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Environmentalists Slam Arroyo’s Sellout of Lands to Foreigners
ENVIRONMENT The news of a United Kingdom firm, Pacific Bio-Fields Holdings Plc., acquiring 400,000 hectares of land in northern Luzon which it can use for 50 years for free may be staggering but not surprising, according to green groups.
Bangkok/Brussels, 22 June 2009: Unless the Thai government can give more attention to tackling the Muslim insurgency in the South, moving from a military toward a political solution, the violent conflict will intensify as the recruitment of young militants will accelerate.
Recruiting Militants in Southern Thailand,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, warns that [...]
ENERGY & OIL Due to continued overpricing, oil firms collect about P167.03 million in extra profits daily from consumers, according to the latest study released by the multisectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) as it questioned the latest round of oil price hikes that oil firms implemented last midnight.
Taytay pledges best practice waste dump rehab
Taytay, Rizal, 23 June 2009–The municipality of Taytay has agreed to
adopt stringent procedures on dumpsite closure following a blockade by
Greenpeace Water Patrol activists at the 13 hectare polluting garbage
repository located on the banks of Laguna Lake.
Early this morning, volunteers from Greenpeace shut the gates of the
dumpsite in Barangay Muzon [...]
HUMAN RIGHTS So-called intelligence reports that there will be a big rally on Monday is no excuse for the House and the PNP to resort to the violent dispersal of the camp-out.
Reporters Without Borders
www.rsf.org
22 May 2009
PHILIPPINES
A journalist on army target list, another shot, possibly by soldier
Reporters Without Borders is alarmed to learn that a journalist and two human rights groups were on an armed forces “order of battle” list of surveillance targets in the south of Mindanao Island in 2007 because of their alleged links to [...]
Below is the statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on the inclusion of journalist Carlos Conde in the Order of Battle of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
For additional information, please contact CMFR Press Alerts officer Melanie Pinlac at (+632) 894-1314 / (+632) 840-0903 / (+632) 840-0889 (telefax).
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TARGETING JOURNALISTS
THE INCLUSION of anyone [...]
New York, May 20, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Philippines government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to clarify an accusation made by freelance journalist Carlos Conde that his name appeared on a 2007 official Armed Forces “order of battle” document.
Conde said he is concerned that the official document amounts to [...]
PRESS STATEMENT
20 May 2009
AFP ‘HIT LIST”: The cat is out of the bag
That the Armed Forces of the Philippines remains a principal suspect in the killing of Filipino journalists and activists, has once again been given credence when Filipino journalist Mr. Carlos Conde recently discovered his name in the “order of battle” of the [...]
“Why my name is included in the “order of battle” is a mystery. Unless, that is, the armed forces considers my and NUJP’s advocacy for press freedom, as well as pressuring the government to end the killings, as the work of enemies of the state. Unless the armed forces views my job and my writing as threats to this nation.”
CMFR/PHILIPPINES—A journalist from Bangued was unharmed after gunmen fired at her family’s house last 14 May 2009. Bangued is the capital of Abra, a province approximately 408 kms northwest of Manila.
Marjorie Bandayrel-Trinidad, news editor of the weekly community newspaper Abra Today, said she and her husband were awakened by the sound of breaking glass at [...]
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 [...]
Press Release
May 22, 2009
Karapatan slams military’s arrogance, above the law posturing
Karapatan slammed today the military’s arrogant posturing during the hearing set by the Commission on Human Rights. The military’s intelligence officials refused to face the CHR panel and instead sent their lawyers who also claimed that Sgt. Helvin Bitang, one of the suspects to the [...]
HUMAN RIGHTS The Philippine government should investigate alleged “death squads” responsible for hundreds of targeted killings in Davao City and other in Mindanao, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Clarita Alia, whose four sons were murdered by the Davao Death Squad, joins the Human Rights Watch in a press briefing today about extrajudicial killings in Mindanao. (File photo by Carlos H. Conde)
Related story: Inside the Davao Death Squad
BUSINESS Despite external factors that had most food and beverage businesses reeling from slower-than-anticipated growth in consumer demand, San Miguel Corporation today announced its full-year consolidated sales revenue of P168.0 billion, 14% higher than 2007 levels of 148.0 billion.
