Wednesday, 31 August 2005

House Speaker tops initial list of congressmen in hate list roster

Shame campaign eyed against JdV,

rabid anti-impeachment solons

House Speaker tops initial list of congressmen in hate list roster

House Speaker Jose de Venecia and other staunch allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo actively campaigning for the death of the amended impeachment complaint will face a nationally coordinated shame campaign to be launched by five of the biggest rural-based groups in the country.

At the public launching of Shame Campaign Movement Against Anti-Impeachment Lawmakers, rural-based group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and the youth sector of the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates (Nnara-Youth) initially identified 15 names of congressmen, whom they vowed to expose and humiliate before the public for their active participation to kill the amended impeachment complaint.

The 15 congressmen headed by Speaker de Venecia include: Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles (), Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. , House Committee on Justice Chair and Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, AVE Party list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay, Alagad Party list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, Rep. Luis Villafuerte (2^nddistrict, Camarines Sur, KAMPI ), Rep. Ronaldo Puno (1^stdistrict, Antipolo City, KAMPI), Rep. Salacnib Baterina (1^st district, Ilocos Sur, LAKAS), Rep. Matias Defensor (3^rd district, Quezon City, LP), Rep. Rodolfo Antonino ( 4^th district, Nueva Ecija, KAMPI), Rep. Edcel Lagman (1^st district, Albay, Aksyon Demokratiko), Rep. Raul Gonzales Jr. (Lone district, Iloilo City, LAKAS), Rep. Anthony Miranda (4^th district, Isabela, KAMPI) and Rep. Marcelino Libanan ( Lone district, Eastern Samar, LAKAS).

“ Unless they change their minds, choose the path towards truth and justice and uphold the collective interest of the Filipino, the campaign against them and other rabid anti-impeachment lawmakers will be pursued to the highest order,” says KMP Secretary General Danilo Ramos, one of the organizers of the shame campaign against anti-impeachment solons.

Ramos added: “ Nothing substitutes for truth and justice. We will pursue this all out war against President Arroyo and the murderers commissioned by Malacañang to kill the amended impeachment complaint, in the parliament of the streets and in the court of public opinion.”

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said his group is now compiling the names of anti-impeachment congressmen and they would soon be exposed to the public for betraying the collective interest of the Filipino people. “ The shame campaign would be carried out on a national scale, exposing the names and characters of lawmakers who would massacre the impeachment complaint against Ms Arroyo and how they, in the name of political patronage and accommodation and narrow interest, betray truth and justice,” he said.

Hicap said the partial list of those who would be subjected to shame campaign for defending a criminal, immoral, cheat and corrupt presidency in Malacañang might still expand once their groups get the names of over a hundred Lakas-CMD and Kampi congressmen who are openly campaigning for the brutal murder of the impeachment complaint.

Pamalakaya said it would get the names of the members of the House Committee on Justice currently performing the demolition job to kill the amended impeachment complaint against Ms Arroyo. The group said over 70 members constitute the committee and they still have to find out the names of more than 50 members who were ordered by Malacañang to slaughter the amended impeachment complaint.

“ The people’s quest for truth and justice is non-negotiable. We will show no mercy to those who would betray public trust and national interest for the sake of the ruling mafia in Malacañang. We will campaign for the death of their political career in the court of public opinion and in the parliament of the streets,” the militant groups added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:01 | link | comments |

House Speaker tops initial list of congressmen in hate list roster

Shame campaign eyed against JdV,

rabid anti-impeachment solons

House Speaker tops initial list of congressmen in hate list roster

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 06:57 | link | comments |

Friday, 26 August 2005

Ombudsman Marcelo sitting on plunder complaint against Ms Arroyo for 451 days, says complainant

P 728 fertilizer fund

Ombudsman Marcelo sitting on plunder complaint against Ms Arroyo for 451 days, says complainant

One of the groups which filed a plunder complaint last year against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the alleged malversation of P 728 million in total agricultural funds today vent their ire on Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo for not doing anything on their complaint against the Chief Executive.

