news AT A glance

Indigenous Peoples Day marked with protests

Because they are mostly found in upland, remote or coastal areas, indigenous peoples (IPs) in the Philippines continue to bear the brunt of military operations against armed guerrillas. Counter-insurgency operations aggravate the plight of the IPs who suffer discrimination under government’s land, mining and development policies – and they are in fact threatened with ethnocide.

Henry Borreo, a Dumagat leader and spokesperson of the Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP), said as much as indigenous communities marked the UN-declaredld’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day last week.

In a statement, Borreo cited the massacre of the Blancos, a Mangyan family in Mindoro Occidental allegedly by government forces last July 21. Furthermore, he said, Lumad communities in Mindanao, Mangyan and Dumagat communities in the Southern Luzon region, are the most heavily-militarized in the country followed by the communities of Aggays, Kalinga and Ifugaos of Cagayan Valley and the Aetas in Central Luzon.

* * *

Bishops defend Sison before House

The Ecumenical Bishops Conference led a delegation of activists and peace advocates in defending the rights of Jose Maria Sison in a public hearing of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Justice, Aug. 12.

The move came as House Resolution No. 850 was filed urging the Dutch government to guarantee full respect of the rights of Sison as a recognized political refugee under international law, the immediate removal of his name and that of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army from the list of foreign terrorist organizations and the unconditional and complete restoration of all of Sison’s social benefits. The resolution was authored by Bayan Muna Rep. Saturnino Ocampo.

“Why am I so zealous about defending him? I don't know him personally. But I stand on the principles of human rights, peace and due process. Prof. Sison is now a victim of the unjust listing of ‘terrorists.’ Then it could also be anybody,” said Rev. Julio Labayen, Bishop-Prelate of Infanta.

* * *

Akbayan solon, lawyers hit over Marcos victims’ compensation

The Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (SELDA) lambasted Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales for seeking to water down House Bill 4535.

Rosales’s proposed amendments seek to compensate not only Marcos human rights victims but also post-Marcos victims and will, in effect, derail the passage of HB 4535 which provides for the immediate compensation of 10,000 torture victims under martial law.

Marie Hilao-Enriquez, SELDA secretary general, also hit Claimants 1081 lawyers Robert Swift and Rod Domingo.  "The escrow fund could have gone back to the Marcoses and would not have been recovered for the Filipino people had the proposed $150 million settlement agreement which Swift, Rosales and their motley group entered into with the Marcoses in 1998 prospered. They were the ones who did not like the Swiss Court to transfer the money to the Philippine government arguing that this is owned by the Marcoses."

Enriquez said the settlement agreement would have voided the landmark ruling of the US Federal Court in Honolulu finding Marcoses guilty of the crimes against humanity; exonerated the Marcoses from their human rights violations record; and would have subjected the victims into a shameful screening process proposed by the Marcoses themselves.

Had not the victims fought hard against this onerous agreement, their historic fight would have been lost, and there will be no P10 billion compensation to talk about, she said.

In a separate statement, Public Interest Law Center lawyers Jayson Lamchek and Marie Yuvienco branded as unfair, unjust, illegal and immoral the proposals of Rosales, Swift and Domingo.

Rosales, Chair of House Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights and principal sponsor of HB 4535, is proposing that five percent or a total of P500 million be given to Claimants 1081 lawyers Swift and Domingo. Domingo, on the other hand, is pushing for the transfer of the U.S.$200 million within the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Federal Court to enable him and Swift to collect their fees.

Bulatlat.com

Back to top

We want to know what you think of this article.