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Makabayan files bill seeking exemption of journalists from anti-drug ops

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The Makabayan Bloc at the House of Representatives filed a bill seeking the exemption of journalists from acting as witnesses in police anti-drug operations.

House Bill 8832 was filed Wednesday by ACT Teachers’ Party Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Gabriela Reps. Arlene Brosas and Emmi de Jesus, Anakpawis Party Rep. Ariel Casilao, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate and Kabataan Party Rep. Sarah Elago together with National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) officers.

The bill seeks to amend Section 1 of Republic Act 10640, otherwise known as “An Act to Further Strengthen the Anti-Drug campaign of the Government,” which orders that journalists act as “optional witnesses” to drug operations.

The law amended section 21 of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” which earlier ordered that journalists act as mandatory witnesses to the police inventory of seized items in drug operations, along with elected officials and members of the National Proecution Service.

HB 8832 stemmed from an ongoing NUJP campaign against ordering journalists to as witnesses to police anti-drug operations.

According to the NUJP, journalists throughout the country report that law enforcement units continue requiring them to sign on as witnesses, often as a condition for being allowed to cover anti-drug operations.

“Worse, there are reports that they are made to sign even if they did not actually witness the operation or the inventory of seized items,” the NUJP’s “Sign Against the Sign” campaign said.

Journalists who decline can find their sources or the normal channels of information no longer accessible, the media group added.

HB 8832 said that aside from the obvious coercion and attempts to control information of vital interest to the public, the media’s opposition to this practice also stems from the fact that it unnecessarily places journalists at risk of retaliation from crime syndicates, on the one hand, and exposes them to prosecution for perjury and other offenses in the event of irregularities in the conduct of anti-drug operations, on the other.

The proposed measure said that journalists must be protected from harm and the anti-drug laws must help ensure that reportage on the government’s anti-drug operations must remain objective and factual.

Rep. Tinion said the Makabayan Bloc will ask Committee on Public Information chairperson Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar to schedule a hearing on the bill as soon as possible.

The NUJP for its part will ask Senate Committee on Public Information chairperson Senator Grace Poe to file a counterpart in the Senate. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Duterte has rapist mentality, women groups say

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“Misogynist” Rodrigo Duterte fuels the rape mindset in country, women’s rights groups said in response to yet another controversial rape statement by the President.

Accusing him of having a “rapist mentality,” the group blasted Duterte’s statement that many rape attacks are happening in Davao because there are many beautiful women in the city.

“Ingon sila nga daghang rape ang Davao. Basta daghang gwapa, daghang rape gyud na,” Duterte said in a speech in Davao City Thursday, August 30. (They said there are many rape cases in Davao. As long as there are many beautiful women, there will be more rape cases.)

“Instead of seriously addressing the problem, the misogynist Duterte has added insult to the scars of rape survivors,” #BabaeAko said in a statement Friday.

The group said Duterte’s boast of his home city, Davao, being among the safest in the Philippines has been demolished by Philippine National Police (PNP) statistics that show it has the highest rape rate nationwide.

With 42 reported cases of rape in the second quarter of 2018, the PNP said Davao City has the highest number in the country during the period.

#BabaeAko said that more than his prohibition while still Davao mayor of women wearing shorts in public, Duterte’s anti-rape strategy failed because he is disrespectful of women and only sees them as mere sexual objects.

‘Joke only’

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque tried to downplay the widespread backlash against Duterte’s controversial remark, saying people should not give too much weight to the President’s “joke”.

“Let’s just say there are standards of what is offensive and what is not offensive. It’s more liberal in the South,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malacañan Friday.

#BababeAko said it was not the first time the President has encouraged rapists and put the blame on women, however.

“In his presidential campaign, he grouched that as mayor, he should have been first to rape a foreign missionary. He slapped down his daughter, Sara, current mayor of Davao, calling her a ‘drama queen’ when she confessed to an experience of sexual assault. He has joked of pardons for soldiers who rape. He has offered Filipino “virgins” to filthy foreigners with purchasing power,” the group recalled.

#BabaeAko said the country does not deserve him “who willfully breaks our laws and encourages others to do the same, because his notion of power stops at coercive force.”

‘Spokesperson and defender’

Gabriela Women’s Party echoed #BabaeAko’s condemnation, saying Duterte sent yet again a very dangerous and distorted message in his latest rape remark

“He (Duterte) toys with Davao pride and misogyny to gloss over a very important detail — that women in his hometown Davao City suffered the most number of rape cases in the country,” GWP said.

President Duterte is proud to have rolled back whatever gains and legal mechanisms that have been instituted for women’s rights in Davao City, the group said.

“Is Pres. Duterte already the self-proclaimed spokesperson and defender of rape pertrators in Davao?” GWP Representative Emmi de Jesus for her part asked.

“We strongly condemn this latest flamboyant display of misogyny, which places more Filipino women at risk of rape. A person who finds pleasure in the mass killings of innocent people and who finds humor in demeaning women and enabling rapists is not fit to be President,” GWP added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

Women dance and rise to support peace talks resumption

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Hundreds of women and their supporters held the 5th annual One Billion Rising event at Manila’s Liwasang Bonifacio on Valentine’s Day.

Through dances and speeks, they also called for a stop to the Duterte administration’s declaration of an all out war.

They also prodded the Duterte administration to return to the negotiation table with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

“President Duterte’s emotional rant abruptly terminating negotiations and the declaration of an all-out war has unleashed a monster of human rights violations, killings of activists and illegal arrests,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Emmi De Jesus. Read more

One Billion Rising 2017 to focus on violence of poverty

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One Billion Rising international coordinator Monique Wilson led the launch of the fifth year of its annual event with the theme “Solidarity against exploitation of women.”

Through dances and songs it has popularized since 2011, Wilson said their next celebration would focus on poverty and how it worsens the other injustices they suffer.

The One Billion Rising campaign again expects millions of women to gather on February 14 in countries all over the world.

Read more

Gabriela condemns Comelec’s inaction on 3-seat petition

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THE MAKABAYAN COALITION trooped to the Commission of Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila last July 5 to protest the poll body’s refusal to recognize Gabriela Women’s Party’s (GWP) third seat after the May 9 national and local elections.

GWP said the Comelec still has to decide on their May 20 petition for the proclamation of Bai Ali Indayla as its third representative to the incoming 17th Congress. Read more

Poe announces victory vs DQ petitions at women’s rally

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Senator Grace Poe announced her victory at the Supreme Court over several disqualification petitions against her candidacy for the presidency at a huge rally at Liwasang Bonifacio last March 8.

Before thousands of women and supporters gathered for the celebration of International Working Women’s Day (IWWD), Poe said that being allowed to stand for the highest office of the land is a victory for women like her.

Gabriela led the IWWD commemoration with a rally at the venue before marching to Mendiola to denounce the Benigno Aquino presidency’s “crimes” against women and children.

ESCALATING REVOLUTION: One Billion Rising in UP Diliman

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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.