Political Bloodbath Continues: Widow of Slain Activist Shot Dead New Wave of Protests Against Charter Change Set in April Comelec’s Automation to Worsen Election Fraud — Watchdog 2008: Another Bad Year for the Philippine Press ‘Unemployment Figures Wrong; Number of Jobless Higher’ ‘Nicole Is Not the Enemy’ ‘Nicole’: ‘My Conscience Bothers Me’ Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time Is the Call Center Industry a Bright Spot for New Graduates? 6 Great Ways to Vent Your Frustrations Eating Dirt Is Actually Good For Children Australia Offers 150 Scholarship Slots for Philippines, Asia-Pacific Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time
josé miguel: Our nation has also been continuouly raped by the continuous invasion of the Americans. How Nicole... Atty.Charmaine Fajardo: Please email me if you are selling these Thailand AROD coconut dwarf variety or any other... Jurisprudence: I do hope God will grant her a miracle! http://hubpages.com/ hub/Cory-Aquino-The- Real-Score cesar santos umali: Everything has been said about Cory Aquino. Quezon set the precedent when he declared “I... ‘Martsa Kontra Cha-cha’ Set What Are 1109, 9006, and 9369 in Arroyo’s Agenda? Environmentalists Slam Arroyo’s Sellout of Lands to Foreigners Recruiting Militants in Southern Thailand New Round of Oil Price Hikes Hit Greenpeace Water Patrol Dismantles Blockade It’s Battle of Good Vs Evil, Church Leaders Say of Cha-cha Fight Satur: Nograles to Blame for Dispersal of Peasant Camp-Out Philippines: A Journalist on Army Target List, Another Shot, Possibly by Soldier In the Philippines, Targeting Journalists
"Sampayan ng Bayan". During its Third Congress on March 27-28, 2009, members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-US Chapter staged protest actions against RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement through a "Sampayan ng Bayan" where a clothesline with painted shirts spelling out "JUNK VFA" was wrapped around General MacArthur's statue in Los Angeles, California. (Photo courtesy of Bayan-US)
CANDLES FOR BILLANES Members of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) and other multisectoral groups held a candle lighting activity on March 13, 2009 at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to denounce the increasing number of extrajudicial killings in the country; the most recent was environmentalist and anti-mining activist Eliezer Billanes. (Photo by Kalikasan-PNE)
Goodbye, Rebelyn Thousands joined the funeral march for Rebelyn Pitao, the daughter of a top Communist leader, in Davao City on Saturday. The protesters demanded justice for the schoolteacher, who was brutally murdered allegedly by military agents. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan)
PROTEST OVER REBELYN. Hong Kong human rights groups condemn the abduction, torture, rape and killing of Rebelyn Pitao in a picket protest held on March 11, 2009 at the Philippine Consulate General. (Photo courtesy of BAYAN-Hong Kong)
BERDUGO. Posters accusing the 10th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as "berdugo" (butcher) are posted in major streets in Davao City. The New People's Army (NPA) accused the 10th ID to be behind the killing of 20-year old Rebelyn Pitao, daughter of NPA rebel leader Leoncio Pitao. (Photo by Ruby Thursday More/AKP Images)
Around 10,000 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) gathered at the football field of Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines in Davao City on Saturday, March 7, 2009 for their 3rd Grand Summit Gathering with MNLF founding chair Prof. Nur Misuari. Some of the MNLF members traveled from as far away as Zamboanga provinces just for the half day gathering. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)
Teachers Demand Better Wages. Dozens of public-school teachers take to the street of Manila to demand better wages. They also criticized a proposed law that would give soldiers better salaries than those in the civilian bureaucracy. (Photo by arkibongbayan.org)
Beach Boy. A taho (soybean custard) vendor plies his trade in a seemingly desolate landscape, which is actually a beach in Opol, Misamis Oriental. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/PinoyPress)
Lumad Protest. Some 200 indigenous peoples coming from different parts of Mindanao staged a protest at the gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command in Panacan, Davao City, on Monday, March 2, 2009, to denounce the human-rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the military in the indigenous communities. They also called for the repeal of the Mining Act. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)
Ban Balikatan. Activists from the group BAN Balikatan in Bicol held protest rallies on Feb. 25 to denounce the holding of the US-Philippine Balikatan exercises in the region. They criticized President Arroyo for being a "puppet" of Washington. (Photo courtesy of arkibongbayan.org)
NO to BNPP. Members of the Network Opposed "NO" to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant Revival ask members of the House of Representatives not to support House Bill 4631 which calls for the revival of the mothballed nuclear plant. Environmental and Civil society groups question the safety of nuclear power plants and instead call for the full implementation of the recently passed Renewable Energy Bill. (Photo by Gigie Cruz/AKP Images)
