The day after “Ka Bel” died, my father sent me an email urging me to go to the wake for the party-list representative. He said Crispin Beltran was once his boss and one whom he deeply respected, and he felt it was his filial obligation to offer flowers and prayers at his wake. But since he was away in Maastricht, the Netherlands, on a scholarship, he asked me to go his place. I’m no leftist; I’m not even politically inclined, as some of my schoolmates have probably noted. So when I put on my denim pants and rubber shoes to go to Manila’s Quiapo district to buy some flowers, I thought that I was merely doing what my father had asked me to do: to offer flowers and prayers for a dead man.
Memorial Meetings For Ka Bel Held in the US (tags)
A simple, solemn and intimate memorial meetings by Filipinos. Filipino-Americans and international solidarity allies were held in the cities of New York and Los Angeles in the United States last May 27 and 28 as Ka Bel was laid to rest in the Philippines. Other memorial meetings are also slated to be held in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle next week. Scores of activists from the Alliance-Philippines, Gabriela Network-USA and International solidarity groups like International ANSWER, Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Justice for Filipino Americans (JFAV) and LAANE held the memorial meetings to pay their last respects to Ka Bel in Historic Filipinotown and Queens, New York.
A Tribute to Ka Bel- Crispin Beltran (tags)
On behalf of the SEIU United Health Workers-West (UHW West), the largest workers union in the West Coast of the United States representing 150,000 health care workers in California, and the Circulo Panpangueno of Southern California Inc., an umbrella organization of 22 towns in Pampanga. Philippines extend our heart-felt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and comrades of the working class hero- Ka Crispin “ Ka Bel” Beltran. Ka Bel and the UHW shared one thing in com
Message of Solidarity from the UHW-West (tags)
On behalf of the SEIU United Health Workers-West (UHW West), the largest workers union in the West Coast of the United States representing 150,000 health care workers in California, and the Circulo Panpangueno of Southern California Inc., an umbrella organization of 22 towns in Pampanga. Philippines extend our heart-felt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and comrades of the working class hero- Ka Crispin “ Ka Bel” Beltran.
Memorial Meetings for Ka Bel to be Held US-Wide (tags)
Whenever death may surprise us, it will be welcomed provided that our battle cry reaches some receptive ear, that another hand stretches out to take up the weapon, and that other men come forward to intone our funeral dirge with the staccato of machine gun and new cries of battle and victory." ~ Ernesto "Che" Guevarra Los Angeles - Nationwide memorial meetings to mourn and honor Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran will be held in different cities in the United States from May 21 to June 9, 2008. Ka Bel was an ANAKPAWIS Representative, Chair Emeritus of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May First Movement), and former Chair of the International League for People’s Struggle (ILPS). Mario Santos, Alliance Philippines National Coordinator, made this announcement in San Francisco after the meeting with representative from International ANSWER on May 22. According to Santos, the memorials for Ka Bel will be held on May 27 in Queens, New York, May 28 in Los Angeles at Remy's on Temple Art Gallery in Historic Filipinotown and San Francisco, and on June 9 in Seattle. Progressive Filipino forces in Chicago will hold a memorial on May 24.
Ka Bel- Bayani ng mga Anak-Pawis (tags)
Walang katagang makapaglalarawan sa aming taimtim na kalungkutan sa nabalitang pagpanaw ni Ka. Bel- Ka>Crispin Beltran ang dakilang bayani ng mga anak-pawis. Sa ngalan ng Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante) –USA at ng komunidad ng Pilipino sa Estados Unidos buong pagpipitagang naming ipinaabot naming ang aming lubos na pakikiramay para sa mga naiwang pamilya, kamag-anak at mga kasama’t-kaibigan ng yumaong Ka. Bel. Sa huli, ipinapahayag naming ang aming lubos na kalungkutan at taimtim na nangangakong ibabaling ang rebolusyunaryonaryong pamimighati tungo sa ibayong pagkilos para sa katubusan ng bayan at kagalingang ng masang Pilipino
Rep. Crispin Beltran, The Great Hero of the Working Class (tags)
The Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (Alliance Philippines), with profound sadness, announced the passing of Ka (short for "kasama" or comrade) Crispin Beltran, 75, last May 20, 2008, in the Philippines. Ka Bel, as we fondly call him, was a representative of ANAKPAWIS (Toiling Masses) Party List, chair emeritus of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May First Movement), labor center in the Philippines, and was the first chairperson of the International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) from 2001-2004.
