Julie and I wish to convey our most heartfelt condolences to the daughters and entire family of Comrade Gregorio Rosal, Ka Roger, and to all cadres and members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, all the Red commanders and fighters of the New People?s Army, all adherents of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the broad masses of the Filipino people.
Peasant offensives in Southern Tagalog Despite AFP Militarization (tags)
The Pesante NEWS based in Los Angeles reported today that the peasant movement in Southern Tagalog is gaining ground despite AFP militaization in that region. The PESANTE NEWS also learned that the impoverished masses in the Southern Tagalog (ST) countryside are now organized under a peasant movement with a strong regional center. Provincial chapters have begun to rise anew from the surviving 54 chapters in various levels found in areas with existing cases of agrarian disputes and where the peasant masses are being threatened with eviction. Chapters continue to expand and new ones built on varying levels.
Only 5% of Philippine coral reefs remain (tags)
Read this and weep: A marine scientist from the University of the Philippines has revealed that only 5 percent ?equivalent to just around 1,000 square kilometers?of the country?s total reef area remain in good condition in the face of the wanton destruction of our coral reefs by poachers.
ILOCOS PEASANTS TO MARCH IN LAKBAYAN 2010 (tags)
The Pesante Buletin reported today that Ilocos peasants under the banner of Solidarity of Peasants against Exploitation (STOP Exploitation) shall join the annual Lakbayan 2010 March of the Landless from October 19 to 22 to register their support for Justice and genuine agrarian reform. According to NORDIS , the STOP Exploitation Chairperson Avelino Dacanay said over one hundred peasants from La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte will march in celebration of Peasant Month this October along with other peasant organizations in Luzon.
Kangaroo Court in the Philippine Underground Movement (tags)
It is clear that the Communist Party of the Philippines’ theory and practice of due process is based on the assumption of innocence or diminished criminal culpability when cadres toe the official line, but becomes assumed guilt when cadres raise questions against the central leadership.
Philippines: Comrade Torturer (tags)
The Communist Party of the Philippines killed hundreds of its own cadres in a wave of paranoia that swept the rebel movement in the 1980s.
Filipino farmers’ nation-wide march for Land Reform to kick off Jan. 10 (tags)
A nationwide protest march to highlight President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s alleged string of heinous crimes against farmers will kick off in Mindanao on January 10 and end in Manila on January 22, in time for the 23rd anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre, a partylist lawmaker said on Saturday. PESANTE NEWS learned today that Anakpawis partylist Representative Rafael Mariano said the nationwide farmers’ caravan was only an “opening salvo of sustained mass actions for this year leading to the end of the anti-peasant, corrupt, and fascist Arroyo administration.” Nationwide March for Land Reform “The nationwide march and caravan of farmers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will highlight Ms Arroyo’s string of heinous crimes against farmers, from wide-scale land-grabbing, brazen human rights violations, and unabashed plunder of agricultural funds, among others,” Mariano said in a statement.
CORRUPTION, DEFPRETRATION. LANDSLIDES. DEATH AND MEA CULPA (tags)
“The reasons for the degradation of our forests are corruption and our own shortcomings,” admitted Secretary Lito Atienza of Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in a New Year message to his department personnel. A common knowledge among Filipinos, Atienza's admonishment, hardly created a ripple in Manila were ordinary citizens had almost but accepted corruption is an integral part of governance in the island nation.
PESANTE CONDEMNS SOUTHERN TAGALOG ACTIVIST CRACKDOWN (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA condemns in the strongest terms what the Southern Tagalog peasant activist crackdown and witch hunt under the US-Arroyo fascist regime. This is how Pesante-USA, a human rights, Filipino peasant advocacy and environmental organization in Los Angeles and Southern Tagalog activists described what would come next after farmer leader Rogelio Galit was arrested Monday evening at Barangay Kaong, Silang, Cavite on murder charges filed at the regional trial court in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. Pesante-USA learned through media sources that around 15 armed men in civilian clothes arrested Galit, an officer of the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan and spokesperson of the Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid sa Kabite, said his wife Patricia who witnessed the arrest at their house.
WALANG AWAT NA KILOS PROTESTA SA PILIPINAS (tags)
Sunud-sunod na kilos-protesta ang inilunsad nitong nagdaang mga araw, laluna ng mga kabataan, laban sa tuluy-tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo at sa pagtanggi ng rehimeng Arroyo na alisin ang ipinapataw nitong buwis sa mga ito. Papalaki at papadalas na mga kilos-protesta ng mga kabataan. Umabot sa mahigit 5,000 estudyante at kabataang di nakapag-aaral ang nagmartsa patungong Mendiola nitong Hulyo 18. Sa panawagang “Kabataan at Bayan, Mag-aklas,” nag-walkout ang libu-libong estudyante mula sa kani-kanilang eskwelahan. Iginiit nila ang pagbabasura sa value added tax (VAT) sa langis, ang pagbabasura sa Oil Deregulation Law at ang pagsasabatas sa P125 across-the-board na umento sa sahod.
