Domestic Workers Group Demands Full Investigation of Filipina's Death

New York-- The Filipina domestic workers support network known as
KABALIKAT, an organizing project of the Philippine Forum, convened
over 75 domestic workers and concerned community members for a forum
last Sunday, April 1, demanding a full investigation behind the
mysterious death of Felisa "Fely" Garcia, 58, a Filipina domestic
caregiver found dead by an alleged suicide in her bedroom last March
14 in the Bronx. The forum gathered community support and featured
live phone-in's with Garcia's US-based lawyer, Atty. Arnedo Valera of
the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), and daughter
Geraldine Gamboa in Batangas, Philippines.

In a tearful plea for help, Gamboa thanked the Philippine
Forum/KABALIKAT for their direct support, including securing a
pro-bono attorney and raising initial support funds, and conveyed the
Garcia children's burning questions over the mysterious reasons behind
their mother's alleged suicide.

"Our mother was in good spirits days before her death. We had no
reason to question her emotional health or detect that she was
distressed. That is why we are suspicious of the circumstances
surrounding her death. The circumstances suggest foul play," stated an
emotional Gamboa over the phone conference.

According to Valera, Garcia's four children in the Philippines have
maintained that besides a thorough autopsy of their mother's body for
alleged physical and/or sexual abuse, a full investigation of all
parties involved is necessary. Garcia had left a letter for her
landlord stating her "abuse and harassment" at the hands of her
employer.

Autopsy reports are scheduled to be released in two weeks by the Bronx
Medical Examiner's office.

Shortly after receiving an official authorization by the Garcia's
family to act on their behalf, both Valera and Philippine
Forum/KABALIKAT have been been pushing for the family's wishes, while
pressuring for accountability from the Philippine Consulate to
shoulder the necessary expenses for Garcia's medical procedures,
transportation costs back to the Philippines, and other expenditures.

In addition, Philippine Forum/KABALIKAT has agreed to launch the
"Justice for Fely" campaign, which aims to support the Garcia family
demands while raising a minimum of $7000 for funeral costs.

As part of the campaign, a townhall meeting will be convened on
Sunday, April 15th, 2pm at the Philippine Forum's Bonifacio Hall at
54-05 Seabury Street in Elmhurst, Queens (V/G/R to Grand Avenue
Newtown). Representatives from the Philippine Consulate are
specifically requested to appear in order to answer pressing questions
regarding Garcia's case.

"It is unconscionable that the Consulate has not communicated with the
Fely's family. They cannot be left off the hook so easily," stated
Rico Foz, Executive Vice President of NAFCON, who also spoke at the
forum.

Foz heavily criticized the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA)
failure to contact Garcia's next of kin until March 29th, nearly two
weeks after Garcia's death.

"If not for the constant pressure coming from Philippine
Forum/KABALIKAT and Migrante International from the ground, we doubt
that the Philippine government would be moved to address this case,"
Foz added.

Foz also criticized the DFA's handling of the Garcia's family, which
did not include a discussion of the case details but rather included
pressuring for the signing of consent forms for the Consulate to have
the body shipped to the Philippines, with the family's exemption from
paying the necessary fees as an incentive.

"The DFA's support to should be unconditional, regardless of consent
forms. It should not offer to pay for the fees as a negotiation to
keep the details of the case under wraps. It is solely their
responsibility to make sure this Philippine national is transported
back to her family back home, even as the family pushes for an
investigation. We are seriously concerned over this type of
politicking with Garcia's family," Foz added.

"Now with the family's authorization, Philippine Forum/KABALIKAT aims
to look after Fely's and her family's interests first and foremost,
rather than the Philippine government's push to close the case," Foz
ended.

NAFCON is a nationwide alliance of Filipino organizations spread over
23 cities. The Philippine Forum, a community service organization in
Queens is a founding member of NAFCON.

The forum also garnered statements of support from allied
organizations including Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FIRE),
Anakbayan, and others.

To make a donation to the Justice for Fely Campaign, make checks to
Philippine Forum, write Justice for Fely on the memo, and mail to
Philippine Forum at 54-05 Seabury Street, Elmhurst, New York 11373.

For more information on the Justice for Fely Campaign, contact the
Philippine Forum/KABALIKAT at 718-565-8862 or email
philforum96@yahoo.com. ###

Photos courtesy of Joy Agustin and Philippine Forum

After Satur’s case, Supreme Court should look into mine – Beltran

Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran today
lauded the decision of the Supreme Court to allow the temporary
release of Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo upon the placement
of P100,000 bail bond.

"This is a most just and humane decision which we hope would
eventually lead to Ka Satur's complete release and the dismissal of
all criminal charges against him," Beltran said.

Beltran in the meantime also issued an appeal to the Supreme Court to
lay down a favorable decision on his own pending petition at the SC
calling on the High Court to assume jurisdiction over his case given
the slow movement in the lower courts. The inciting to sedition case
versus Beltran is filed at the Quezon City Municipal Trial Court
Branch 43 while the rebellion case against him ins with the Makati
Regional Tria Court Branch 150.

"My innocence is very easy to prove and the charges against me as well
as the false testimonies used to secure my arrest are also easy to
debunk and expose as pure fabrications. The Supreme Court's higher
authority should be consulted on the veracity of the charges against
me, as well as the illegal manner by which I was arrested. I was
arrested on February 25, 2006 on the basis of a lapsed warrant, on
rebellion charges that have already been dismissed," he said.

Beltran said that his counsels filed its petition for certiorari last
November 2006 but up to now no decision have been laid down. He
expressed hope that given the swiftness of the SC's action on Ocampo's
case, the SC will also deem it fit to address his own petition and
call for justice.

"This is an urgent petition calling on the SC to step into the breach
and impose a TRO on the unjust decisions being laid down by the courts
on the case. With a TRO on the RTC decisions, we can move forward
with other legal moves to that will and should lead to the dismissal
of the charges against me. I hopeful that the SC will see the merits
of the arguments and, more importantly, the moral basis of the
assertions of my innocence." #

PIMENTEL CONDEMNS KILLING OF PRIEST; ASSAILS UNABATED KILLINGS UNDER ARROYO GOV’T

A Catholic priest was shot dead while officiating mass
inside the parish church in a remote town in the
Cordillera region.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr.
(PDP-Laban) today reported the killing of Fr. Francis
Madhu, SVD, who was shot dead while saying mass at
5:30 p.m. Sunday (April 1).

