ALL SET FOR NOVEMBER 11 12th JFAV PROTEST MARCH/RALLY IN HOLLYWOOD (tags)
They Served, they Deserved Benefits.” The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and its allied organizations announced that they are all set for the biggest demonstration, the 12th JFAV Protest March/Rally in the entertainment capital of the world-Hollywood on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 12;00 noo at Holywood and Vine intersection. For the first time, the JFAV march and rally in Hollywood and not in front of the Federal building in Downtown LA. as it usually does since 1997. Arturo Garcia, JFAV National coordinator explained the rationale for the change in venue : “ The Federal Building in downtown LA is usually closed for the November 11 holiday so all the rallies there are symbolical. Now we will bring it to the eyes entire world an not an empty edifice.” After the post-election victory of re-elected President, the JFAV wrote an appeal and demand letter asking the president to issue an executive order for full recognition of 43,000 Filipino World War II Veterans and their survivors who for more than 66 years were still unrecognized American veterans. Post Obama Election Protest Rally The JFAV stopped the lobby on the US Congress for HR 210 after the GOP controlled House of Representatives refused JFAV a hearing on HR 210 at the House Veterans Affairs Committee last August 2012 even with 96 co-sponsors for the bill.
MHC LAUDS JUDGE’S DECISION TO SUSPEND KEY PARTS OF ARIZONA’S STATE BILL 1070 (tags)
The Migrant Heritage Commission, a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit organization providing services to immigrants, yesterday lauded the decision of US District Judge Susan Bolton to temporarily suspend key parts of Arizona's State Bill 1070. MHC executive director and immigration lawyer Arnedo S. Valera said that Bolton's decision is a victory on the part of the community organizations and institutions who have lobbied against the bill saying that it is unconstitutional and the "wrong approach" to curb the burgeoning problem of illegal aliens in the US.
Martial Law declaration in Maguindanao - most dangerous political power play for Arroyo (tags)
When will peace reign in Mindanao? Martial Law declaration in Maguindanao - most dangerous political power play for Arroyo With “looming rebellion” as the questionable legal basis for the declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao, President Arroyo is setting the stage for the most dangerous political power play in her collapsing regime. Obviously, it is a pilot test that-depending on the public reaction-may as well be declared all over the Philippines. With regard to Maguindanao massacre, the Department of Justice filed rebellion charges against the Ampatuans-a device meant to justify the Martial Law declaration (existence of rebellion and related reasons) even if it is clear that the massacre was not a political case but pure and simple mass murder, a genocide. The rebellion charges may be intended to appease the Ampatuans instead of treating them as mass murderers.
A Disaster Waiting to Happen (tags)
The tremendous outpouring of love, brotherhood and assistance by our compatriots in the United States to all our “kababayans” whose lives have been devastated by Typhoon Ondoy captures the essence of our Bayanihan spirit. True to our Filipino core values, organizations, institutions and individuals of various political persuasions bonded together and in their own unique and creative ways extended immediate assistance to our brothers and sisters and continue their plans for long term relief . Most recently, President Obama expressed his “deep condolences for the loss of life and devastation caused by recent storms in the Philippines”. “As part of this effort, the U.S Agency for International Development, has so far allocated $1.8 million to respond to the disaster.”
ON SENATOR LACSON’S SPEECH AGAINST FORMER PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT JOSEPH ESTRADA (tags)
n a press statement sent to the Alliance-Philippines today, reacting to Senator Lacson’s privilege speech, Atty. Arnedo S. Valera, Executive Director of the US based Migrant Heritage Commission said that “ Senator Lacson’s privilege speech is a confession of the legal and moral bankruptcy of our political system. But it does not exclude him from any responsibility of the crimes.” The statement futher said: "Lacson is in possession of vital information of specific crimes committed by individuals cited in his “expose” and Valera said that further investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and other special bodies should be done, so that appropriate criminal charges can be filed. “What we will continue to hear from Sen. Lacson’s privilege speech is the affirmation of the litany of institutional corruptions committed by powerful actors in the civilian and the military establishments involving the highest echelon of leadership during the regimes of both former President Estrada and the incumbent President Arroyo,” Valera said.