AJLPP Supports the May 12, 2008 National Transport Strike in the Philippines (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) declared today its support for the national transport strike in the Philippines planned for May 12, 2008. AJLPP national coordinator Mario Santos said, “The AJLPP unequivocally and wholeheartedly supports the transport group, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), which is affiliated with the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU – May First Movement) Labor Center.” PISTON will lead Monday’s transport strike which will start at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Militarisasyon sa kanayunan ng Pilipinas lalong tumitindi-AJLPP (tags)
Patuloy ang pamamaslang ng mga berdugo ni Arroyo sa mga lider-masa at tagasuporta ng progresibong kilusan. Nitong Disyembre, isang makamasang konsehal ng bayan ang binaril sa loob ng kanyang upisina sa Masbate. Sa Quezon at Surigao, biktima ng dislokasyon ang libu-libong mamamayan kabilang ang maraming bata dahil sa militarisasyon. Sa Compostela Valley, isang lider-manggagawa ang pinagbantaang papatayin. Samantala, dalawang pinaghihinalaang kadre ng Partido ang dinukot at tinortyur sa Nueva Ecija noong huling linggo ng Nobyembre.
Hundreds flee Army, NPA war in remote areas nationwide (tags)
The ceasefire declared by the military isn’t holding as hundreds of villagers fled remote communities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that have turned into battlegrounds between communist guerrillas and government soldiers. The flight of residents afraid of getting caught in the crossfire has created temporary communities in shelters where the civilians were brought for safety.
Pasistang Paglabag sa karapatang pantao, Lumulubha (tags)
Mariing kinokondena ngayon ng Alyansa-Pilipinas (AJLPP) ang patuloy na pasistang pananalanta ng mga berdugo ng rehimeng Arroyo nitong nakaraang dalawang linggo. Pinakatampok sa mga kasong nakalap ng AJLPP-Usa ay ang pagdukot at iligal na pagkulong sa isang progresibong pastor at lider-masa sa Laguna ng PNP o pambansang pulisya ng Pilipinas.
Party-list groups not being tallied–Beltran (tags)
ANAKPAWIS Representative Crispin Beltran complained that the electoral fraud machinery of the administration have started to get operational as votes cast for progressive party-list groups in areas where Team Unity candidates claimed victory are not being read and tallied. The political detainee said reports from the municipalities in Southern Tagalog reaching his office showed that votes for Anakpawis were not being called out and reported because of this the party-list group is losing as many as 500 votes in small municipalities.
PHILIPPINES: ON ELECTION DAY , GMA CHEATING MACHINE OPERATES (tags)
The US-Arroyo regime cheating and repressive machinery for the May 14 national elections is all systems go. To counter the evil machinations of the US-Arroyo regime, the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) reiterates it call for the Filipino people to be vigilant and fight with all their might against legalized vote buying, wholesale cheating and brazen violence in this May 14 elections. At the rate it is acting, the US-Arroyo regime is sure to surpass the much hated Marcos regime its brazenness and fascist terrorist acts. AJLPP also expresses its deepest concern over the escalating violence and the propaganda in “rationalizing” its cheating activities “ in the elections. More than 100 armed incidents have been reported since the election season started late February 2007 in the Philippines. The AJLPP compiled the latest updates from the Philippines:
PHILIPPINES: ON ELECTION DAY , GMA CHEATING MACHINE REVS UP (tags)
The US-Arroyo regime cheating and repressive machinery for the May 14 national elections is revved up and is now on full operations.. The AJLPP reiterates it call for the Filipino people to be vigilant and fight with all their might against legalized vote buying, wholesale cheating and brazen violence in this coming May 14 elections. At the rate It Is acting, the US-Arroyo regime Is sure to surpass the much hated Marcos regime its brazenness and fascist terrorist acts. AJLPP also expresses its deepest concern over the escalating violence and the propaganda in “rationalizing” its cheating activities “ in the coming elections. More than 100 armed incidents have been reported since the election season started late February 2007 in the Philippines.
An Appeal to Philippine President Arroyo (tags)
Stop agrarian violence and killing of farmers! Implement agrarian reform in contentious landholdings!
Pesante-USA Condems Killing of Youth leader in Cagayan (tags)
Cagayan, the northernmost province of Luzon has become a valley of death for activists as a 19-year-old youth leader became the third militant in a month to be killed in the province. Sangguniang Kabataan chair Nelson Asocena, a member of the youth group Anakbayan and the peasant group Kagimungan, was shot dead in an attack allegedly by six men in military uniform on Dec. 13 in Rizal, Cagayan. Pesante-USA vehemntly condemn the fascist terror Kiling. Asocena was the third militant leader to be killed in Cagayan within a month and the 802nd in the Philippines since 2001, based on records of the human rights group Karapatan. More than 800 activist, leaders, and ordinary members of people's organizations and their familes had been killed since 2001 when Arroyo assumed presidency in the Philippines.
