Posts

Karapatan on the postponement of the GRP-NDFP peace talks

KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay talks about the postponement of the resumption of formal talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Earlier this week, the GRP announced that it will ask the NDFP for a month-long postponement to effect the release of NDFP consultants and allow them to participate in the formal talks.

Both parties originally scheduled their formal talks on the third week of this month. Read more

Progressives to Duterte: Fulfill promise to free political prisoners

PROGRESSIVE GROUPS called on Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte to fulfill his promise to free political prisoners once he assumes the presidency.

In a rally outside Camp Crame on June 10, militant laborers and human rights workers said political prisoners such as Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria must be freed to help in the peace process between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH). Read more

EDSA 30th – people’s rage

On the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power, demonstrators led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and affiliates of the Philippines chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) broke through layers of police and army phalanx to assert national freedom and democracy and say no to another Marcos.

Human rights raps in the Philippines

Human Rights Day 2015 in the Philippines with street protests on violations under a neocolonial regime. Speakers include torture victim Fr. Ben Alforque and KARAPATAN secretary-general Tinay Palabay. The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) also demanded the release of Palestinian leader Khalida Jarrar and all political prisoners.

Desaparecidos kin at Manilakbayan 2015

Desaparecidos including John Calaba, a Dulangan Manobo missing since April 30, 2015, and other human rights victims were remembered on All Soul’s Day Nov. 2 as the Manilakbayan 2015 camps out at the Liwasang Bonifacio. Connie Empeño, mother of abducted activist Karen, and other kin were joined by lumad leader Datu Jumong and veteran writer Boni Ilagan. They demand an end to counter-insurgency operations Oplan Bayanihan.

UP opens arms to Lumad Struggle

The Manilakbayan 2015 from Mindanao arrives at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman to press against state terror attacks on Lumad schools, communities and people. UP Chancellor Dr. Michael Tan and CONTEND Chair Prof. Gerry Lanuza receive the Lumads with open arms. Music provided by Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-GaPi) led by Prof. Edru Abraham. The campaign #StopLumadKillings is supported by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).

Support for Manilakbayan 2015

Days before the arrival of Manilakbayan 2015 in Manila, church people express their solidarity and support to stop state terror attacks on Lumad schools, communities and people. Among the speakers are: Sr. Stella Matutina, spokesperson of Panalipdan Mindanao; Fr. Fortunato Estillore of the Diocese of Tandag, Surigao del Sur; Sr. Mary James Mujar, Superior of the Order of St. Benedictine, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur; Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, Public Affairs Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Karapatan to BS Aquino: Hindi ka namin malilimutan

11790214_10204983466649832_315040584_o

(File photo | February 2015 | Kodao Productions)

SONA 2015

The 2,000 soldiers, 4,000 police, K-9 units aside from the concrete barriers are expected to block the protesters on Monday, BS Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address (SONA).  “The state forces will try to defend the indefensible president whose crimes against the Filipino people are worth a thousand lifetimes in jail. The SONA overkill security preparations are indications of a regime that is scared witless of the people’s defiance and actions,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay.

“The president is a hard core criminal. He wilfully commits one crime after another and then lies to his teeth in public, just as we expect him to do during the SONA,” Palabay said.

However BS Aquino packaged his loop of unproductive lies, he will always be remembered as a certified fascist.  As of June 2015, Aquino is accountable for the 262 victims of extrajudicial killings and 293 victims of frustrated extrajudicial killings; 27 victims of enforced disappearances; 125 cases of torture; and 771 cases of illegal arrests and detention; and for the 537 political prisoners.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for the illegal arrest of Andrea Rosal and the death of her two-day old baby Diona; for the illegal arrest of Miradel Torres who gave birth to a baby boy while in detention and as the boy grows up in harsh conditions in jail.

