Archive for November, 2007

Philippines: Statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Romulo

STATEMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY ALBERTO ROMULO ON DECISION PROMULGATED BY KUWAIT’S COURT OF CASSATION ON THE RANARIO CASE
27 NOVEMBER 2007
I am deeply saddened by our embassy’s report that the Highest Court of Kuwait has affirmed the death sentence on Marilou Ranario.
Our prayers go out to Marilou and her family at this difficult time. We [...]

11/28/07 01:58 AM   Full Story
Philippines: Who Is Marilou Ranario?

The following is fact sheet provided by Migrante, the NGO helping the family of Marilou Ranatio.
Migrant worker: Marilou Ranario
Age: 35 years old (born 17 August 1972 in Carigara, Leyte)
Hometown: Surigao del Norte
Manila address: Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City
Civil status: Married to Lolito Dalubatan
Children: Raffy John and Roselle
Country: Kuwait (arrived in 10 December 2003 for [...]

11/28/07 01:57 AM   Full Story
UN Report: Philippine Military Follows ‘Deliberate Strategy’ to Hunt Down Activists

The Associated Press reports that Philip Alston, the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, has made final his report on the killings of activists in the Philippines, blaming the armed forces for much of the atrocities. Read the AP story here.

11/27/07 08:33 AM   Full Story
Luis V. Teodoro » Just words

By Luis V. Teodoro

MANILA, Philippines — New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark may have been “impressed,” but it’s not likely that most Filipinos were.
Here was the most authoritarian leader the Philippines has ever had since Ferdinand Marcos declaring , albeit indirectly, the members of Burma’s ruling military junta “forces of authoritarianism,” and demanding the release [...]

11/26/07 11:23 AM   Full Story
Benjie Oliveros » The Silent Majority

The Arroyo government has so far been able to rely on its lowly representatives in the House to block all efforts to impeach it; its old but loyal allies in Senate to keep investigations in check; and the chain of command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police to suppress any [...]

11/25/07 07:24 PM   Full Story
Ranario Family Hopes for Release, Not Commutation

As the family of Marilou Ranario, an OFW in death row in Kuwait, awaits for the promulgation of the decision of the Kuwait’s highest court on November 27, they hope that she would eventually be released. They fear that Marilou would not be able to survive life imprisonment in a Kuwaiti jail given her health [...]

11/25/07 07:19 PM   Full Story
Fr. Shay Cullen » Abused Children Can Become Violent Adults

By Fr. Shay Cullen

OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines — From 35 years experience helping young people overcome the traumatic effects of childhood violence be it psychological, verbal, physical, economic, military, emotional and sexual abuse seriously damages lives, restricts full human development, reduces potential and can lead to childhood psychosomatic illness. It causes teenagers to become violent, bullies, [...]

11/25/07 11:55 AM   Full Story
Witness Says 2 Missing UP Students Tortured, Raped Inside Military Camp

By Dabet Castañeda
Bulatlat
MANILA, Philippines — One year and five months after their abduction, a witness testified that he had actually seen and talked to Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, the two scholars of the University of the Philippines (UP) who were abducted allegedly by soldiers on June 26, 2006, in a farming community in Hagonoy, [...]

11/25/07 10:55 AM   Full Story
Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time

By Carlos H. Conde
For one whole year, I was stuck with Bayantel’s DSL service. It gave me frequent, almost regular, headaches — mainly slow and intermittent connection. I was paying good money for Bayantel’s rather expensive service (1,699 pesos for a 784 kpbs connection). I couldn’t wait, as you can imagine, for the one-year lock-in [...]

11/23/07 10:48 AM   Full Story
Carlos H. Conde » Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time

By Carlos H. Conde
For one whole year, I was stuck with Bayantel’s DSL service. It gave me frequent, almost regular, headaches — mainly slow and intermittent connection. I was paying good money for Bayantel’s rather expensive service (1,699 pesos for a 784 kpbs connection). I couldn’t wait, as you can imagine, for the one-year lock-in [...]