Pimentel condemned the slaying of Fr. Madhu as he
assailed the Arroyo administration over the unabated
extra-judicial killings of leftist activists, and
other personalities who are fighting injustice and
oppression.

"Now they are killing priests. The Arroyo government
is unable to stop extra-judicial killings," he said.

Meanwhile, the minority leader assailed President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for defying the call of the
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines for the
immediate withdrawal of soldiers from urban poor
communities in Metro Manila.

The President has agreed on the continued deployment
of soldiers in 26 depressed barangays in Quezon,
Manila and Caloocan cities during her visit to the
Baseco Compound Saturday (March 31).

The CHR, headed by Chairperson Purificacion
Quisumbing, called for the pullout of soldiers from
the urban barangays on the basis of the complaints of
residents that they feel their rights to speech and
assembly are being curtailed because of the military
presence.

On the other hand, the CBCP, according to its
president, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, said the
stationing of soldiers in the urban barangays has the
effect of militarizing these areas.

Pimentel maintained that the deployment of soldiers in
Metro Manila barangays violates the Constitution since
the maintenance of peace and order in these areas is
the duty of the Philippine National Police.

He said it is only in times of extreme violence,
lawlessness and rebellion that the President can order
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to send
troops to the civilian communities in Metro Manila.

"President Arroyo is militarizing the barangays. She
is under the control of some generals who follow Mao's
dictum: Power grows out of the barrel of the gun.
Another sad chapter in our lives," the minority leader
said.

Pimentel also held the view that the President is
legally and morally bound to comply with the order of
the Commission on Human Rights on the troop withdrawal
from Metro Manila barangays since the CHR is the
independent constitutional body tasked with upholding
and safeguarding the human rights of Filipinos.
-o0o-

Bayan Muna dares all partylist groups to publish nominees’ list

Partylist frontrunner Bayan Muna today challenged all the other 90
partylist groups accredited by the Commission on Elections to publish
their list of nominees for partylist representative "in the spirit of
truth and transparency".

"While the Comelec refuses to respect the right of the electorate by
refusing to release the complete list of nominees, we urge all
partylist groups to publish the names of all their nominees in the
spirit of truth and transparency, and in accordance with the people's
right to know," said Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño.

According to Casiño, "we would like to start the ball rolling by again
releasing Bayan Muna's list of nominees."

Bayan Muna's nominees, in order of nomination by the party's National
Convention, are the following: Satur Ocampo, Casiño, Neri Javier
Colmenares, Elpidio Pulmano, Atty. Alfonso Cinco IV, former Rep.
Siegfred Deduro, Roman Polintan, Bayani Cambronero, Hope Hervilla,
Prof. Cynthia Lumbera, and Atty. Joven Laura.

"All our nominees are leaders of Bayan Muna, each with a long history
of fighting with, for and alongside the marginalized and
underrepresented sectors, and coming from both Metro Manila and the
regions," said Casiño.

Said Casiño: "Genuine partylist organizations that adhere to the
Partylist Law and decisions of the Supreme Court have nothing to hide.
Secrecy is the refuge of fake partylist groups which the Arroyo
administration formed and establish to bastardize the partylist system
and to pack the next Congress with sycophants."

"We hope the Comelec will reconsider its questionable policy. The
people have a right to know who the nominees are, especially now that
the Arroyo administration has made it an objective to obliterate the
political opposition, including potential endorsers to a third
impeachment complaint against the President."

Casiño reminded the public that "the desperation to protect Mrs.
Arroyo from impeachment comes from the partylist groups' track record
of throwing their support to this constitutional weapon against
impeachable officials."

Fifteen partylist solons endorsed the first impeachment case against
Arroyo in 2005. Last year, twelve partylist solons voted in favor of
the second impeachment complaint also against the President.

"This is one big reason transparency becomes important," said Casiño.
"The administration wishes to destroy the partylist bloc by inserting
fake partylists composed of junior spokespersons and defenders of the
President." ###

“Gloria imports genetically engineered rice!”-KMP

The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the Asian Peasant
Coalition (APC) and the ANAKPAWIS party list group lambasted the
Macapagal-Arroyo regime for letting the entry of
genetically-engineered (GE) rice in the Philippines.
According to Danilo "Ka Daning" Ramos, concurrent secretary general of
KMP and APC, "Contamination of the domestic rice supply by GE rice
varieties which have not been earlier approved for commercial releases
in the US has been found and documented in the Philippines, Japan and
China. Field releases of GE rice for research and development purposes
have been conducted here and China as well,"
"The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine
Rice Research Institute (Philrice) has done experiments on yellow stem
borer-resistant rice (Bt rice) which eventually failed. The
Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that has allowed a
field experiment on GE rice. The IRRI and Philrice are taking
advantage of the low level of awareness of Filipinos regarding GE rice
by conducting surveys projecting that we are ready for these
products," added the peasant leader.
Meanwhile Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP
and ANAKPAWIS party list nominee said that, "In August 2006 the US
rice supply was contaminated by the Bayer Crop Science's Liberty-Link
GE rice, LLRICE601, a GE variety not approved for commercial release
in the US. The company was so quick in exporting it that it has
reached Japan, Europe and even the Philippines especially its LLRICE62
variety,"
"The Macapagal-Arroyo regime did nothing about it and is even
promoting it even if it would have adverse effects on the health of
its citizens and to the environment as well. We should also be careful
on the hand-outs the government is giving out especially rice, because
the regime is trying to dispose of this rice quickly. It is using the
hunger of Filipinos to cover up its mistakes by giving contaminated
dole outs to the people which would cause health problems to the end
user. This should be roundly exposed and opposed by the citizenry,"
ended Marbella. # # #

________________________

LAW ENFORCERS NOT HELPLESS IN GOING AFTER TERRORISTS EVEN IF HSA IS SUSPENDED

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said the campaign against
terrorism will not be impaired even if the
Anti-Terrorism Act, officially called Human Security
Act of 2007, is suspended during the election period.

Pimentel was reacting to the statement of National
Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales that the
anti-terrorism campaign has been rendered inutile as a
consequence of a provision in the HSA suspending the
effectivity of this law one month before and two
months after the May 14 national elections.