BS Aquino will always be remembered as a saboteur of and a double crosser in the peace talks between the GPH and the National Democratic Front; for his gross violations of the signed agreements between the two parties; for arresting peace consultants by charging them with criminal offenses; for his disinterest in truly solving the roots of the armed conflict and in finding the way to genuine peace.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for his love for the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo generals—for coddling Palparan at Camp Bonifacio, for placing murderous generals Año, Baladad, Visaya, Iriberri at the top positions;

BS Aquino will always be remembered for the kilometric queue of people waiting to ride the MRT/LRT only to crush at the track’s end; for the parking lot that is EDSA; for the bloody demolition of urban poor shanties; for the unending price hikes of basic commodities; and for the privatization of the government hospitals such as the Orthopaedic Hospital.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for his failure to provide decent jobs and wages that drives away Mary Jane Velosos to foreign lands and for workers to make do with meagre salaries and unsafe and inhuman working conditions; and the peasants who are still struggling for a piece of land to till.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for the congressional and presidential pork that is also used to oil its killing machine; by spending billions of pesos to fund paramilitary groups, and engage in psy-war projects such as the PAMANA in a bid to coopt and silence the people perceived as enemies.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for the criminal neglect of the victims of typhoons and disasters, for the wasted relief supplies, for the rehabilitation projects that never were. BS Aquino will always be remembered for the death of Marcelo Monterona, Felix Basig, Cristina Jose, Gildegardo Hernandez, Jefferson Custodio—all typhoon survivors and relief workers who organized themselves to collectively rehabilitate their communities and rebuild their lives without the government’s help.

BS Aquino will always be remembered as the President who put 44 of his own men in a suicide mission and pretended not know anything about it to save his master, the Obama government and his BFF Gen. Alan Purisima.

BS Aquino will always be remembered for the re-colonization of the Philippines through the the lopsided Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The EDCA, signed by US and GPH government aims to put deploy more US soldiers, war materiel and weapons inside the Philippine territory. BS Aquino will always be remembered as our country is dragged into the US wars of intervention all-over the world.

Through his five years, BS Aquino is full-proof “Impunity King” and a war monger, who shows no sign of let-up in the use of violence against the people.

“This is Aquino’s tuwid na daan, and we will remember,” said Palabay. “At the day’s end, we will remember.  We will not forget Aquino’s tuwid na daan. With less than a year in office, BS Aquino deserves nothing from the Filipino people but defiance.”

Karapatan condemns military and police brutality vs. Lumad evacuees

police-haran
(Photo by Paolo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

“A congresswoman who acted in concert with the Armed Forces of the Philippines prompted the brutal action of the police against the Lumad evacuees at the UCCP compound in Davao City,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.

North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco mobilized the police, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the paramilitary group ALAMARA to supposedly rescue the Lumad who sought shelter at the UCCP compound since April 2015 because of the military operations in their communities.

“It is not the most convenient situation for the Lumads to be in an evacuation center, in a place far away from their homes and farms. But they had to do this sacrifice for their temporary security and safety. Their lives are at stake if they remain in their communities in the presence of the elements of the 68th IB-PA and its paramilitary group ALAMARA,” Palabay added.

Palabay said the AFP has been conducting combat operations in the remote villages in Talaingod, Davao del Norte. Its troops led by the 68th IBPA have encamped in the communities, tagged civilians as mass base of the New People’s Army, used Lumad schools as camps, and threatened and coerced the civilian population.

This is not the first time the Lumads from Talaingod, Davao del Norte left their communities. Last year, several hundreds of Lumads also evacuated because of bombings, use of civilians as shields and guides during combat operations, and a host of other gross human rights violations. The evacuees at the UCCP compound are the second batch of evacuees who left their homes this year. The Lumads decided to finally leave their homes after members of the ALAMARA paramilitary group started to forcibly recruit them into the paramilitary group.

“The Lumads left their homes and farms seek shelter only to become victims of violence again,” lamented Palabay. “Ano ang gusto ng gobyernong ito? Saan niyo sila gustong magpunta?”

Members of rights and religious groups supporting the plight of the evacuees were falsely charged by the AFP with kidnapping, illegal detention and human trafficking.

Three days ago, on July 20, the plight of the evacuees was brought to the attention of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons Dr. Chaloka Beyani who is on official visit in the Philippines from July 21 to 30, 2015. ###

IPT: The trial of Pres. Aquino and US government on crimes committed against Filipino people

A media conference was held at the Quezon Memorial Circle at Quezon City this June 16, 2015.

Atty. Edre Olalia, secretary general of National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers explains the International Peoples Tribunal and the charges/grounds of the defendants, President Benigno Aquino III and the government of the United States of America, represented by President Barack Obama II, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, World Trade Organization, multinational corporations and foreign banks doing business in the Philippines.