tiraniya at mapili niya ang kapalit kung malubha na ang sakit niya mismo.
Maniniwala ang NDFP na talagang gusto niya ang ceasefire na masasang-ayunan nito kapag itigil ang pananalakay at panunipil sa mga legal na demokratikong pwersa sa mga lungsod at mga larangang gerilya ng demokratikong gobyerno ng mga manggagawa at magsasaka at palayain niya ang lahat ng bilanggong pulitikal sa pamamagitan ng general amnesty on humanitarian grounds tulad ng pagpalaya ng Iranian government sa mga gasampung libong political prisoner para hindi sila madali ng COVID-19 sa loob ng preso.
SR6: Sinabi rin ni Pangulong Duterte na pwedeng hulihin ng pulis ang sinumang lalabag sa panahon ng checkpoint. Ang sabi naman ni Atty Chel Diokno, hindi pwedeng hulihin ang taong gustong pumasok sa NCR para magtrabaho. Ano po ang inyong masasabi hinggil sa bagay na ito?
JMS: Tama ang sabi ni Atty Chel Diokno, hindi pwedeng hulihin ang taong gustong pumasok sa NCR para magtrabaho, magdala ng pagkain o sinumang may sakit na dapat pumunta sa doktor para magpagamot. Pananakot at pagmamalabís ang utos ni Duterte na arestuhin ang sinumang lalabag ng batas sa mga checkpoint. Natural na magalang ang karaniwang tao. Malisya ni Duterte ang kanyang ipinaparatang sa mga tao na basagulero sila, tulad niya.
SR7: Disyembre 2019 nang pumutok ang Covid-19 sa China. Pero ngayong Marso lang naalarma ang gobyerno matapos maitala ang mga naging biktima ng Covid-19. Meron po bang responsibilidad ang gobyerno sa pagkaantala ng paghahanda ng Pilipinas sa pagpasok ng Covid-19 sa bansa?
JMS: Tulad ng dati ko nang sinabi, malaking kasalanan or krimen ni Duterte at mga kasapakat niya sa rehimen ang pagkalat ng Covid-19 sa Pilipinas sa Enero pa lamang. Pinapasok ang 14, 000 Tsino mula sa Wuhan at 500,000 mula sa kabuan ng Tsina. At walang ginawa ang rehimen para maglaan ng mga tauhang pangkalusugan, mga rekurso at kagamitin para agapan at pigilin ang pagkalat ng COVID-19. Prayoridad ng mga may kappangyarihan ang pangungurakot ang pagpapabaya sa kalusugan at paglabag sa mga karaptan at interes ng mga mamamayan.
SR8: Ano po ang inyong mensahe sa ating mga tagapakinig? Marami po sa ating mga kababayan ang tila hindi mapakali dahil hindi lamang ang Covid-19 ang kanilang inaalala, kundi ang pagkain sa mesa sa araw araw.
JMS: Dapat panagutin ang rehimeng Duterte sa pagpapasok at pagkakalat ng Covid-19 sa Pilipinas at sa kawalan ng wastong patakararan at mobilisasyon ng mga tauhang pangkalusugan at mga mamamayan para labanan ang pandemya . Kriminal na kapabayaan ito ni Duterte. Tuwirang kaugnay nito ang mga pangunahing interes ng rehimeng Duterte sa pagiging taksil sa bayan, tirano, berdugo, mandarambong at manggagantso.
Dapat ibayong patatagin ng sambayanang Pilipino ang kanilang pagkakaisa at kapasyahan para wakasan ang rehimeng Duterte. Dapat kumilos pa nang may ibayong militansya para ihiwalay at ugain ang rehimeng ito mula sa pundasyon hanggang sa atip. Dapat ibayong palakasin ang mga makabayan at demokratikong pwersa para ibagsak ang rehimeng ito sa lalong madaling panahon. At maisulong ang mga pwersang ito ng sambayanang Pilipino para sa ganap na independensiya, demokrasya, hustisya sosyal, lahatang panig na pag-unlad at makatarungang kapayapaan.
Sarah: Maraming salamat po Prof. Joma talagang kailangan natin, higit kailanman ang mensahe ng kritikal na pagsusuri sa sitwasyon, kabaligtaran ng “sumunod na lang kayo” na kalakaran ni Duterte. Mas mahalaga, ay ang mensaheng sama-sama nating aksyunan ang ating pagsusuri at napagkaisahan.
