By ALDWIN QUITASOL Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY — A 25-year-old charcoal maker in Lagangilang, Abra was taken and held by soldiers for nearly three days. According to the Abra Human Rights Movement (AHRM), Meymar Alcantara, a charcoal maker, went to a nearby forest of Kayapa village to gather firewood for charcoal on January 30 and…
Category: Human Rights
Release sick, elderly political prisoners, Aquino urged
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“We welcome the release of Acosta, finally, after two years of detention. What remains true is that no person should be held in detention, charged with trumped-up cases, and stripped of his rights because of his political beliefs. We demand the release of all sick and elderly political prisoners.” – Selda
The military’s top five ways to harass activists
By JULIUS D. MARIVELES
“It seems that they [the military] do not know the difference between a placard, a microphone and an M-16 rifle.” – Christian Tuayon, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros
Arrest of 7 activists ‘illegal,’ says urban poor group
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com MANILA – Urban poor group Kadamay said the arrest of their seven members last Feb. 4 was illegal. “The action of the MPD (Manila Police District) is tantamount to illegal arrests and abuse of authority,” Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national national chairperson, said. Members of Kadamay were about to hold…
DOJ drops charges against political prisoner Ericson Acosta
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“After more than one year, it has been proven that the charges, which caused my detention for almost two years, were baseless.” – Ericson Acosta
Martial law victims hail initial victory on compensation bill
By RONALYN V. OLEA
‘More than the monetary compensation, the bill represents the only formal, written document that acknowledges that martial law violated the human rights of Filipinos and that there were courageous people who fought the dictatorship.’ Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan
Jail officers forego ‘overkill’ security measures with poet Ericson Acosta
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA –Poet-songwriter Ericson Acosta is happy to be out of the Calbayog sub-provincial jail in Samar where he had been detained for 23 months on trumped-up criminal charges. His freedom is temporary, though. And Acosta is aware his battle still has a long way to go. The court granted him…
Church to DILG: Effect arrest of suspect in murder of tribe leader
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – Determined to seek justice for slain tribe leader Jimmy Liguyon, bishops of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) took to task the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to effect the arrest of the primary suspect. Liguyon, a vocal anti-mining leader and a local…
Rights groups foresee escalation of violations under new military chief
By RONALYN V. OLEA
The appointment of Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista as the new chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is not unexpected, said human rights lawyers, because it followed the promotion and appointment of other military officials who were linked to rights violations.
Akbayan accused of siding with Marcoses on compensation bill
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com MANILA — The progressive party-list group Bayan Muna is accusing a group closely allied with the Aquino government of resurrecting a legislative measure that is “ contrary to the interest of human rights victims.” Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares criticized Akbayan lawmaker Walden Bello for allegedly undermining the House…
Crackdown on political activists feared as 28 nabbed in 1 month
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Those arrested were charged with cases in relation to New People’s Army ambuscades, which occurred in areas where they have never even set foot on. Is this part of another crackdown on political activists, this time by the Aquino administration?