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‘Justice,’ Kadamay says of death of Badion’s alleged assassin

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Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) said its assassinated secretary general Carlito Badion had been given justice with the reported death of one of his alleged assassins.

This was the group’s reaction to a report that one of Badion’s alleged killers, Jojo “Pekulo” Lucero, had recently been punished with death by the New People’s Army (NPA) last June 25 in Ormoc City.

“What we have seen through the punishment done by the NPA is that Filipinos are seeking alternative methods for justice as the government continues to fail them. Kadamay supports all oppressed sectors in their search for justice and accountability,” the group said.

Badion, long-serving Kadamay secretary general, was tortured and murdered in his home city of Ormoc in Leyte in May 28, 2020.

Badion defended urban poor communities from violent demolitions and was known critic of substandard and dangerous government relocation sites.

He had been a repeated victim of red-tagging by government security forces until his death.

In an announcement through the underground Eastern Visayas newspaper Larab last October 2, the NPA said it conducted investigations and found Lucero guilty of being one of Badion’s assassins.

The decision was reached by a “people’s court” and was carried out by the NPA, the Larab report said.

The NPA said Lucero also took Badion’s laptop computer, mobile phone and money after the urban poor leader was killed.

“Sa isinagawang imbestigasyon sa kaso, napatunayang nasa ilalim ng proteksyon ng pulis si Lucero. Ayon sa nakalap na impormasyon, ‘sumuko’ siya sa lokal na yunit ng Philippine National Police (PNP) matapos paslangin si Badion,” the NPA said. 

(The investigation conducted proved Lucero was under police protection. According to pieces of information we gathered, he ‘surrendered’ to the local PNP unit after Badion was killed.)

But the police did not press charges against Lucero and instead sent him home with money and grocery items, the group added. 

Lucero was also a known police asset who, despite being involved in theft charges has not been jailed, the NPA said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Nanay Mameng

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Mother Mameng delves deep into the character of a woman who has experienced extreme poverty and domestic violence and rose from from it all to become the beloved personality, well-known to the Philippine mass movement.

Written and directed by Adjani Arumpac and produced by Kodao Productions, this 2012 bio-docu was the Gawad Urian Best Documentary that year.

Carmen Deunida passed away due to old age last July 19, still the beloved icon of the urban poor movement in the Philippines. (Featured artwork by Tom Estrera.)

Urban poor champion Carmen Deunida passes away

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Carmen Deunida, founding chairperson of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), died yesterday, Monday, July 19.

“It is with sadness that we announce that our great leader and founding chairperson has passed away at 93 years old,” Kadamay announced in Filipino.

Deunida was a 50 year old single mother in Leveriza in Manila when she became an activist and a community leader after listening to political discussions held in their house by youth groups her son was part of in 1978.

She was also a women’s rights advocate, being a victim of domestic violence.

Frail-looking but a master of rousing speeches, Deunida first gained prominence at anti-Joseph Estrada protest rallies and became among the most popular speakers in rallies against the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo presidency.

She remained a critic even during the Benigno Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte administrations.

“Lalaban hanggang may dugo. Titigil lang ako sa kapag ako’y nasa kabaong na!” was one of her most memorable and oft-repeated lines. (I will fight on while there is still blood in me. I will only stop when I am inside a coffin.)

Deunida’s popularity was instrumental in the establishment of Kadamay after the second people power uprising that ousted Estrada in 2001.

She witnessed the organization’s growth into the country’s biggest and most militant organization of the urban poor.

Deunida had been in an undisclosed hospital for several days before she died.

Deunida was the subject of the bio-documentary “Nanay Mameng” that won the 2012 Gawad Urian Best Documentary. Produced by Kodao Productions, it was written and directed by Adjani Arumpac.

