By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – Human rights groups called for the immediate dismantling of paramilitary forces after a high-ranking military official announced that the government would do so by 2016. In a report by online news site Interaskyon.com, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, commanding general of the Philippine Army, said he sees the dismantling…
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Groups to launch Save Bondoc Peninsula Movement for Human Rights
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com MANILA — Grassroots human rights and peasant organizations in Southern Tagalog are poised to launch an all-out campaign to expose the increasing number of human rights violations in the region, specifically Quezon province in the Bondoc Peninsula. The groups said the Benigno Aquino III government has given its full-blessing…
Luisita farmers bare ‘grand plan’ to frustrate land distribution
By RONALYN V. OLEA
According to the document, Oplan April Spring has a P1.545 million ($35.9 thousand) budget for operations that include “propaganda and counter-propaganda, organizing and mobilization, special operations (psyops).”
Philippines losing money over anomalous Malampaya contract
By INA ALLECO SILVERIO
“It is an outrage that the government continues to uphold contracts with corporations that seriously put the country and the Filipino people at a perpetual disadvantage.” – Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares
The price of being an underling of the US
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com Here are bits of related, albeit diametrically opposite news. Local dailies reported that Philippine Undersecretary for Defense Affairs Honorio Azcueta said, after meeting with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, that the US could use their former naval and air facilities in Subic, Zambales and in Clark Field in…
Bill privatizing the provision of housing being rushed in Congress – government employees
By IGAL JADA SAN ANDRES
“The government turning its back on its people and letting greedy corporations take advantage of the interests and wealth of our country by giving them the government’s money for housing is a clear form of corruption.” – Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)
KMP to CBCP bishops: CARPER strengthened landlords’ control over lands
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“The agrarian reform dispute-cases of Hacienda Luisita, Hacienda Looc in Batangas, Roxas-Araneta lands in Bulacan, among others, are concrete cases where landlords made use of the Carper to evade land distribution.” – Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
Aboitiz intensifies harassment of workers to avert strike
By MARYA SALAMAT
VECO workers are being asked to explain why they had taken part in the May Day rally wearing their uniforms, and why they had hurled tomatoes at the picture of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III during the May 1 program.
Sustainable development paradigm, a failure – environmental group
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“A perfunctory look at the state of the Philippine environment is already indicative of the truth.” – Kalikasan Party
On the urban poor
By Igal Jada P. San Andres Bulatlat.com Eyesore. Squatter. Uneducated. These are only some of the labels most Filipinos use to call the poor, especially those who live in urban poor communities or “squatter areas” in big cities like Manila and Quezon City. But how sure are we that we are using the correct terms…
Same-sex marriage: A struggle beyond civil rights
By KENNETH E. BAUZON Bulatlat.com MANILA — This subject is among the most animating topics in my introductory course in political science. Some students come with their ready-made views on the subject, either for or against, while some have not made up their minds. In the spirit of academic freedom and plain fairness, I assure…