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.
Elections in RP successful – US (tags)
A US State Department official said yesterday the May 14 elections were generally successful despite reports of violence and fraud. “I know there have been some problems with violence. But I would say overall the elections have been very successful and a real sign that the Philippines has a very well-developed democracy. It has never been an easy process,” Christopher Hill, US State Department assistant secretary for East Asia and the Pacific, said over Radyo ng Bayan. Hill’s observation followed an earlier statement of concern from the US Embassy in Manila on reports of violence in many parts of the country during the elections.