Archive for March, 2008

Reds Told to Expand, Launch More Attacks

On the eve of the 39th anniversary of the New People’s Army, the Communist Party of the Philippines calls for more attacks and for the guerrillas to expand their reach to cover every congressional district in the Philippines.

3/28/08 11:26 AM   Full Story
Human Rights Watch Urges UN to ‘Carefully Review’ Failure by Arroyo to Prosecute Killings

The first Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines at the UN Human Rights Council takes place on April 11.

3/27/08 05:20 PM   Full Story
IFJ Urges China to Abide by Free Media Commitments

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has urged Chinese authorities to allow free media access to enter and report from Lhasa, Tibet following unrest that has plagued the region since March 14.
Chinese authorities have been selectively allowing foreign journalists to enter Lhasa from March 26 only by arrangement with the provincial government.
The IFJ welcomes this [...]

3/27/08 08:12 AM   Full Story
Journeying with Howie Severino in His ‘Biyaheng Edsa’

By Seymour Barros Sanchez

The author with Howie Severino (pinoypress photo courtesy of Seymour Barros Sanchez)

“Bago pa naging rebolusyon, highway lamang ang EDSA…” Thus starts Howie Severino’s voice-over in his documentary about the former Highway 54. Although several i-Witness episodes strike a chord in me, I prefer Howie’s “Biyaheng Edsa” over the rest, not only because [...]

3/27/08 08:10 AM   Full Story
Joey Asks SC to Stop ‘Surveillance, Harassment’

Joey files writ of habeas data vs AFP, PNP, Abalos, JPE

Businessman Joey de Venecia III today filed a petition for writ of
habeas data before the Supreme Court to unearth all activities by the
military, the police, former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to illegally wiretap his phone conversations.
In his petition, Joey also [...]

3/27/08 08:04 AM   Full Story
Philippines: Supreme Court decision on executive privilege fodder for more protests

We are greatly disappointed with the Supreme Court decision upholding executive privilege in the testimony of ChEd chair Romulo Neri.
The sheer number of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointees in the High Court has no doubt influenced this troubling decision. From attempting to kidnap witness Jun Lozada to packing the High Court with appointees based on loyalty [...]

3/27/08 08:03 AM   Full Story
After boybastos, Loren Goes After Sex Site thepinoytube.com

Senator Loren Legarda urged today the anti-cyber crime units of the government to shut down the website thepinoytube.com for providing an unrestricted access to pornographic materials of Filipino women and children.
Legarda said that a complaint from a concerned citizen alerted her office about the website serving as a repository of lewd materials similar to boybastos.com. [...]

3/27/08 08:01 AM   Full Story
Aid Donors Told: Stop Loaning Money to Arroyo

Debt activists say that one way to prevent corruption in the Philippines is “to plug the funneling of funds from loans and aid which is the source of kickbacks.”

3/27/08 07:56 AM   Full Story
Critics Slam Arrival of US Warship in Philippines

The arrival of the USS Vandergrift warship in Cagayan de Oro for purportedly goodwill activities in the city is questionable as it is unwelcome. It comes only a month after the people of Mindanao waged widespread protests against the Balikatan exercises.
The US Navy ship’s arrival has surprised the people in Cagayan de Oro. It [...]

3/27/08 07:53 AM   Full Story
Conflicting Government Data Bare Gravity of Rice Shortage

Conflicting data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) expose the desperate attempts of the Arroyo government to conceal the gravity of the rice shortage, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said today.
Bayan noted that according to the DA, the average national rice consumption is 11.9 million metric tons (MT) per year. For 2008, the DA projects [...]

3/27/08 07:52 AM   Full Story
Dieter Ernst » The Emerging ‘Innovation Offshoring’ Threat

By Dieter Ernst

The contentious political debates over NAFTA (The North American Free Trade Agreement) in this year’s presidential race may miss the central point about the emerging international threat to the American economy.
The real threat is not the shift of manufacturing jobs to South America or Asia, the traditional concern of unions and those who [...]

3/27/08 07:51 AM   Full Story
Rice Crisis to Worsen, Prices to Soar: Farmers

Farmers and civil society groups warn that the worst situation in the country’s rice supply is yet to come as they predict the prices of rice will soar to as high as P40 during the lean months of July to September.

3/27/08 07:47 AM   Full Story
Thailand: Imam’s Killing Highlights Army Abuse in South

(New York, March 26, 2008) – Bringing to justice the killers of an imam detained by the military in Thailand’s southern Narathiwat province will be a key test for the Thai authorities, Human Rights Watch said today. Violence is escalating in the south, where the Thai military is fighting a Muslim separatist insurgency that has [...]

3/27/08 07:45 AM   Full Story
IFJ Condemns Hamas Persecution of Journalists and Calls for an End to “War of Words” in Palestine

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the Hamas leadership in Gaza over the show trial of a newspaper editor as part of a continuing campaign against independent journalists.
The IFJ says the trial of Hafez Barghothi, editor of the daily Al-Hayat Aljadeeda, and continuing ban on distribution of Al Ayyam newspaper in the Gaza [...]

3/27/08 07:44 AM   Full Story
IFJ Condemns Raids and Intimidation of Journalists in Egypt

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the Egyptian government over raids and threats that have forced an Internet journalist to go into hiding to escape police harassment.
Abdul-Jalil Al-Sharnouby, a member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists (EJS) and editor in chief of the Ikhwanonline web site – the official site of the Muslim [...]

3/27/08 07:43 AM   Full Story
SC Decision on Neri Favors Stonewalling Tactics of Arroyo — Bayan

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is utterly disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the principle of executive privilege in relation to Romulo Neri’s conversations with the president on the bribe-tainted NBN-ZTE deal.
The SC decision favors the stonewalling tactics of the Arroyo regime and deprives the public a measure of transparency and accountability in government.
We [...]

3/27/08 07:42 AM   Full Story
Philippines: Researchers develop high-yield coconut varieties by making hybrids out of hybrids

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is succeeding in its 16-year search for ideal coconut varieties to replace aging and unproductive coconuts through a novel method, making synthetic varieties out of hybrids and ensuring higher yields through better coco juice, copra and other byproducts.
Administrator Oscar Garin has been trying to implement a replanting system that would [...]

3/27/08 07:40 AM   Full Story
Sri Lanka Minister Verbally Abuses Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists is appalled by a brutal verbal attack on Sri Lankan journalists by Government MP and Minister of Labour Mervyn Silva on March 20.
IFJ affiliate the Free Media Movement (FMM) reports Silva threatened MTV/MBC journalists covering the opening of a flyover bridge in his electorate.
According to FMM reports, the Minister said [...]

3/27/08 07:26 AM   Full Story

Political Prisoners Assail Release of Teehankee, GMA’s ‘Double Standard of Justice’
Proposed Health Budget for Medical Tourism Hit
New PNP Chief Hit for Criminal Raps Filed vs 27 Activists
7 Stranded OFWs in Kuwait Remain in Jail
Union Emerges Victorious through Unity, Determination, Steadfastness of Women Workers

Women and children in conflict areas tell their stories in Ibon book

Ships losing passengers to airlines
Arroyo, Dominguez and Piñol are responsible and must be punished for the continuing atrocities and bloodshed in Mindanao!
NDF Southern Mindanao reiterates call to junk VFA

As the MOA Unravels, What Now?
Peace process fraught with peril for Arroyo
Islamic separatists kill 28 in Philippines rampage
130,000 Filipinos displaced as fighting escalates
1,300 feared dead in wake of typhoon in the Philippines