He said law enforcers can still rely on the Revised
Penal Code in applying legal sanctions against terror
suspects while the HSA is suspended. As a matter of
fact, he said almost all the criminal offenses
punishable under the HSA are already covered by the
Revised Penal Code.

"National Security Adviser Gonzales seems to believe
that it is only through the Anti-Terror Law that we
can fight terrorism. He doesn't know that there are
other laws that can do so even if the HSA is suspended
during the elections," Pimentel said.

"His blinders bode ill for the nation. GMA needs a
deeper thinker as national security adviser, not a
hollow schemer."

Pimentel stressed that the safeguards against
violation of human rights were inserted into this
legislation to ensure that it is not abused by law
enforcers in view of present condition when
extra-judicial killings of activists and other
personalities are rampant.
-o0o-

Reply of Nene Pimentel to charges on alleged misuse of Franking Privilege

MALICE, IGNORANCE OF LAW & FACTS
CAUSED BASELESS CHARGE

[Reply of Nene Pimentel to charges on alleged misuse
of Franking Privilege, Senate, Pasay City, April 2,
2007]

The complainant is absolutely wrong. He is acting out
of malice and of ignorance of the law and facts. But
first, let us discuss his

Ignorance of law and facts

Fact 1. I do not mail letters – official or personal -
from my office. Neither does my son, Aquilino Pimentel
III, have anything to do with mailing any kind of
letters from my office.

Fact 2. In my office, letters are mailed under the
authority of a director in my office that is under
instruction that my franking privilege should be used
only in accordance with law.

Fact 3. Before letters are mailed, the law requires
that a responsible person should certify that the
letters fall within the coverage of the franking
privilege law. In my office, that person is the
director in charge of mailing.

Fact 4. When I first heard that some letters were
mailed under my franking privilege that could be
misconstrued as a misuse of it, I immediately had a
fast investigation conducted.

The results were:

(1) The director in my office in charge of, among
other things, mailing matters, used his own discretion
of mailing the questioned letters under my franking
privilege.

(2) A non-lawyer, he believed that the contents of the
questioned letters were not purely partisan or
political. In fact, parts of the letters stressed the
need to prevent dagdag/bawas, the need to safeguard
the integrity of the election process, the need to
uphold the Rule of Law. These are matters that are
essential to the maintenance of clean elections and
are fundamental to good governance; things that I, as
a senator, consider it a part of my duty to share with
my constituents.

(3) Being a decent man, and realizing that the matter
could be misconstrued as a violation of the franking
privilege law and used as an electoral campaign issue
by my political opponents, the director resigned and I
accepted the resignation.

Fact 5. The postage stamps fees were duly paid upon my
orders [Acknowledgement Receipt] March 26, 2007.

It is, thus, clear that neither I nor my son committed
any corruption here or violation of any law.

Malice

What is clear here is that the complainant acting out
of base motives is trying hard to charge me and my son
with a crime that is not borne out of the facts in a
vile attempt to discredit me and my son.

The complainant who used to work with me resents and
has vowed to bring me down politically for the reason,
among other things, that I did not back him up as a
candidate for mayor of Cagayan de Oro city in the 2004
elections.

He is also the lawyer of Virgilio Garcillano of the
Hello Garci fame, who I would like to see punished in
accordance with law and who he is trying to save by
any means from the latter's complicity in the massive
electoral fraud committed in the 2004 elections.

Conclusion

The charges are absolutely without merit and must
necessarily fall because:

1. Without knowing the facts, the complainant
recklessly charges me – and drags my son in the
process - for the alleged misuse of the franking
privilege of my office; and

2. He is motivated by malice in his desire to hit back
at me for my not backing up him up his disastrous bid
for mayor of Cagayan de Oro in the elections of 2004
and for my persistent calls for the incarceration of
his client, Virgilio Garcillano, who he wants to save
at all costs.

Beltran on third day of second round of fasting; calls for sympathy and support for Tagaytay 5 who are on hunger strike

Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran is now
on his third day of fasting, but it was not for his own health or
welfare that he sounded the alarm but for fellow political detainees
collectively known as the Tagaytay 5. Beltran began his first round of
fasting late March in protest of his continuing detention, the arrest
of Bayan Muna Satur Ocampo, and the continuing attacks against members
of progressive party-lists and people's organizations. This second
round is in solidarity with and in support of the Tagaytay 5.

The Tagaytay 5 or Riel Custodio, Axel Pinpin, Aristides Sarmiento,
Enrico Ybanez and Michael Masayes embarked on a hunger strike which
began on March 6, 2007. As of April 2 reports, the political
detainees' health have visibly worsened and they are all severely
weakened. All have are victim of abduction, arbitrary detention,
incriminatory machinations, torture, inhumane treatment at the hands
of the Philippine National Police (PNP). As a consequence of the
hunger strike, Pinpin and Custodio have now become bed-ridden and
unable to get up.

The five men where traveling along Ligaya Drive, Brgy. Sungay,
Tagaytay City when they forcibly arrested by an estimated 30-40
elements of the PNP. For seven days they were kept blindofolded and
hogtied; interrogated without the presence of legal counsel,
physically abused and threatened with electrocution and summary
execution. They have since then been charged as members of the New
People's Army (NPA) when their credentials as members and staff of the
Katipunan ng mga Magsasaka sa Kabite (or Kamagsasaka-Ka) and the
Cavite Farmers Consultative Council (CFCC) right up to the time they
were arrested.

"The Macapagal-Arroyo administration continues to flout civil and
human rights and remains a staunch supporter of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines and the PNP's escalating attacks against civilians and
activists. As of Dec. 2006, the Arroyo government keeps 232 political
prisoners, and refuses to heed the call of human rights groups that
these civilians be immediately released. The case of the Tagaytay 5 is
yet another glaring proof that this government will resort to the most
inhumane and devious tactics to criminalize activists," he said.

Beltran, 74, is second-time political detainee. The first time was
under the Marcos dictatorship when he was detained for two years after
the August 13, 1982 Crackdown on the militant trade union movement.
Now he is a detainee under the Arroyo regime, charged with inciting to
sedition and rebellion. He has been detained for 14 months now since
he was arrested February 25, 2006 on the anniversary of EDSA People
Power 1. He was originally detained in Camp Crame but because of high
blood pressure, diabetes and other related illnesses, he was
transferred to the Philippine Heart Center where he is under 24-7
guard by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
(CIDG).

