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CARMMA holds own sortie vs Marcos

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Volunteers of the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang (CARMMA) held a caravan around Quezon City today to convince voters against voting for Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr as vice president in Monday’s national elections.

The campaigners gathered at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, the place dedicated to those who fought against the dictatorship of the Senator’s father Ferdinand Sr., early this morning and then motored to Barangay Commonwealth to distribute leaflets and post stickers.

Here is a video of CARMMA’s activity this morning.

Anti-Bongbong campaigners get helping hand from ‘Voltes V’

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The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses in Malacañang (CARMMA) received a helping hand from popular 1970s mecha Voltes V.

At a gathering yesterday at the Araneta Center, “Voltes V” slashed and stabbed a photo of Senator and vice-presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos dressed as the cartoon show’s evil Prince Zardoz.

CARMMA members distributed leaflets enumerating the Senator’s “sins” and culpability under the 30-year iron-fisted rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Here is a video of yesterday’s event.

PHOTOS: “Hesu Kristo Magsasaka”

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(Photos by Amel Sabangan)

The group “Artists for Kidapawan”  performed around downtown Manila last April 30 to dramatize their support for the victims of the violent dispersal of protesting farmers in North Cotabato four weeks ago.  The artists performed dances and tableaux at Plaza Miranda, Recto, Bustillos, Morayta and España.

In preparation for Labor Day today, the artists also performed in front of malls, which are said to be the main practitioners of labor-only-contracting among workers.

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EDITORIAL CARTOON: Government response

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By AMEL SABANGAN.

It has been a constant refrain by the Aquino government, that many of those who oppose its policies are branded as communist rebels. It does not matter if they are human rights defenders, indigenous peoples’ educators, or starved farmers. They often end up in jail, hospitals or, worst, dead in the government’s effort to assert itself against suffering citizens.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: On the Kidapawan violence

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In this podcast, International League of Peoples’ Struggles chairperson Jose Maria Sison presents his analysis on the violent dispersal of the starving farmers in Kidapawan City last April 1.

Sison said that the farmers should not be blamed for protesting. Blame should be placed on government officials who did not help the farmers but instead ordered the violent dispersal, Sison said.

Sison also expressed admiration for the artists who helped the farmers by giving them rice and raising bail money for the arrested farmers.

“Itanong Mo Kay Prof” is a special podcast that presents an alternative analysis of issues that affect the Filipino people.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: On the possible return of the Marcoses in Malacañan

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In this podcast, Martial Law survivor Jose Ma. Sison talks about the dark days of the Marcos dictatorship and the dangers of electing Senator Ferdinand Marcos as the next vice president of the Philippines.

Sison, who was heavily tortured and imprisoned in isolation for many years by the Marcos dictatorship, blames the two Aquino governments for their failure to prosecute the Marcoses for their crimes and allowing them to regain political power.

“Itanong Mo Kay Prof” is a special podcast that presents an alternative analysis of issues that affect the Filpino people.

Farmers were clearly targeted, lawyer says

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Darwin Sulang, one of the two killed in the violent dispersal of protesting farmers in Kidapawan City last April was targeted by a police sniper.

This was revealed by peoples’ lawyer Ephraim Cortez in a press conference with other human rights defenders and peasant leaders in Quezon City last April 15.

Cortez said that the results of the autopsy conducted by Prof. Racquel Fortun last April 9 indicate that Sulang was deliberately shot based on how cleanly he was shot between the eyes.

Fortun also examined Enrico Fabligar’s cadaver, Cortes said.

The victims did not die of mauling or heat stroke as the Philippine National Police (PNP) stated, the lawyer said.

Cortes said they will include these evidence as part of their defense of the farmers and in their counter charges against the PNP.

CONTRIBUTED VIDEO: DOJ asked to release arrested Kidapawan farmers

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Kidapawan farmers and their supporters picketed the Department of Justice on April 13 in the Philippines to press for the immediate release of those illegally detained by the police and pursue justice for the victims of the bloody dispersal of April 1.

Only 10 of the 77 farmers arrested have been released as of April 14. The detainees include three pregnant women and several elderly.

(Video by ILPS-Philippines)

UP professor reveals harassment of farmers in Kidapawan

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University of the Philippines Professor Gerardo Lanuza reveals in a press conference the continuing harassment victims of the April 1 Kidapawan shooting suffer.

Lanuza participated in a fact-finding mission to Kidapawan a few days after the incident. He was assigned to interview four injured farmers, but was prevented by the presence of four soldiers armed with assault rifles inside a local hospital.

