In this webcast interview by Bulatlat.com and Kodao Productions, Leila de Lima, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, talks about the dismal human-rights record of the Arroyo regime. She also talks about the death threats she said she received.

Although yet to be confirmed by President-elect Aquino, it is widely believed that de Lima will be appointed as his secretary of justice — a position, she said, that would fit in nicely in her campaign to protect and promote human rights.

Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod strongly condemned Malacanang’s appointment of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales as the new Department of National Defense (DND) chief replacing Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
Maglunsod described Gonzales’ appointment as ‘hell on earth’ as human rights violations are expected to further escalate with Gonzales, a known militarist, at the helm of the defense department.
“Without any pretense, President …

HUMAN RIGHTS   US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should press President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines to prosecute military members responsible for politically motivated killings, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch said that the historically close relations between the US and the Philippines and the direct US support for the Philippine military, places particular responsibility on the United States to press the government to end the military’s involvement in human rights violations and to prosecute those responsible.

HUMAN RIGHTS   “This shows that (DOJ prosecutor Peter) Ong is just blocking or delaying Echanis’s surgery,” Danilo Ramos of Kilusang Mabubukid ng Pilipinas said. He described Ong as a “ruthless” person who is “inconsiderate” of Randall Echanis’s (left) age and health condition. “He is insolent,” Ramos said of Ong, adding that “the peasant movement will always remember his name.”

HUMAN RIGHTS   The US State Department said that “… arbitrary, unlawful, and extrajudicial killings by elements of the security services and political killings, including killings of journalists, by a variety of actors continued to be major problems.”

HUMAN RIGHTS   Immediate passage of two major House Bills would raise government human rights policy and accountability to internationally accepted standards.

A news conference was held on held Tuesday, February 10, at the Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, CA, highlighting a “Letter of Concern” signed by over 230 leaders of faith-based organizations, union and labor rights groups, Filipino-American associations and academics sent earlier this week to members of the United States Congress. The letter protested human rights abuses by …

“Arroyo’s presence at the Prayer Breakfast gives us the opportunity to call attention to the ongoing problem of military involvement in political killings, abductions, illegal arrests, and harassment of government critics,” said Redante Asuncion-Reed of Katarungan.

As the peasant movement in the country continues to call for the immediate release of Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis, deputy secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) who has been detained for exactly a year today, the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK) is joining the leaders of KMP, friends and families of Ka Randy in …