“ Let us call a spade a spade. Ombudsman Marcelo refuses to investigate the plunder complaint against President Arroyo because of his political connection with the Arroyo gang in Malacañang. For 451 days, we are kept in the dark and no official word come from the president’s appointee at the Office of the Ombudsman,” the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

“ In the last fourteen months, Marcelo was just sitting on our legitimate case against President Arroyo in vain attempt to cover up one of Chief Executive’s biggest crimes of corruption,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap. “ Definitely, we will not take this sitting down. Something must be done against people obstructing the process in clinching the search for truth and justice,” Hicap added.

Hicap said if the Office of the Ombudsman was only sincere in resolving the issue confronting Ms Arroyo in connection with the P 728 million agricultural fund scam and in eradicating massive graft and corruption in the government, the plunder complaint filed against the President would have been resolved in less than a month, with Ms Arroyo now facing trial for plunder before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

On June 3, 2004, Pamalakaya along with Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women, Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) and Danggayan Dagiti Mannalon Ti Cagayan Valley filed a 19-page letter complaint before the Office of Ombudsman.

The complainants asked Marcelo to investigate Ms Arroyo and other government officials on the controversial P 728 million agricultural fund, which they said was diverted to President Arroyo’s campaign kitty in the last May 10, 2004 elections.

Aside from Ms. Arroyo, those named in the plunder complaint were former Department of Agriculture Secretary Luis “ Cito” Lorenzo, former Department of Budget and Management Secretary Emilia Boncodin, former DA undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante and DBM undersecretary Mario Relampagos.

Hicap dared Marcelo to go aboveboard and straight forward regarding his group’s inquiry on why until now the Office of the Ombudsman had yet to act on their demand to investigate Ms Arroyo and other officials in connection with the alleged malversation of agricultural funds intended to buy fertilizers, but went to the campaign fund of Ms Arroyo and pockets of other government officials.

“ Mr. Marcelo, the president’s political appointee in the Office of the Ombudsman is preventing our case to proceed against his principal. This is an extreme display of puppetry and political bankruptcy by the Ombudsman,” Hicap said.

On February 3, 2004, a week before the start of the campaign, the Department of Budget and Management released P 728 million for the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program of the Department of Agriculture. The agricultural funds were released not to DA regional, provincial and municipal offices but to 103 congressmen, 53 governors and 23 municipal and city mayors- all allies of President Arroyo. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:03 | link | comments |

Wednesday, 24 August 2005

Why DA got P 544 million allotment for GMA Hybrid Rice Program from P 38-B recovered Marcos wealth?

Hybrid crime of corruption

Militants wonder: Why DA got P 544 million allotment for GMA Hybrid Rice Program from P 38-B recovered Marcos wealth?

Something fishy is going on with this hybrid crime of corruption at the expense of Filipino farmers and human rights victims during Martial Law.

This is how the left-leaning fisherfolk Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) reacted when it found out today that P 544 million of the P 38 B Swiss account representing the recovered Marcos wealth were actually allotted not for agrarian reform program and compensation of 10,000 human rights victims but for “ questionable undertakings” entered into by the Department by Land Reform (DLR) with the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Citing the minutes of the hearing conducted by the House Committee on Oversight last April 13, 2005, Pamalakaya learned that the Bureau of Treasury disclosed that P 544 million would be taken out from the P 38-B recovered wealth to finance President Arroyo’s hybrid rice program, despite the fact that DA is not one of the CARP implementing agencies.

“ The 64 million dollar question is- why DA was able to get that funding from what to be an exclusive general fund for land acquisition and distribution purposes and for compensation of human rights victims?. The Office of the President , the land reform and agriculture offices of Ms Arroyo should do a lot of explaining on this very intriguing and terrible matter,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said his group raised the inquiry because they were afraid that the money allotted for the hybrid rice program from the recovered Marcos wealth would end up like the Ginintuang Masagani Ani (GMA) project last year, where P 728 million in agricultural funds intended to provide technical supports to farmers and fisherfolk, where released to Malacañang and were allegedly used to fund Ms Arroyo’s election campaign last year.

The DLR undersecretary Arne Ang pointed out the GMA Hybrid-Rice Program amounting to P 544 million was under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DLR and DA. He explained that DLR submitted a list of agrarian reform beneficiaries to DA and that the agriculture office would take charge of the implementation of rice sufficiency program.