In this video, Lanuza enumerates the various ways in which the police and the Philippine Army make injured farmer Christopher Lumandang suffer even further.

(Featured image of Christopher Lumandang by Kilab Multimedia)

POETRY: Apat na tula hinggil sa Kidapawan

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1. Tuwid ang daan ng kanilang bala

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Ang balita mula sa malayong rehiyon
Paparating ang kandidato ng administrasyon
Ayaw mapahiya ng mga kapartido
Kailangang mawalis ang daang Cotabato.
–
Ang ulat ng lider pesante
Nagreklamo raw ang mga negosyante
Dahil sa tumatagal na protesta
Humina na ang kanilang kita.
 –
Tatlong araw nang nakabarikada
Anim na libong magsasaka
Nagugutom kaya nangagsiaklas
Para sa iilang kaban ng bigas.
 –
Tila mas mura ang bala
Ang kita ay mas mahalaga
Kaysa tumugon sa panawagan
Ng gutom na mamamayan.
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Ano bang putahe itong karahasan
Anong lasa ng tingga sa lalamunan
Bakit laging hain ng pamahalaan
Sa gutom ay kamatayan?
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                                   –3:04 n.h.
                                     1 Abril 2016
                                    Lungsod Quezon
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2. Kidapawan sa aking gunita
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Anong halaga sa akin nitong pagsilim
Paano makakatulog, paano mahihimbing?
Ngayong panahong sakdal dilim
Ako’y tila binabangungot ng gising.
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                                   –1:16 n.u
                                     3 Abril 2016
                                    Lungsod Quezon
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3. Sako
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“Wala pay sulod akong sako, ‘Nay.”—Yenyen, apat na taong gulang, Kidapawan
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Mahalaga ang sako sa magbubukid
Telang tikling namin itong ibinabalikat
Buntis na putong ng aming ulong pawisan
Buhay sa hinabing hibla nito ang isinisilid.
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Itong sako’y maaring lamnin
Milyon-milyong butil ng palay
Daang libong butil ng mais
Daan-daang talong o iba pang gulay
Dose-dosenang kamote
O kaya’y isang malaking bunga ng langka.
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Sa oras ng pahinga’y aming duyan
Sa pagpapastol ng kalabaw ay aming sapin
Sa oras ng pagtulog ay banig
Sa oras ng unos ay aming bubong
Sa kasalatan ay aming damit.
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Ang busog na sako’y tanda ng pag-asa
Ang walang-lamang sako ay dalita
At sa lipunang hangad naming lumaya
Sa pakikibaka ay aming bandila.
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                                            –1:30 n.h.
                                               11 Abril 2016
                                               Lungsod Quezon
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4.  Ang pahimakas ni Ebao Sulang
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Alam nila, alam nila
Sinong hindi nakakaalam na tigang ang aming bukirin
Hindi ba’t bahay-gagamba na ang mga bitak ng lupa?
Pagmasdan mo ang maisan, nagkulay-kalawang bago pa mag-alay
Walang pinatawad ang tag-tuyot, walang dasal na dininig.
 
Isinuot ko ang pusyaw-pula kong sumbrero at inaya ang aking anak
Dumulog sa kinauukulan, nagbabakasakali ng habag
Uusal ng panalangin sa namamanginoong mortal
At baka naman siya, sila, ay makinig.
Dahil alam nila; alam nila dapat.
 
Bigas ang aming hiling.
Tiyak akong kami’y didinggin at kami’y uunawain.
Sino ba sa atin ang walang bitukang kailangang malamnan kahit paminsan?
Sila, kami, tayo ay mga likhang may tiyan
Magkaiba nga lang: ang ami’y impis, ang kanila’y busog.
 
Hinapagan kami ng batuta’t bala.
Pagdaka’y hinanap ko ang aking anak.
Walang nakakaalam kung saan naroon. Wala, wala.
Nang matagpua’y ang tanging karamay ay ang aking pusyaw-pulang sumbrero
Lamukos sa aking kamao.
 
Umuwi akong may pasang mabigat
Ang aking anak ngayon na’y bangkay.
Pagmasdan mo ang kanyang lamay na napapalamutian
Ng kartolinang bulaklak.
Ang kabaong naming mahihirap ay tanging iyan ang gayak.
 
Sa iyong nakikiramay ako’y may hiling
Sa namamanginoon ay pakiparating
Dapat nilang malaman; malaman nila dapat
Sila ang dahilan nitong lagablab.
                                                   -7:09 n.g.
                                                    11 Abril 2016
                                                    Lungsod Quezon
Raymund B. Villanueva