"If it had not been for the strong assertion of human rights and cause
oriented groups on my behalf, I would have been forced to remain as a
political detainee in Camp Crame. I have no illusions that I would
have been treated with special care while under the direct custody of
the PNP; ironically, it has been my unstable health that has kept me
alive because I have to doubts either that my life would've been cut
short had I been detained in Camp Crame."

"It is then with deep anger and outrage that I protest against the
continuing detention of the Tagaytay 5 and the rest of the political
prisoners all over the country. On a daily basis they are subjected to
various forms of torture, ranging from physical, mental and emotional.
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must be made to take responsibility for
the inhumane treatment the PNP subjects the political detainees to,
particularly the Tagaytay 5."

Beltran said that the candidates of Macapagal-Arroyo's Team Unity
should be defeated in the May elections because they will only
perpetuate Macapagal-Arroyo's rule as a condoner of human rights
violations and a protector of human rights violators and masterminds
of extra-judicial killings. He said that he will continue to fast for
the entire duration of the Holy Week in protest of the worsening human
rights situation in the Philippines.#
--

GMA, military emboldened by Cardinal Rosales’ views on political killings

As GMA congratulated the military for 'job well done,' PCPR also
expressed concern that the 'blessings' of a bishop my have emboldened
Malacañang to ignore criticisms from church, multisectoral groups,
media and international human rights groups on the issues of political
killings and urban militarization.

In a 3-page Lenten message entitled "A CALL FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS AND
LAY FAITHFUL TO DEFEND LIFE AT ALL COST," PCPR noted, "Many of us were
shocked and disappointed when Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales was recently
quoted on his view on the wave of extra-judicial killings under Arroyo
as 'mere specks of blood' compared to the number of political murders
and human rights violations committed during the term of the late
dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Apparently, the latest pronouncements of
Cardinal Rosales effectively emboldened Arroyo to congratulate and
give her go-signal for the military to continue their unwanted
presence and operations in Metro communities. The military is equally
emboldened to deny accountability even as they further engage in
extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, warrantless arrests
and other atrocities."

Reference: Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm – PCPR Spokesperson

Amie Dural – PCPR Secretary General

Contact: 410723 Email: pcprnatl@gmail.com
***

A CALL FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS AND LAY FAITHFUL

TO DEFEND LIFE AT ALL COST

Lenten Message, April 3, 2007

Many of us were shocked and disappointed when Cardinal Gaudencio
Rosales was recently quoted on his view on the wave of extra-judicial
killings under Arroyo as 'mere specks of blood' compared to the number
of political murders and human rights
violations committed during the term of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Apparently, the latest pronouncements of Cardinal Rosales effectively
emboldened Arroyo to congratulate and give her go-signal for the
military to continue their unwanted presence and operations in Metro
communities. The military is equally emboldened to deny accountability
even as they further engage in extra-judicial killings, enforced
disappearances, warrantless arrests and other atrocities.

Spectators can simply watch the flow of 'mere specks of blood.' But we
believe that the heart of a true Christian must be outraged at every
single act of atrocity such as when a life is taken away to suppress
the activist stance of a poor farmer, worker, youth, a human rights
defender, and so on. This Holy Week, we enjoin the faithful to also
remember and pray for justice for the victims of modern-day
persecution as an integral part of remembering the passion and death
of Jesus Christ.

Of all people, we wonder how a pro-life advocate could reduce the
lives of more than 830 victims as 'mere specks of blood.' Apparently,
since no Catholic bishop or priest has yet become a victim of
extra-judicial killing, Cardinal Rosales is not alarmed that in the
post-Marcos regimes, the Arroyo regime has claimed the lives of church
people who were deeply engaged both in their pastoral duties and
social ministries. They reached out to serve and help improve the
lives of our poorest brothers and sisters, how can they be mere specks
of blood?

Is it morally correct to remain spectators when there is already an
overflow of 'mere specks of blood?' If Cardinal Rosales has the
passion for Pondong Pinoy and environmental advocacy, why not join the
people's outrage at the staggering number of poor victims of
extra-judicial killings under Arroyo. Not a few of the victims were
environmental activists, and poor peasants and indigenous peoples
affected by large-scale mining and other destructive commercial
projects.

In such a predominantly Catholic nation like ours, the views as well
as actions or inactions of the church leaders like Cardinal Rosales
certainly weigh heavily on the millions of Filipino faithful. As
proven in national events, the stand of the Cardinal or the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on various issues will
either lead the faithful to decisive actions, or inactions.

So far, the CBCP under the leadership of Archbishop Angel Lagdameo has
spoken on the issue, though not as strongly as the Protestant leaders
belonging to the National Council of Churches in the Philippines
(NCCP), especially from the NCCP member churches – the United Church
of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (IFI), whose clergy and lay members became victims of
political killings.

We also note of course that apart from the CBCP's official statements
as a body, there have been strong statements from the likes of
Archbishop Oscar Cruz who called for accountability of the Arroyo
government. How we wish for Cardinal Rosales to have the same stance
instead of defending the perpetrators!

At a forum in St. Scholastica's College on March 9, 2006, Archbishop
Cruz stressed that human dignity, human rights and human life are
inter-related. When a person's dignity and rights are violated, the
essence of life is violated; and the moment a person's life is
violated as in the cases of extra-judicial killings, human dignity
and human rights are totally disregarded. Archbishop Cruz strongly
criticized the Arroyo government on the issue of political killings,
noting the case of one of the victims, Bishop Alberto
Ramento – whom he described as his poor friend whose sando always had
holes. After expressing his disbelief that the activist bishop was
killed by plain thieves, he went on to denounce the government's
efforts to deny its hand on the killings of hundreds of
administration critics. And since no Catholic bishop or priest has
yet become a victim of extra-judicial killing, he also managed to
joke, 'I volunteer to be
the next ... I'm old and single...'

Meanwhile, another positive action came from Bishop Broderick Pabillo
who joined people's organizations and the Inter-Faith JPIC Network to
look into the situation of some barangays in Tondo that are currently
affected by urban militarization. During the
dialogue with the barangay chairman at the barangay hall (the second
floor of which was occupied by soldiers), Bishop Pabillo witnessed the
resistance of the military representative to face the questions raised
on the real intent of their presence in urban
communities. When the barangay chairman spoke on behalf of the
soldiers, saying that they are there for immersion, trying to explain
away their usual rounds during the day and sometimes even late at
night, the bishop wondered if it ever was normal to engage the
residents in late night immersion. As to the complaints of the
residents regarding the presence of the military in their community,
when the barangay chairman commented that people who are not guilty of
doing anything wrong should not be afraid of the
soldiers, the bishop replied that if they [the soldiers] are not
guilty of doing anything wrong, then why do they refuse to come down
and "face us here"?