Crispin Beltran, presente! (tags)
The National Committee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation extends its most heartfelt condolences to the family, comrades and friends of Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran. We reprint here a statement from the Gabriela Network USA on the passing of this courageous leader of the Filipino labor movement and liberation struggle.
BAYAN Philippines & BAYAN USA on Labor Leader Ka Bel (tags)
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan pays its highest tribute to our former chairman, Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran after his untimely passing on May 20, 2008. We give our most heartfelt condolences to the family, comrades, friends and the millions of supporters who are grieving the loss of an outstanding fighter for national and social liberation and a beloved leader of the Filipino working class and people.
JFAV : A Tribute to Ka. Crispin Beltran, The Hero of the Filipino Working Class (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American veterans (JFAV), the alliance of veterans groups, student / youth, community organizations and veteran rights advocates in the United States and as a founding member of the International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) pays tribute and homage to Crispin Beltran, 75 , who passed away last May 20, 2008 in the Philippines Ka. Bel, as we fondly call him, was a representative of BAYAN MUNA and later the ANAK-PAWIS Party list group, BAYAN Chair, Past Chair and Chair emeritus of Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) labor center and was the first chairperson of the International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) from 2001-2004. As a chair person of the ILPS Ka Bel supported the Filipino World War II and gave due course to the resolution of the ILPS in 2001 and again in 2004 ILPS Assemblies recognizing the contribution of the veterans to the struggle against fascism in World War II and the justices of their current struggle for recognition, justice and equity.
ON THE RELEASE OF KA BEL AND THE JUNKING OF THE CASE AGAINST POLITICAL ACTIVISTS (tags)
On behalf of the Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP), we extend our felicitations and congratulations on the release of ANAKPAWIS representative. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran after more than one year and four months of detention and the junking of the cases against progressive party list representatives and other people’s activist leaders by the Supreme Court. We in the AJLPP and our allied organizations like the International ANSWER, the international anti-war and the anti-racist coalition in the United States, are greatly and deeply inspired by Ka Bel’s determination and the movement’s persistent and just struggle for justice, social and national liberation. To Ka. Bel annd to all our comrades in struggle, MABUHAY KAYO!
AJLPP CALLS FOR TOTAL RELEASE OF KA BEL, CONDEMNS NEW COMELEC MACHINATIONS (tags)
The Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) strongly demand that the US-Arroyo regime stop harassing Representative Crispin Beltran and other progressive party-list representatives and set Ka. Bel totally free. The AJLPP find it ridiculous that the Makati City Court will just set Ka Bel free for only four days during the duration of the Congress sessions while the Supreme Court has just junked the charges against him and the “Batasan Five” as devoid of due process. On the other hand, the AJLPP also condemn the new machinations of the COMELEC for its “veterans formula” of giving only three seats in the lower house to the party-list group BUHAY and give other party-list groups one seat each.
AJLPP Supports Senator Arroyo Call For Beltran Release. FREE KA BEL, NOW! (tags)
Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) urgently supports the call of Senator Joker Arroyo for Mlacañang let Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran and Genuine Opposition senatorial bet Antonio Trillanes andto post bail and campaign, after the Makati Regional Trial Court allowed independent senatorial candidate Gregorio Honasan to walk out of his cell.? The AJLPP believes that there is double standard of justice that the US-Arroyo regime applies. One for Honasan and one for political dissenters like Ka Bel. FREE KA CRISPIN BELTRAN AND ALL POLITICAL DETAINEES, NOW! PALAYAIN KAAGAD SI KA BEL AND ANG LAHAT NG BILANGGONG PULITIKAL SA PILIPINAS
Detained Philippine lawmaker files resolution vs. repressive US immigration bills (tags)
Activist Philippine lawmaker Rep. Crispin Beltran recently filed House Resolution 1263 urging the Philippine government to support the call of millions of Filipinos and migrants of other nationalities in the US and actively oppose the passage of the racist and repressive Sensenbrenner-King bill and other similar proposals.
The Gabor and Hilton Family Feud-Fighting from a Wheelchair. (tags)
Alex S. Gabor reports on the lawsuit of celebrity mother Zsa Zsa Gabor, no relation, against her daughter who she had with her 2nd of 8 ex husbands, Conrad Hilton.
Haiti: A revolution unfolding (tags)