JMS: Ako po’y nagpapaalam kay Prop Sarah Raymundo at sa lahat ng tagapakinig. Umaasa akong makasama kayo muli sa ating susunod na panayam. Sa kritikal na kalagayan ng ating bayan, laging may malaking isyu na dapat pag-isipan, talakayin at aksyunan. Maasahan ninyong handa akong makipanayam tungkol sa anumang mahalagang isyu. Maraming salamat. Mabuhay kayo!
SARAH: Naririyan ang ating mga organizasyon na sa gitna ng panggigipit ng rehimen ay nakatayo pa rin at ibayong magpapakilos para sa ating mga pangangailangan sa kasalukuyan.
Mag-organisa, magtiwala sa mga kasama, abutin ang mga pinakanangangailangan sa pamamagitan ng ating mga grupong pangsimbahan, asosasyon, pederasyon, unyon, at iba pang porma ng organisasyon.
Maraming may pagtingin na lockdown o ang pag-kontrol sa kilos ng mga tao ang isa sa mga solüsyon para pababain ang pagtaas ng mga nahahawa at namamatay sa COVID-19.
Pero kung tayo ay may isang sistemang buhos ang resources sa pampublikong kalusugan, may mga sapat at libreng testing kits, hospital beds, at maging mga hospital, kung pampublikong serbisyo ang prioridad sa budget ng gobyerno na galing sa ating buwis, makatutugon ang gobyerno sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan kasaba ng pagprotekta nito sa frontliners, mapapaisip din tayo ng mga mas marangal, makatao, risonable, epektibong solusyon bukod sa lockdown.
Ang lilikha ng sistemang iyon ay walang iba kundi tayo. Kaya ang pagiging kritikal sa gobyerno sa panahong ito ay may layuning makaambag sa bagong sistemang tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng tao at hindi ganitong kumikitil sa laya at buhay ng sambayanan sa gitna ng pisang matiging krisis.
Salamat sa inyong pakikinig! Ibayong pag-iingat, pangalagaan ang ating mga komunidad laban sa COVID-19 at sa pasistang rehimeng Duterte. Hanggang sa muli, ito si Sarah Raymundo, aktibista ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan o BAYAN at guro ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Diliman, kasama niyo at ni Prof Joma dito sa Itanong Mo Kay Prof!
END.
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-19-at-18.26.10.png18002880Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2020-03-19 16:46:282020-03-19 19:52:50ITANONG MO KAY PROF: COVID-19 at si Duterte
Naglabas ng hinaing ang ilan sa mga kababayan natin na hindi pinayagang makatawid at makauwi sa kanilang mga tahanan noong umaga ng Marso 18 sa boundary ng Pasig City at Cainta sa Rizal. Ito ay matapos ipatupad noong Marso 15 ang Luzon-wide lockdown, sanhi ng CoViD-19, na tatagal hanggang Abril 12
Giit ng mga pulis, tanging mga taga-Cainta lamang ang maaring dumaan sa checkpoint at inaantay pa ang abiso mula sa Malacanang kung sila ay padadaanin. Sinabi pa nila na humanap na lamang ng ibang daanan ang hindi mga taga-Cainta bagay na ikinagalit ng ilan sa mga kababayan natin na halos araw-araw ay dumadaan sa nasabing ruta mula sa kanilang mga trabaho.
Joseph Cuevas/Kodao
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/90181086_235853324220092_8226976831484461056_n.jpg10801920Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2020-03-19 13:10:302020-03-19 13:10:31Ilang manggagawa nastranded pauwi sa kanilang tahanan
GENEVA, Switzerland—There is no clear basis for the National
Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to rush into reciprocating the
government’s unilateral declaration of ceasefire, its chief political
consultant Jose Maria Sison said.
In a statement, Sison said that while there is ongoing
communication between the NDFP and Government of the Republic of the
Philippines (GRP) negotiating panels, there is yet no agreement for reciprocal
unilateral ceasefires in regard to efforts in containing the corona virus
disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
In asking for certain “considerations, requirements and
modalities” for the NDFP to think about reciprocating GRP’s unilateral
ceasefire announcement, Sison said there has to be clarifications.
He added that without such understanding, the ceasefire
announcement by Malacañang Palace is “premature, if not insincere and false.”
President Duterte has decided to declare a unilateral
ceasefire against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s
Army (NPA), and the NDFP effective 00:00 hour of March 19 to 24:00 hours of
April 15, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced Wednesday evening
in Manila.