Bishop Pabillo also graced the launching of the Inter-Faith JPIC
Network on March 6, 2006 at the Redemptorist Rudy Romano Hall, where
he also shared a message of solidarity with the struggles of our urban
poor brothers and sisters. His presence in these two events and his
succeeding public pronouncements against urban militarization gave us
a fresh image of a down-to-earth church leader who immersed among the
poor, and that is certainly worthy of emulation.

Indeed, the Church as a major opinion-shaper can either move the
faithful to join militant actions towards meaningful social change, or
leave the faithful in the confines of their individual pursuit of
personal salvation. On the one hand, church pronouncements and
actions that challenge government corruption, human rights violations
and perennial
neglect of the poor, greatly cultivate the moral grounds for the
faithful to be persuaded into supporting the people's actions. On the
other hand, the faithful must be wary of church pronouncements that
attempt to sanctify the wrongdoings of the state and merely echo the
pronouncements of military officials and of the infamous (in)justice
secretary. Thus we must also criticize our church leaders when they
fail to denounce injustice. Ultimately, our discernment, prayers and
actions must always be founded on the people's aspirations for truth,
justice and meaningful social change.

Under Arroyo's undeclared martial rule, the Church must defend life
and civil liberties at all cost. We must be vigilant of even more
repressive measures against administration critics, including the
recently signed anti-terrorism bill, renamed 'Human Security Law,' and
the proposed restoration of the Anti-Subversion Law. Let us
collectively stand in defense of human dignity, human rights and human
life. We must not be mere spectators while our brothers and sisters
are being attacked by assassins under Oplan Bantay Laya II, an
anti-insurgency program launched by the military against critics of
the fraudulent president. We pray that the millions of faithful will
be moved to speak out and act in solidarity with the victims long
before the 'mere specks of blood' turn into a bloodflow of tragic
proportions beyond our power to plug. We continue to hope that more
Bishops will raise their voices in denouncing the state policy that is
behind the killings and the growing urban militarization, and help
generate more pressure on the Arroyo government to immediately cease
in its political assassination plots.

Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR)

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DAVAO TODAY
Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
http://www.davaotoday.com
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Holy Week challenge to GMA: ADMIT, REPENT for SINS against the nation

As Malacañang expressed confidence for Team Unity candidates' victory
in the May 2007 elections, the Promotion of Church People's Response
(PCPR) called on Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to publicly admit and
repent for her sins this Holy Week.

"The Holy Week is a time to engage in solemn prayers, reflections,
fasting and other traditional ways of repenting and asking the Lord's
forgiveness for our sins. Repentance should be a humbling act for
those who are willing to admit misdeeds. But for those who are
unwilling, we will never see any sign of repentance. To date, there is
no sign of admittance and repentance from the part of Mrs Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, Virgilio Garcillano, Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane and all
other conspirators on the massive fraud in the 2004 elections. Instead
of repentance, the Arroyo camp is arrogantly engaged in constant
denial and cover-up of cheating, stealing and political killings,"
PCPR noted.

"Why is GMA confident of victory for administration candidates? As in
the 2004 elections, the Arroyo camp is confident for having access to
needed resources and machinery in favor of administration candidates.
Malacañang will not think twice in launching another season of
electoral fraud to prevent an opposition win that could spell a
successful impeachment against Arroyo," Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm – PCPR
Spokesperson noted.

***

GMA, military emboldened by Cardinal Rosales' views on political killings

As GMA congratulated the military for 'job well done,' PCPR also
expressed concern that the 'blessings' of a bishop my have emboldened
Malacañang to ignore criticisms from church, multisectoral groups,
media and international human rights groups on the issues of political
killings and urban militarization.

In a 3-page Lenten message entitled "A CALL FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS AND
LAY FAITHFUL TO DEFEND LIFE AT ALL COST," PCPR noted, "Many of us were
shocked and disappointed when Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales was recently
quoted on his view on the wave of extra-judicial killings under Arroyo
as 'mere specks of blood' compared to the number of political murders
and human rights violations committed during the term of the late
dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Apparently, the latest pronouncements of
Cardinal Rosales effectively emboldened Arroyo to congratulate and
give her go-signal for the military to continue their unwanted
presence and operations in Metro communities. The military is equally
emboldened to deny accountability even as they further engage in
extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, warrantless arrests
and other atrocities."

Reference: Fr. Jerry Sabado, OCarm – PCPR Spokesperson

Amie Dural – PCPR Secretary General

Contact: 410723 Email: pcprnatl@gmail.com

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DAVAO TODAY
Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
http://www.davaotoday.com
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Star endorsers should focus on platforms not friendship - Kabataan Partylist

DAVAO CITY - Instead of highlighting the friendship between them and
the candidate politicians, showbiz personalities should help
the voters in knowing the platform of their "friend" politicians.

In reaction to a lot of showbiz personalities who are campaigning for
certain politicians, Kabataan Partylist stressed that there is a need
to avoid personality politics in choosing the right candidate.

"We know for a fact that showbiz personalities have a big influence on
the choices the voters make because of their appeal and charisma. That
is why most politicians want to seek their "help" every
election period," Karla Hyasmind Apat said.

Apat the Vice-president for Mindanao of Kabataan Partylist pointed the
crucial role of star endorsers in the coming elections.

"We want to remind the famous personalities who will raise the
arms of politicians to focus on helping the voters in making good
decisions. They should not let themselves be used as instruments of
deception that is a campaign which is solely based on personality
politics," Apat said.

The group believes that the showbiz personalities should not bank on
the friendship they share with the politicians.

"It doesn't mean that if a politician is a friend of an award winning
star he can already serve well," Apat said.