11/23/07 09:23 AM   Full Story
Rep. Satur Ocampo » 3 Years After Luisita Massacre, Still No Justice for Martyrs

By Satur C. Ocampo
Bayan Muna Representative
House of Representative
(The following is the privilege speech of the author on the third anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre.)
G. Speaker, mga kapwa ko kinatawan, tatlong taon na ang nakalipas mula nang tumindig sa Kapulungang ito si Kinatawang Rafael Mariano ng Anakpawis at ang inyong lingkod at mariing kinondena ang [...]

11/21/07 11:55 AM   Full Story
CPJ Launches ‘Global Campaign Against Impunity’ in Philippines, Russia

New York, November 19, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists today announced a “Global Campaign Against Impunity” that will devote reporting, political, and legal resources to bring the killers of journalists to justice. The campaign, supported by a $500,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will initially focus on Russia and the [...]

11/21/07 11:48 AM   Full Story
Philippines: Resign call justified; Arroyo government pushing threshold of corrupt practices

Cause-oriented groups are not surprised over the freezing of $232 million worth of infrastructure loans from the World Bank to the Philippine government on the basis of corruption allegations.

11/21/07 11:46 AM   Full Story
Philippines: Electric Jeepneys start plying Makati roads

Makati City, 20 November 2007–Two electric-powered Jeepneys or
E-Jeepneys will start plying Makati City’s streets today as part of a
pilot testing phase to fine tune the innovative transport’s adaptability
as a commercial public transport in the country’s premier business
district. The E-Jeepneys, presented to the public in a press launch in
the city last July 4 by the Makati [...]

11/21/07 11:45 AM   Full Story
GREENPEACE STATEMENT ON ASEAN DECLARATION ON UNFCCC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Greenpeace welcomes the declaration by ASEAN leaders acknowledging the
importance of the success of the UN Climate Change conference in Bali.
Greenpeace calls upon the ASEAN to back up the Singapore declaration
with a real action plan to combat climate change. ASEAN nations can make
a huge contribution to the global efforts to avoid the worst impacts of
climate change [...]

11/21/07 11:44 AM   Full Story
Philippines: PIMENTEL SEEKS SENATE INQUIRY INTO $503 MILLION NORTH RAIL PROJECT

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today formally asked for a Senate
inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the alleged
onerous terms and conditions imposed on the Philippine
government in the contract to build the North Rail
system funded by the Chinese government.

11/21/07 11:44 AM   Full Story
IFJ Outraged Shut Down of Nigeria’s Guardian Newspaper as Management Tries to Break Strike

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the move by management at the Guardian newspaper to end a 12-day strike by shutting down the newspaper and dismissing all its employees.

11/21/07 11:41 AM   Full Story
IFJ Condemns Brutal Arrest of Journalists in Pakistan

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the arrest of over 100 journalists in Pakistan after they clashed with baton-wielding police at a protest over media censorship.

11/21/07 11:40 AM   Full Story

Party-list group Slams Mikey Arroyo for Cha-cha Initiatives
Kin of Missing Activist Seek Solons’ Help
JdV Endorsement Could Boost Impeach Rap – Satur
Lawyers’ Groups to Seek UN’s Help to Curb Attacks vs Lawyers, Judges
Charges vs. 72 Southern Tagalog Activists Baseless – Lawyer

Duterte-Nograles tiff over park prelude to 2010?
Urban poor group hits Arroyo on housing mega-sale
Military operations in ComVal is linked to mining – environmental alliance
San Isidro town govt to penalize cacao felling
Boston villagers recount tales of military abuses

40 die as Philippine ferry capsizes
Asia, too, feels the pain
As the MOA Unravels, What Now?
Peace process fraught with peril for Arroyo
Islamic separatists kill 28 in Philippines rampage