Rights group condemns Arroyo regime for butchery of Filipinos and their freedom (tags)
"We condemn the Arroyo regime for its butchery of hundreds of Filipinos and our nation's freedom by presiding over gross human rights violations and insisting on a self-serving charter change similar to that of the Marcos dictatorship," said the Philippine human rights group KARAPATAN whose members and allied organizations joined the anti-Cha Cha rally today at the House of Representatives in Batasan.
Another labor leader killed in S. Tagalog (tags)
A LABOR leader was shot dead on Monday while two others were wounded in an ambush near a Japanese firm’s office in Imus, Cavite. The victim was Jose Servida, 36, a worker-leader of the EMI Yasaki factory in Imus. He was declared dead on arrival at the University Medical Center from a lone gunshot wound in the chest.
Union president Pinatay sa ambush sa Laguna (tags)
panayam ng PSN kay Arman Albarillo, Secretary General ng Bayan (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan) -Southern Tagalog ang pagpatay kay Iñoza ay posibleng kagagawan na naman ng gobyerno para supilin ang karapatan ng mga manggagawa. "Ito ay isa na namang uri ng pananakot sa hanay ng mga manggagawa para mapagbigyan ang kagustuhan ng mga dayuhang kapitalista" dagdag pa ni Albarillo.
Pesante-USA Condemns Mass Arrest of Peasants in Quezon. Support ANAKPAWIS Solon call (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network-USA vehemently condemns the mass arrests of peasant leaders in Quezon and support he just call of ANAKPAWIS representative Rafael Marinao’s call that asked the House of Representatives’ committees on agrarian reform and human rights to investigate the arrest of 48 activists and the violent dispersal here on Saturday of protesting tenants.
ANOTHER UNIONIST MURDERED IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)
Another unionist was killed today in Southern Tagalog region. Nemesio Aquino, a worker of JAM Transit (formerly Tritran Bus Company), was shot dead by unidentified men when he just came out from the Bureau of Labor Relations office in Barangay Parian, Calamba City, Laguna at around 2:00 PM. The militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) or Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog expressed condemnation and alarming concern over the recent killing of a unionist.
Protest caravan from Southern Tagalog (tags)
Protests from the urban poor in Southern Tagalog geared towards Monday's State of the Nation Address (SONA) began as early as Wednesday and are now on the third day of a six-day caravan dubbed "Lakbay-Riles ng Maralita laban sa kagutuman, dislokasyon at karahasan ." The caravan took-off from Gumaca, Quezon around 8AM today and is set to reach San Pablo City at around 3PM, but protesters fear that they may be blocked again amid NCRPO chief Vidal Querol's statement that a special operations group of the New People's Army from Mindoro would try to sneak into the capital.
Anti-Cha-cha protests mark Independence Day (tags)
AJLPP reprinted the news on the mass actions in Manila and the rest of the Philippines against Charter Change and the escalating human rights violations and attacks against personages and members of the people's organizations and party-list leaders and members in the Philippines. Several thousands of protesters joined the protests against Charter change, June 12. In Manila, about 10,000 protesters participated in an Inter-Faith prayer rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio. Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and its allied organizations marched from two assembly points – Welcome Rotunda and Quirino avenue corner Taft avenue --toward the Liwasang Bonifacio, 4 pm. Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., National Artist for Literature Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Senator Jamby Madrigal, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, Manila Vice Mayor Danny Lacuña were among the personalities who attended the rites.
What a match! The Strong Republic’s grand inquisitor in the service of the self-proclaimed (tags)
National security adviser Norberto Gonzales the other day feigned outrage at reports that he has been egging President Arroyo to declare martial law to permanently put away those pesky communists and fellow travelers. Gonzales said he was a victim of martial law, Part 1, and he would be the last to seek its re-imposition. Gonzales is a liar. The Senate found him so, the reason he was cited in contempt and placed under custody during an inquiry into the lobby contract he entered into with the US firm Venable LLB. He remains a liar in insisting he is not pushing for martial law. Let’s take a look at Gonzales’ claim he was a victim of martial law. Indeed he was hunted -- or rather he claimed he was hunted -- during martial law for leading an anti-Marcos armed group identified with the "clerico-fascists" like the Jesuit Romeo Intengan (the Gonzales-Intengan tandem remains as the most rapid anti-communist faction advising Arroyo). In reality, Gonzales’ group of middle class "revolutionaries" was no more than a nuisance to the Marcos martial law regime. The Marcos regime reserved its most ruthless and vicious assaults for the Left. And guess who were lustily applauding Marcos’ policy of extermination? Gonzales and Intengan, that’s who.