Kadamay said it will soon announce schedules of tribute activities and Nanay Mameng’s internment. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Ang pighati ng maralita sa pagpaslang kay ‘Karletz’

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Pighati ang nadarama ng mga maralitang lungsod sa pagpanaw ng pangkalahatang kalihim ng Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap o KADAMAY. Nananawagan sila ng katarungan para sa pagpaslang kay Carlito Badion na anila’y mga ahente ng estado ang malamang na may kagagawan. Bago ang kanyang kamatayan, napilitan si ‘Karletz’ na umuwi sa Silangang Bisayas dahil sa sunod-sunod na banta sa kanyang buhay mula sa militar at pulisya. Ani ng kanyang mga kapwa maralita, martir si Karletz sa kanilang pakikibaka para sa pabahay at katarungang panlipunan. (Music: Isang Minutong Katahimikan ni Erickson Acosta)

Sitio San Roque: Bigas hindi dahas

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Nagsagawa ang mga miyembro ng Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) ng Sitio San Roque, Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City ng isang maikling programa. Ito ay matapos na pagdadamputin at ikulong ang 21 na residente ng nasabing lugar dahil sa isinagawa nilang kilos-protesta.

Naganap noong Abril 1 ang kilos-protesta ng mga residente ng Sitio San Roque na myembro ng Sandigan ng Maralitang Nagkakaisa (SaMaNa). Ang panawagan ng grupo ay bigyan sila ayuda. Simula pa noong Marso 15, pagsisimula ng lockdown, wala pa ring nakukuhang tulong ang mga nagprotestang residente mula sa pamahalaan.

Kinundena ng KADAMAY ang nangyaring marahas na dispersal. Ang mga myembro rin nila mismo sa Sitio San Roque ay nananawagan din ng tulong mula sa gobyerno. Binigyang-linaw din nila na hindi nila myembro ang mga nagprotestang residente.

Bidyo nila Jola Diones-Mamangun, Arrem Alcaraz, Joseph Cuevas, Sanafe Marcelo, Jo Maline Mamangun, at Reggie Mamangun

Music: News – AShamaluevMusic.
Music Link: https://youtu.be/0uoc-FiwMD4

Si Nanay Inday at ang mga kababaihan sa mga urban poor area

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Ngayong buwan ng mga kababaihan, nagbigay ng pahayag si Estrelieta “Nanay Inday” Bagasbas, Vice Chair ng KADAMAY National at tagapangulo ng KADAMAY sa barangay San Roque, hinggil sa nararanasan ng mga kababaihan sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte.

Ayon sa kanya, iba’t ibang mga pasakit at sakripisyo ang pinapasan ng mga kababaihan sa maralitang lunsod bunsod ng mga mapanupil na patakaran ng administrasyong Duterte.

Ilan sa mga ito ay ang demolisyon, pagtataboy sa kanilang mga kabuhayan, atbp.

Bidyo ni Arrem Alcaraz/Kodao

Kadamay: Unjust policies force poor to occupy housing sites

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Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) marched to Mendiola yesterday to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to a dialogue in order for them to show proof that hundreds of housing units are unoccupied in Bulacan Province.

Instead of distributing government housing units to poor beneficiaries, the National Housing Authority only choose families who can pay exorbitant rates, Kadamay said.

Hundreds of Kadamay members occupied several housing projects in Bulacan last week, a move aimed at bringing the issue to Duterte’ attention, the group said. (Video by Divine Miranda/Featured photo by Romie Malonzo) Read more

Kadamay holds Kalbaryo 2016

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To dramatize their sufferings as a result of the government’s “anti-poor” housing programs, members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) held its annual procession from Quiapo to Mendiola, Manila last March 22.

Kadamay condemned Benigno Aquino’s government’s failure to solve the housing crisis for the urban poor.

They also scored what they call are unjust wages and lack of social services that would allow them to build better communities.

Kadamay’s “Kalbaryo” is annually staged during Holy Week with participants dramatizing their sufferings by carrying crosses with political demands.

Urban poor hold annual procession (contributed video)

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Carrying a cross made by acclaimed Filipino artist Toym Imao, urban poor group KADAMAY (Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap) performs a Lenten tradition to deplore the lack of livelihood and housing that they suffer. From Plaza Miranda fronting the Quiapo Church they passed by Sta. Cruz before proceeding to Mendiola.