"The showbiz stars should stress that instead of saying a lame reason
of: "kaibigan ko kasi siya" making it appear that they are only doing
the endorsement out of favor. They should highlight the credibility of
the
politician, their stand on pressing issues and how the candidate could
help the country," Apat said.#

For reference:
Karla Hyasmind Apat
VP for Mindanao
0919.570.9285

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DAVAO TODAY
Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
http://www.davaotoday.com
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GMA pre-judging case against soldiers -- Rep. Maza

Gabriela Women's Partylist Representative Liza Largoza-Maza today
decried GMA's statement last Saturday praising soldiers deployed in
Metro Manila communities for a 'job well done.' "GMA has put the
COMELEC under strain in judging the case filed against these soldiers
for violation of the Omnibus Election Code. " Maza said.

"This is a blatant disregard of due process. GMA should know better
than to comment on a case that is already being heard by the proper
court, in this case, the COMELEC. She is not only prejudging the
electioneering case against these soldiers, she has become an
accomplice in the violation of the Omnibus Election Code by these
soldiers. " Maza said.

Maza, together with other officials of the Gabriela Women's Party
trooped to the COMELEC office in Intramuros today for a hearing on the
said case.

Gabriela Women's Partylist has lodged a complaint of electioneering
by these soldiers to the Commission on Elections. Also included in the
complaint were AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon and Presidential legal
adviser Sergio Apostol.

According to Rep. Maza, the soldiers in question are the subject of
numerous complaints from residents in the area, and that there are
accounts and video footages of soldiers harassing residents and
members of Gabriela and other progressive partylist organizations and
preventing residents from supporting these progressive partylists.

"It is now up to COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos if he and the
Commission will stand independently and rule fairly." Maza added. ###

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DAVAO TODAY
Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
http://www.davaotoday.com
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CHED, gov’t washing hands on poor quality of education - Kabataan Partylist

DAVAO CITY - Kabataan Partylist today lambasted Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) Regional head Reynaldo Peña for his failure to
expound on how a number of student educators passed the tertiary
education.

A recent report revealed that only 30% of the public high school
teachers are competent to teach the english subject.

Peña expressed dismay yet admitted that it is understandable if
graduates of education courses pass the licensure exam blaming the
education course as a cheapest and easiest way to get a college
diploma.

It was however reported that Peña was not able to explain why in spite
of measures ensuring the quality of education graduates, a lot of them
can pass the licensure exams given that English comprise a part of all
courses.

According to Karla Hyasmind Apat, Vice-president for Mindanao of
Kabataan Partylist, Peña's statement shows that the government
officials themselves deny the fact that the poor quality of teachers
and students root from the government's neglect of basic social
services especially education.

"The degrading quality of graduates is not primarily caused by the
lack of interest of the students to study. It is rather caused by the
government's lack of interest to prioritize the education sector,"
Apat said.

The group believes that poor performance of students in education is
caused by the poor conditions in teaching methods and materials in
schools.

"Unless the government will start prioritizing education, not only
English proficiency but the Philippine education system will start to
rot," Apat said.

"Education agencies like the Department of Education and the CHED
should start admitting that the government lacks sincerity to answer
the people's immediate needs like education, health and housing." #

For reference:
Karla Hyasmind Apat. VP for Mindanao
0919.570.9285.

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DAVAO TODAY
Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
http://www.davaotoday.com
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PIMENTEL COMMENDS ELECTION REGISTRAR FOR PURGE OF 20,000 FLYING VOTERS IN CAGAYAN DE ORO

The field election supervisor in Cagayan de Oro City
has been commended by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
"Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) for cracking down
on bogus voters in the city in a bold effort to make
the May 14 elections as clean and credible as
possible.

City election registrar Stalin Baguio was praised by
Pimentel for cleansing the voters' list of about
20,000 flying voters.

Pimentel, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, said the
existence of a huge number of flying voters has been
the bane of the electoral process in the city for a
long-time now but it was only Mr. Baguio who seized
the initiative in striking them out from the
masterlist of registered, qualified voters.

The lone senator from Mindanao said he himself
personally verified and confirmed the existence of
20,000 flying voters and double registrants in the
records of the Comelec-Cagayan de Oro office during
the weeks preceding the May, 2001 elections.

Pimentel said there were even some teenagers who came
forward, admitting that they were able to register as
flying voters in Cagayan de Oro although they were
residents of different towns of Misamis Oriental and
nearby provinces like Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon.

He said the self-confessed flying voters even
signified their willingness to testify before the
Comelec or the Senate to reveal the truth behind the
scam.

Pimentel said the admission of thousands of flying
voters into the roster of qualified voters could not
have been made possible without the connivance of
corrupt Comelec officials with unscrupulous
politicians and their political operators.

He said the investigation and purging of the fake and
flying voters from the official list were foiled by
highly-placed Comelec officials, both in Northern
Mindanao and in the Comelec office in Manila, who were
probably part of the election fraud syndicate
responsible for the anomaly.

"That is why we are saying that election registrar
Stalin Baguio achieved quite a feat in delisting some
20,000 flying voters from the official roster. This is
a good example of sanitizing the voters list of
spurious registrants which can be replicated in other
areas," Pimentel said.

The opposition leader also voiced suspicion that some
top Cagayan de Oro political leaders had something to
do with the listing of the flying voters which gave
them an undue advantage over their opponents in past
elections, enabling them to entrench themselves in
power even if they no longer enjoyed the trust of
majority of their constituents.
-o0o-

Supreme Court to decide on Satur’s liberty on Tuesday

The Supreme Court will issue a decision on Tuesday (April 3) on the
temporary liberty of detained Bayan Muna President and House Deputy
Minority Leader Satur C. Ocampo.

This was one of the outcomes of the oral arguments yesterday before
the tribunal, where former United Nations Ad Litem Judge Romeo T.
Capulong defended Ocampo's petition for certiorari against
Solicitor-General Agnes Devanadera.

Capulong was flanked by lawyers Rachel Pastores and Ameh Sato, both of
the Public Interest Law Center.

In his oral arguments, Capulong presented seven compelling reasons why
the court should grant Ocampo's petition which seeks to nullify the
murder case and to quash the arrest warrant issued him by a local
court in Hilongos, Leyte.

According to Bayan Muna General Counsel Neri Javier Colmenares, the
oral arguments resulted in two victories for Ocampo.

"The justices observed that the Information filed against Ocampo were
fatally flawed, and that the offenses imputed against Ocampo may very
well be absorbed by the pending rebellion case in Makati City in
accordance with the Hernandez doctrine," said Colmenares.