“ We were not born yesterday not to understand this merry-go-round of juggling public funds to benefit and satisfy the narrow interest and cruel intentions of the cheating and corrupt regime of Ms Arroyo. We believe another high crime of corruption involving hundreds of millions of pesos were committed by the present administration, nothing more, nothing less,” Hicap said.

The GMA Hybrid Rice program initially covers 600,000 hectares of land that shall be used for the hybrid rice program but available funds could only cover 200,000 hectares. The DA, in order to augment the financial requirement for 400,000 hectares requested the DLR to allot Marcos money for the program. However, the P 544 million allotted for production of hybrid rice could only cover not more than 100,000 hectares.

“ Well if the Malacañang syndicate was able to rig last year’s elections in favor of Ms Arroyo, it is also no sweat for them to stage this grand robbery in broad daylight. They can make up a master list of GMA hybrid rice beneficiaries anytime they want and release it for public consumption,” Hicap added.

P 8.8 billion

The Bureau of Treasury disclosed that a total of P 8.8 B of the P 38 billion Swiss account was spent for the CARP related program of the national government. The DLR during the hearing of the House Oversight Committee said around P 5.674 B was spent for land acquisition and distribution. The land reform department likewise transferred P 2.7 billion to non-CARP implementing agencies such as the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Under the CARP, aside from DLR, the other agencies tapped to undertake land acquisition and distribution program include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Land Registration Authority (LRA), and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

“ We have a story to tell- and the story says Malacañang was grossly accountable and liable for money laundering and plunder doing all it can do to keep its loot from Marcos loot while branching out the opportunities for corruption to other government agencies courtesy of the recovered ill-acquired wealth,” Pamalakaya added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:55 | link | comments |

Friday, 19 August 2005

Lawmakers urged to file ‘ obstruction of justice case’ against gov’t officials, Subic Air owners for Garci’s Great Escap

Lawmakers urged to file ‘ obstruction of justice case’ against gov’t officials, Subic Air owners for Garci’s Great Escape

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday urged pro-administration and opposition lawmakers investigating the Hello Garci tape to file ‘ obstruction of justice’ case against certain government officials and owners of Subic Air Charter Inc. (Subic Air) over Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano’s walk-in-the park escape to Singapore last July 14.

“ It is obvious that this well-staged obstruction of justice to facilitate the Great Escape of Garci was directed by the Office of the President and supported by the cast of Ms Arroyo’s political bubble gang in and out of the presidential palace,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

“ This political murder of truth and justice is authored by Ms Arroyo and detailed by her prized agents in Malacañang,” he added.

“ We hope this recent development concerning Ms Arroyo’s latest syndicated attack would serve as eye opener and convince the president allies to withdraw their support to Ms Arroyo. Only irrational human beings and Jurassic traditional politicians could stomach this kind of political escapade, nothing more, nothing less,” Hicap stressed.

Hicap urged lawmakers to cross party lines and agree to file criminal and civil charges against Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr., Immigration associate commissioner Teddy Delarmente, Air Transportation Office chief Nilo Jatico and owners of Subic Air owned by Ms Arroyo’s allies led by Jose Ch. Alvarez, chair and President and brother of Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez, a member of Arroyo’s political party Kampi and Jose Antonio, one of Subic Air’s board members, who was appointed by President Arroyo early this year as special enjoy to China.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the July 14 walk-in-the park escape of Comelec commissioner Garcillano should pave the way for the resignations of certain officials who conspired with Ms Arroyo in letting Garci get out of the country despite order from lawmakers investigating the Hello Garci controversy for Garcillano to appear in Congress for investigation.

He said Garci’s Great Escape merits the cancellation of the business permit of Subic Air Lear Jet, which was used by the controversial poll official on his way out of the country to Singapore to elude investigation on the wiretapped tape between him and the President, suggesting a grand plot to rig the elections in favor of Ms Arroyo.

“ The Filipino people want a separate case billed as People of the Philippines vs. Fernandez, Delarmente, Jatico, Alvarez and Antonio filed before any appropriate court in the country—truth and justice are non-separable entities and these old-schooled conspirators deserved their days in court,” Hicap said. “ How could a controversial political figure, who has shared stellar billing with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in one of the most talked-about political scandal could managed to escape the hunting eyes of Arroyo immigration officials?” Pamalakaya said.

