CHR chair Leila de Lima: “In spite of the scale of efforts to directly or indirectly curb corruption, we come face to face with the realization that the breadth of the problem is not only significantly larger than the efforts against it, but corrupt practice has enjoyed a longevity and permanent entrenchment that requires nothing short of a society-wide transformation. Nothing illustrates the breadth of the issue more completely than the very issue occupying the most of the front page news – the Maguindanao Massacre. Maguindanao and the entrenchment of its political elite expounds the pervasiveness of a culture subservient to corruption across all stakeholders, from local and national duty-bearers, to an entire provincial population of rights-holders.”

PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCIPT (SENATE LOUNGE)
SENATOR MANNY VILLAR
21 MAY 2009
Q: On the Committee of the whole decision to proceed with the C-5 hearings
Villar: Kanina po ay ginanap nila ang hearing. Hindi naman ako nagugulat sa resulta. Ito ay inaasahan natin. Ito na rin naman ang inaasahan ng lahat na magiging resulta. Pagkahaba-haba nga ng prusisyon, sa [...]

HUMAN RIGHTS   By Rorie R. Fajardo / Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project |  The Congress’ decision to close the coffers from CHR came at one of the most distressing times for human rights in the Philippines.

CORRUPTION   By Luz Rimban / Vera Files  |  Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez may have filed more cases than her predecessor, Simeon Marcelo, but she has focused on the small fry and ignored the big fish or those who really need to be punished to deter graft and corruption.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and Kabataang Pinoy Party today expressed full support for the move to impeach Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for failing to perform her check-and-balance duties against graft and corruption of government officials.
The youth groups said that aside from the high profile cases such as the Fertilizer Fund scam, Diosdado [...]

CORRUPTION   The lawmakers said complaint against Ombudsman Mercedita Gutierrez is based on her alleged inaction and mishandling of dismissed graft cases against high government officials, including President Arroyo.

CORRUPTION   Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante Jr. (6th District, Manila) has filed House Resolution No. 798 which seeks to monitor the corrupt practices of high government officials through the creation of independent bodies.

POLITICS   “What would be highly unacceptable to the people all over the world is another Gloria,” says congressman.

Peasant leader and Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano today said the Senate blue ribbon committee report on the controversial fertilizer fund scam is more than enough to indict President Macapagal-Arroyo.
“Although the Senate committee report states that there is allegedly no direct evidence linking Ms Arroyo to the scam, there is indisputably a stream of circumstantial [...]

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is misleading the public on the actual distribution status of Arroyo lands for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by coming out with a statement that the Arroyos have already distributed some 574 hectares of land in Negros Occidental, according to the peasant federation Task Force Mapalad.

The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today expressed distress at the increasingly dire straits of the people this 2009 under the Arroyo regime and said that waging revolution is the best way for fundamental changes. “Even in the first month of this year, the real plight of the people is glaringly clear,” said NDF-EV spokesperson Fr. [...]