Colmenares also pointed out that the solicitor-general rejected all
possibility of Ocampo's release even as the justices themselves raised
the prospects that the court may order the solon's temporary release,
release on bail, or reinvestigation of the charge against him . "Ayaw
lang talagang palayain si Satur at gusto nilang makalaboso siya kahit
pa walang batayan."

One justice went so far as to lecture Devanadera on a legal basis for
Ocampo's possible release: "Since we may find the Information to be
defective and thus pave the way for a reinvestigation, the warrant of
arrest would have no basis whatsoever."

Reacting to the solicitor-general's assertion that Ocampo's petition
at the Supreme Court was illegal and that the activist leader should
have availed himself of remedies in the Hilongos, Leyte court,
Colmenares said: "The government's counsel argues that instead of
going to the High Court, Ocampo should go to highly-militarized Leyte,
get imprisoned there, and risk his life merely to ask the local judge
to quash the warrant he himself issued."

"That's not a remedy," said Colmenares. "That's suicide."

Replying to queries of justices why Ocampo rushed to the Supreme
Court, and not availed himself of remedies in the Hilongos, Leyte
court, the Court of Appeals and the Department of Justice, Capulong
pointed out that "the assailed Resolution of Prosecutor Rosulo Vivero
is dated February 16, 2007 and approved by respondent Prosecutor Merin
on February 21, 2007. The Information was filed on February 28, 2007
and the warrant of arrest was issued on March 6, 2007."

According to Capulong, "we received a copy of the Resolution by
registered mail by Judge Ephrem Abando on March 12, 2007. In short,
respondent prosecutors delayed the service of the assailed Resolution
by nineteen days counted from the date of approval by respondent Merin
on February 21, 2007 until actual receipt by petitioner via registered
mail."

"The delay in furnishing the petitioner a copy of the assailed
resolution was deliberate and intended to deprive petitioner of his
legal remedies to file a motion for reconsideration, a petition for
review in the Office of the Secretary of Justice and/or a petition for
certiorari and prohibition in the appellate courts. The scheme
deprived petitioner of his right to due process," said Capulong. ###

By praising troops in the city; “Gloria is also responsible for their electioneering activities”

MANILA -- The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the
ANAKPAWIS party list group lambasted Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for
praising troops deployed in urban areas for a job well and for not
pulling them out immediately.
According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of
KMP and ANAKPAWIS party list nominee, "Gloria has once again shown her
mastery of double talk, she has been saying for almost a week now that
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should now draw their pull
out plans for the urban deployment but now she is praising these
soldiers for a job well done, making no mention of any such pull out,"
"Action really speaks louder than words and Gloria's duplicity has
again been exposed. Her overwhelming dependency upon the AFP is also
evident in this situation. Gloria would not do anything to displease
her loyal generals. They have her by the neck and she follows their
whim. Essentially she is a lame duck president when it comes to the
military apparatus, that is why no soldier has been punished for the
spate of extra-judicial killings and the "Butcher" former Major
General Jovito Palparan has not been charged yet and is even running
for Congress," said Marbella.
"Due to her praise for the urban deployment, our view that she has a
hand in the electioneering activities of these urban soldiers has been
further bolstered. A video showing these soldiers campaigning against
ANAKPAWIS, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women's Party and even KMP has been
taken last March 7 in Parola, Tondo, now it is obvious that what they
are doing has Gloria's approval," added the peasant leader.
"Gloria's candidates and her presidency would be the ones that would
suffer because of these deployments the residents will exact their
revenge at the elections. They are being terrorized so they cannot
speak out, that is why they are coming to us, we are also calling on
other leaders and citizens especially the Catholic Bishop's Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP) to also lend their voices to the people to
combat the increasing militarization of our communities," ended
Marbella. # # #

World's lawmakers seek freedom for Ocampo, Beltran; IPU probe team due April 18-21

MANILA – Thirty-seven legislators from across the world have joined
the growing clamor for the release of detained Bayan Muna Rep. Satur
Ocampo and Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran.

Expressing support for the release of Ocampo and Beltran were four
senators (4) – Senator Sharon Carstairs of Canada, Senator Gavin
Marshall of Australia, British House of Lords Member David Alton, and
Senator Pierre Galand of Belgium – and thirty-three (33) Members of
Parliament (MP) from various countries.

Carstairs is the vice president of the committee on human rights of
parliamentarians of the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU),
a worldwide organization of parliaments and legislatures

The IPU has decided to send a high-level team to Manila on April 18 to
21, or two weeks earlier than scheduled, to look into the plight of
Ocampo and Beltran. The IPU team will be led by the group's
secretary-general Anders Johnsson and Senator Carstairs ahead of the
IPU's general assembly in Bali, Indonesia, which will take up the
pending case of political persecution leveled against the Arroyo
government by the partylist representatives of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis,
and Gabriela.

Bayan Muna made the announcement as the nation waits for the Supreme
Court's ruling on Ocampo's petition for temporary liberty, which is
due on Tuesday (April 3).

The MPs who have joined the bandwagon seeking liberty for the two
activist solons include:

Marc Tarabella, member of the European Parliament representing Belgium;

Twenty-three MPs of Switzerland: Liliane Maury Pasquier , Maria
Roth-Bernasconi, Andre Daguet, Carlo Sommaruga, Didier Berberat, Fabio
Pedrina, Franco Cavalli, Franziska Teuscher, Géraldine Savary, Hans
Widmer, Jacqueline Fehr, Jean-Noél Rey, Liliane Pasquier Maury,
Margret Kiener Nellen, Marlyse Dormond Béguelin, Pierre Salvi, Roger
Nordmann, Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, Stéphane Rossini, Susanne
Leutenegger Oberholzer, Ursula Wyss, Valérie Garbani, and Vreni
Hubmann;

MP David Geerts of the Federal Parliament of Belgium; MP Rune Lund of
Denmark; MP Son Chhay of Cambodia; Legislator Leung Kwok-hung of the
Hong Kong Legislative Council; and

Six MPs of the Regional Parliament of Flanders, Belgium: Rudi Daems,
Vera Dua, Eloi Glorieux, Jos Stassen, Jef Tavernier, and Mieke Vogels
"All eyes are on the Arroyo government's persecution of Ka Satur and
Ka Bel who have since been detained on the basis of fabricated charges
and the denial of their rights to due process," said Bayan Muna Rep.
Teddy Casino.

