Philippines: Vocal DAP critic Bayan Muna Neri Colmenares also got P25M from fund (tags)
MANILA, Philippines–One of the most vocal critics of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) in the House of Representatives was allocated the economic stimulus fund that the Supreme Court recently declared unconstitutional.
Philippines: 5 Makabayan bloc legislators got P481M pork barrel (tags)
Documents from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) last year showed that five congressmen belonging to the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives received a combined P481 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) since President Aquino assumed office in 2010.
CPP-NPA Permit to Campaign Fees: Fundraising or Opportunism? (tags)
The Philippine Left and the 2010 Elections The issue of the New Peoples Army collecting ‘permit to campaign fees’ (euphemistically named ‘revolutionary taxes’ by the Communist Party of the Philippines) from capitalist traditional politicians (trapo or rug) wanting to campaign in NPA strongholds has once again resurfaced in the lead-up to the May 2010 elections. The fees buy these trapo politicians a ‘permit to campaign’ in NPA areas. According to a February 5 Dateline news report, documents obtained from an NPA leader arrested in January this year, pegs the taxes from P30 million for a presidential candidate to P5000 for a candidate for local council. It’s a well-known ‘secret’ in the left that this practice of tax collection during elections is a lucrative source of fundraising for the CPP-NPA.
Liza Maza, Ocampo Defend NP Slate (tags)
Progressive candidates eyeing for a senatorial post in 2010 defended their move to run as “guests” of the Nacionalista Party (NP). This came after critics began expressing opinions opposing the move of the two senatoriables which allegedly “overshadowed their moral ascendancy as real public servants.” Rep. Satur Ocampo and Rep. Liza Maza of the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) announced Dec. 14 their intent to join NP as guests, supporting Manny Villar and Loren Legarda as president and vice president, respectively.
Progressive Party Lists solons vow to oppose Palparan’s entry to House (tags)
Militant and Progressive party list bloc lawmakers yesterday continued to express their opposition to the upcoming entry of retired Army Gen. Jovito Palparan as representative of Bantay party-list group and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, the younger sister of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, as representative of party-list group Ang Kasangga. According to Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza and Anak Pawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Palparan has no place in the House of Representatives. “The proclamation of Lulu Arroyo and Palparan as party-list representatives shows the shameless bastardizing of the party-list system by Malacañang. Since when did they represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors?” Maza said.
Pananalanta ng pasistang estado, Nagpapatuloy (tags)
Nagpapatuloy ang pasistang pananalanta ng AFP sa buong Pilipinas. Ayon sa ulat ng AJLPP,walang puknat ang mga pamamaslang at iba pang abusong militar sa bansa. Isang lider magsasaka ang pinaslang sa Masbate at isang lider kabataang Moro ang pinatay sa Zamboanga Sibugay nitong Enero. Patuloy din ang harasment sa mga progresibo at panggigipit sa masang magsasaka sa kanayunan. Ayon pa rin sa ulat mula sa Pilipinas ay nagpapatuloy ang mga pagpataya mga lumalaban sa pamahalaan.
SC junks rebellion raps vs Beltran, ‘Batasan 5’ (tags)
Rebellion charges against six legislators identified with leftist groups were thrown out by the Supreme Court yesterday in what the opposition described as a defeat for President Arroyo’s administration. The court ruled that state prosecutors did not have probable cause to file charges against Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and the group dubbed as the “Batasan 5,” who were accused of plotting a coup against Mrs. Arroyo last year along with military rebels and opposition politicians.