According to Panelo, the President directed the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), including
the national defense as well as the interior and local government departments,
to cease and desist from carrying out operations against the revolutionary
forces.
Duterte last Monday publicly asked the underground communist
groups for a ceasefire during the Covid-19 pandemic, promising to repay them “with
a good heart in the coming days” if they agree.
Sison however said the NDFP is not assured and satisfied
that the ceasefire announcement is based on national unity against Covid-19,
the appropriate solution of the pandemic as a medical problem and the
protection of the most vulnerable sectors of the population, including workers,
health workers, those with any serious ailments and the political prisoners.
“Unless it receives sufficient assurances from the GRP, the
NDFP will be inclined to think that the GRP unilateral ceasefire declaration is
not sincere and is not intended to invite reciprocation by the NDFP but is
meant to be a mere psywar (psychological warfare) trick,” Sison warned.
Sison pointed out that according to the people and their own
forces in the Philippines, Duterte’s lack of sincerity in seeking a real
ceasefire is manifested by the following”
The militarist lockdown on the whole of Luzon is
mean not to fight the Covid-19 pandemic but to intimidate the people, suppress
democratic rights, commit human rights violations and prevent the working
people from going to their workplaces, and immobilize even the health workers
and people who wish to be tested and treated for Covid-19 and other serious
ailments; and
The AFP and the PNP continue to redtag, abduct
and murder social activists, including human rights defenders, in urban areas
and to unleash attacks against the people in the guerrilla fronts of the NPA.
The NDFP and the CPP earlier condemned the killing of senior
cadre Julius Giron, his physician Lourdes
Tan Torres and their aide last March 13 in Baguio City. Human rights activists
also blamed the military for the abduction and killing of choreographer and
activist Marlon Maldos last Tuesday, March 17, in De la
Paz, Cortes in Bohol province.
Sison said that despite all the
above, the NDFP continues to hope that Duterte orders the GRP negotiating panel
come to clear terms with its counterpart “for the benefit of the people.”
“Promises of Duterte, such as doing
a good turn from a good heart, can be believed only as they are realized
promptly and according to a definite schedule,” he said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/consultants.jpg5491030Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2020-03-19 03:00:002020-03-19 03:00:01NDFP says no need to rush into reciprocating Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire announcement
UTRECHT, The Netherlands—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said it will seriously study the ceasefire request by President Rodrigo Duterte during the time of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) emergency despite doubts that the government’s deployment of military forces in Metro Manila is really to fight the pandemic.
NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison said that if Duterte is really serious with his request, he should make a formal offer through the government’s negotiating panel to their counterparts based in this city.
“The offer will be seriously studied by the NDFP and the
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It will be related not only to the
common fight against Covid-19 but also to the resumption of the peace
negotiations,” Sison said.
Duterte made the ceasefire request in a speech in Malacañang Monday, March 16, asking the New People’s Army’s help in containing the disease by not attacking government soldiers.
“Ceasefire lang. Ceasefire
muna tayo. Ako na ang naghihingi.
Ceasefire. Kindly give me that…if you want us to be always on talking terms…during
this crisis. Kindly cooperate and help. Mas
mabuting tumulong na lang muna kayo. I will repay you with a good heart in
the coming days,” Duterte said.
Sison said that in studying Duterte’s request, the NDFP will
demand that public funds be poured into the effort to fight Covid-19 to ensure
that there are adequate health workers, facilities, equipment and medicines.
NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili for his
part said he awaits a formal request from his government counterparts if
Duterte is really serious with his ceasefire request and promises.
“Of course we are always ready to accept their formal
proposals,” Agcaoili said.
Sison added that “the NDFP will certainly demand that the
GRP realign government spending from excessive military spending and from
rampant corruption in order to pursue genuine land reform and national industrialization
and expand social services, specially public health and education.”
In the meantime, the revolutionary forces and the people
themselves have to undertake collective efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic
while remaining guarded against “continuing military assaults under NTF-ELCAC (National Task
Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) and various operational plans of
the Duterte regime,” Sison said.
Sison said that Duterte has admitted in his speech that his
redeployment of his military and police to urban areas would leave a vacuum and
will allow the NPA to increase its tactical offensives in the countryside. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/jms.jpg612879Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2020-03-16 22:52:362020-03-17 04:30:27NDFP ready to accept ceasefire request amid Covid scare, ‘if Duterte is serious’