Casino says the "the growing concern for Ka Satur and Ka Bel by the
world's parliamentarians only heightens the lack of concern of House
Speaker Jose de Venecia, who has not lifted a finger to defend two
Members of Congress from brazen political persecution."

"It is a fact that only military dictatorships, martial law regimes,
and military juntas are notorious for falsely charging and imprisoning
democratically-elected legislators, as in the case of Burma today and
the Philippines in 1972," said Casino. "This is not lost on
parliamentarians worldwide. The IPU, in fact, has called the attacks
on the Batasan 6 as 'attacks on the Philippine Congress itself' and
has consequently sought an end to the filing of trump charges.". ###

Reference:
Rep. Teddy Casino
0920-9035683

More WB loans shows support for Arroyo's campaign of repression

MANILA -- Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin
Beltran today slammed anew the international finance institution the
World Bank and said that its continuing release of policy loans and
other financial aid to the Philippines is to be blamed for the
destructive dependence of the country on foreign aid which in turns
sinks the country deeper into debt.

According to the reports, the World Bank recently announced that it
will provide $600 million in annual assistance to the Philippines for
the next two years as a sign of confidence. The World Bank and the
Finance department signed the loan agreement for the $11-million
NPSTAP yesterday.

World Bank officials have said that the institution seeks to
reinforce and strengthen its support to the Macapagal-Arroyo
government which has supposedly undergone an "important change."

"What we see here is this infamous global finance institution aiding
and abetting the Macapagal-Arroyo administration's programs and
policies that wreak havoc in the economic lives of the Filipino
people. It is also highly doubtful that the WB is unaware of the
increasing international pressure on the Arroyo government to stop its
campaign of extrajudicial killings against political activists, human
rights advocates and journalists. By extension, the WB is supporting
not only the supposed economic reforms that the Arroyo government has
embarked on, but also the political and military measures it has
initiated to protect these same economic reforms, including those make
the Philippines even more dependent on the WB," said Beltran.

Beltran reiterated the call of patriotic economists and local
industrialists that the Philippines wean itself off foreign loans and
cut back on foreign debts allocations. He said that the Philippines'
reliance on foreign loans all the more tighten the control of the WB
and its allied international business and consortiums over the
Philippine economy.

"This is what's stunting local businesses, and ensuring that no
genuine local industries are built and maintained. Foreign
multilateral finance institutions like the WB and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) keep the Philippines on a short leash, held
hostage to their demands and impositions when it comes to payment
collection and perks and benefits for foreign businesses," he said.

The activist lawmaker said that it was long overdue that the country's
relations and dependence on the WB be subjected to review and
assessment. "No doubt it will be revealed that the country's economic
backwardness is connected to the impositions of the WB and the
Philippine government's slavish obeisance to these same policies. The
Philippines has not benefited from its dealings from the WB but
instead sacrificed much of its economic resources in a one-sided
finance relationship."#

Free Satur! online petition

Dear friends,

Freedom, democracy and justice are under attack in the Philippines!

The government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has detained Bayan Muna
Representative Satur Ocampo on trumped-up charges of multiple murder.
The case stems from an invented charge that Ocampo allegedly ordered
the murder of 67 individuals in Leyte province in Eastern Philippines
in 1984 and 1985, when Ocampo was in military detention on orders of
the Marcos dictatorship.

Please sign the petition at http://freesatur.bayanmuna.net demanding
freedom for Ocampo.

Bayan Muna is the Philippines' most popular partylist organization
which topped the 2001 and 2004 partylist elections. It is now leading
the 2007 partylist elections as shown by public opinion polls. The
latest SWS poll says that Bayan Muna obtained 28 percent support
from the electorate and is assured of reelection in the May 14, 2007
elections.

Bayan Muna, a duly-accredited partylist organization composed of
civilians and non-combatants, has been tagged as one of the "enemies
of the state" for its oppositionist role, and the military has seen it
fit to make it a target in the counter-insurgency war against the New
People's Army.

Thus, 130 members of Bayan Muna have been killed by military death
squads since 2001. All in all, human rights group Karapatan has
documented 830 extrajudicial killings under Arroyo. The Permanent
Peoples Tribunal, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the United Nations
special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and other
international faith-based and social action groups have urged the
Arroyo government to stop the bloody attacks and the political
persecution of Ocampo and progressive partylist representatives in
Congress.

Ocampo is a leader of the progressive mass movement opposing the
Arroyo government. In the House of Representatives, he is one of the
deputy leaders of the minority, and supported two impeachment
complaints against Arroyo.

Ocampo is a former business editor of the Manila Times, former vice
president of National Press Club and a prominent figure in the
resistance movement against the Marcos dictatorship. He was imprisoned
for nine years (1976-1985) under Marcos dictatorship and has never
been convicted by any court of law. He was a member of the class that
filed and won the landmark class-action suit against Marcos in the US
federal courts.

Your support is needed now. Please express your support by signing the
online petition at: http://freesatur.bayanmuna.net

Thank you very much.

Friends of Satur Ocampo
Manila, Philippines

AFP urged to stop intimidating youth party-list group

Genuine Opposition senatorial candidate Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel today
asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to stop its apparent
campaign of intimidation against leaders and members of the
newly-formed Kabataan party-list organization and to respect their
rights to participate in the democratic process.

Pimentel was appalled by the reports that the AFP has sent letters to
the parents of Kabataan party list members inquiring about the
background and purpose of the group and voicing suspicion that they
may be engaged in activities that may be inimical to the security and
stability of society.

He said the Kabataan should be accorded the respect that befits a
legitimate organization that aims to encourage and guide its members
in actively contributing their expertise and energies to
nation-building, especially since it has been accredited by the
Commission on Elections as a party-list group.

"It would be a travesty of the democratic process if legal
organization like Kabataan are subjected to harassment and looked upon
with suspicion as if they are threats to society," the young Pimentel
said.

He said the AFP's practice of undergoing background check on peaceful
organization could not but have chilling effects on their members in
the wake of ongoing government-military hate campaign on militant,
leftist organizations.

The hate-campaign has degenerated into the extra-judicial killings of
leftist activists whom the security and military authorities have
tagged as enemies of the state.

Pimentel said it is lamentable that the AFP has gone to the extent of
deploying soldiers in urban poor communities in Metro Manila to check
the activities of leftist organizations and to dissuade the residents
from voting for them in the party-list elections in May.
-30-