STOP YOUR SUPPORT TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATOR AND CORRUPT US-Arroyo Regime (tags)
Deeply inspired by your promise of “Change We Could Believe In” during the last presidential campaign we would like to reiterate our support to your administration. We believed you would put a stop to the bankrupt policies espoused by your opponent, Senator John McCain and his fellow Republicans. With regard to the Philippines, our country of ancestry, we hoped that the “Change” you were talking about would mean a re-thinking of U.S. support for the administration of incumbent President Gloria Arroyo, whose record of corruption and violation of human rights has now surpassed that of the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Melissa Roxas Submits Torture Case Before UN in Geneva (tags)
Melissa Roxas Submits Torture Case Before UN in Geneva. Visit Justice for Melissa Roxas Website at http://justiceformelissa.org
MELISSA ROXAS SUBMITS TORTURE CASE BEFORE U.N. IN GENEVA (tags)
Melissa Roxas, the first known American Citizen under President Obama’s presidency to have become a victim of abduction and torture by military agents in the Philippines, filed through her counsel, Arnedo S. Valera, of the Migrant Heritage Commission’s Legal Resources program, her torture claim by way of “An Urgent Appeal and Allegation vs. the Philippine Government, before the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture , Professor Manfred Nowak under the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland . The case was received at the Geneva Office at 4:15 P.M today , July 28, 2009. Among the specific answers in response to the questionnaire on the torture of Melissa C. Roxas, 31 years old, where the dates of May 19 through May 25, 2009 as the date on which the incident of torture occurred; and Kapanikian, La Paz, Tarlac , the Philippines identified as the place of abduction. The victim believes the torture was carried out in a military camp in Nueva Ecija, known as Fort Magsaysay. Fort Magsaysay, about 150 kilometers north of Manila, is the largest military camp of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is home to the Army’s 7th Infantry Division. It also named the Special Operations Group (SOG) and those wearing military uniforms as interrogators and torturers.
CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) reiterates its stand on the long-standing battle of Filipino- American veterans to claim what is due them in the name of justice and equity. We would like to emphasize that this movement, waged valiantly for 63 years by veterans who are in the twilight of their lives, is beyond personal and family interests. It has to be viewed as an issue of national interest and dignity. Sadly, there are a few Filipinos who see this struggle in an unsympathetic and twisted sense. The JFAV would like to correct this sentiment and ask them to instead look at the veterans’ issue on the light of respecting the rights of our war veterans and honoring our dignity as a country. Filipino- American veterans all over America have unanimously agreed to accept what the recently signed Stimulus Package of Pres. Barrack Obama has given them. But will continue with the struggle for equity as they did for so many years now.
CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) reiterates its stand on the long-standing battle of Filipino American Veterans to claim what is due them in the name of justice and equity. We would like to emphasize that this movement, waged valiantly for 63 years by veterans who are in the twilight of their lives, is beyond personal and family interests. It has to be viewed as an issue of national interest and dignity. Sadly, there are a few Filipinos who see this struggle in an unsympathetic and twisted sense. The JFAV would like to correct this sentiment and ask them to instead look at the veterans’ issue on the light of respecting the rights of our war veterans and honoring our dignity as a country. Fil-am veterans all over America have unanimously agreed to accept what the recently signed Stimulus Package of Pres. Barrack Obama has given them. But will continue with the struggle for equity as they did for so many years now.
CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) reiterates its stand on the long-standing battle of Filipino- American veterans to claim what is due them in the name of justice and equity. We would like to emphasize that this movement, waged valiantly for 63 years by veterans who are in the twilight of their lives, is beyond personal and family interests. It has to be viewed as an issue of national interest and dignity. Sadly, there are a few Filipinos who see this struggle in an unsympathetic and twisted sense. The JFAV would like to correct this sentiment and ask them to instead look at the veterans’ issue on the light of respecting the rights of our war veterans and honoring our dignity as a country. Filipino- American veterans all over America have unanimously agreed to accept what the recently signed Stimulus Package of Pres. Barrack Obama has given them. But will continue with the struggle for equity as they did for so many years now. JFAV believes that the veterans, and widows or legal heirs of the deceased ones, deserve the full rights of naturalization and welfare benefits, including health and pension which the Rescission Act of 1946 has denied and the Stimulus Package has only partially fulfilled.
THE FILIPINO SPIRIT IN THE REMAKING OF AMERICA (tags)
Today, we celebrate our misa ng bayan with great hopes for brighter days of economic and moral recovery and renewal under our new President Barack Obama. It is certainly heartening and uplifting to know that we have a lot to hope and be thankful for after this nation demonstrated great courage by electing the first black, indeed, the first colored man in history, to the presidency. It brings much satisfaction after periods of intense crises and conflicts under the Bush administration, remembering 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the economic meltdown that continues to wreck havoc on us andespecially the common workers not only in the United States but all over the globe. After passing through the bleakest of days we earnestly hope to see light.
THE FILIPINO SPIRIT IN THE REMAKING OF AMERICA (tags)
Today, we celebrate our misa ng bayan with great hopes for brighter days of economic and moral recovery and renewal under our new President Barack Obama. It is certainly heartening and uplifting to know that we have a lot to hope and be thankful for after this nation demonstrated great courage by electing the first black, indeed, the first colored man in history, to the presidency. It brings much satisfaction after periods of intense crises and conflicts under the Bush administration, remembering 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the economic meltdown that continues to wreck havoc on us andespecially the common workers not only in the United States but all over the globe. After passing through the bleakest of days we earnestly hope to see light.