The Singaporean foreign ministry on Wednesday revealed that Garcillano arrived in Singapore on July 14 and departed for an undisclosed place the following day. The elusive poll official caught in a wiretapped conversation with the President while planning to rig the results of the May 2004 presidential elections arrived in Singapore, after the House of Representatives issued a subpoena on July 13 requesting him to appear in the Hello Garci inquiry. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:16 | link | comments |

Aussie lawyer had taste of military harassment in Mindoro

“VERY DISTURBING”

Aussie lawyer had taste of military harassment in Mindoro

Australian human rights lawyer Peter Broch on Wednesday decried what he called “ a very disturbing trend” in the human rights situation in the country after masked men believed to be military and para-military elements put streamers along the highway painting him and other foreign observers as “ users” and their host organization- the human rights group Karapatan as a terrorist organization.

Broch together with other international delegates from Turkey, Australia and the United States joined local human rights advocates based in National Capital Region and Southern Tagalog to revisit the island province of Mindoro, which international media described as Philippine laboratory for state repression. They arrived on Monday to probe the killings of civilians and political activists by alleged military elements and death squads.

"It is disturbing that we should be welcomed like this, with false accusations about Karapatan, who we think are doing their best to help the victims of human rights violations. It only shows the deep-set prejudice of what I presume to be the military against Karapatan. We are not fools and we can think for ourselves,” Atty. Broch said.

The Australian human rights lawyer said the reason why they came there is to show solidarity with the people of Mindoro. "If the objective was to threaten the group, well they failed because we would continue to support their fight,” he added.

Broch earlier cited the report of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on the Philippines as the most dangerous place in the world for media practitioners and the 20 killings of human rights activists as more than enough reason for alarm.

The sentiment against the spate of human rights violations in the Philippines was shared by Atty. Hakkan Karakus, president of the International Association of Peoples’ Lawyers (IAPL), a global organization of progressive lawyers based in The Netherlands.

“ Our colleagues are being killed and attacked in this country,” he said referring to the assassination case against Naujan Vice-Mayor Atty. Juvy Magsino and her companion Leima Fortu last year in Mindoro, and Atty. Fidelito Dacut in Tacloban City, Leyte.

Citing the 41 documented killings of political activists and other civilians in Mindoro Oriental during the reign then Col. Jovito Palparan, Jr. of the 204th Infantry Brigade Palparan, Filipino-American human rights activist Kawal Ulanday slammed the brutal human rights record of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“ Our taxes are being used to kill our families here,” Ulanday charged.

Earlier organizers of the International Solidarity Mission in the Philippines said Ms Arroyo would face indictment before an International People’s Tribunal set this Friday in UP Diliman Campus in Quezon City.

ISM Philippine organizers Marie Hilao-Enriquez of Karapatan and Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo of Bayan and Plunder Watch said the tribunal hopes to duplicate an Asian feat of putting two South Korean presidents to trial for crimes of corruption and political killings namely Rah-Tae-Woo and Chun Doo-Hwan, who were tried and later convicted in 1996 for their participation in the massacre of 2000 student and worker activists sometime in 1980 in Kwangju, South Korea. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:15 | link | comments (1) |

Pamalakaya warns“ fish crisis” if government won’t stop oil exploration in Visayan sea

Oil hunt threatens domestic production by more than 600,000 metric tons of fish

Pamalakaya warns“ fish crisis” if government won’t stop oil exploration in Visayan sea

The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday said the country would face a severe fish crisis in the next 7 to 10 years if the national government won’t stop the massive oil hunt in the Visayan Sea affecting majority of the provinces in Region VI, VII and VIII.

Forum, a Canadian firm and the Japanese Exploration Corporation are currently conducting a joint extensive oil exploration activity in Tañon Strait, a declared protected area located between Negros and Cebu provinces. The Department of Energy (DoE) earlier reported a possibility of tapping 1 billion barrels of oil reserves in Tañon Strait.

Early May this year, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted the 7-year exploration contract to Forum and Japex worth 10 million US dollars. Under the present administration, the DoE maintains 15 service contracts for oil and gas explorations throughout the country, and the government is now studying the possibility of another oil and gas exploration this time in Cebu Strait separating the provinces of Cebu and Bohol.

But Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said “ the great chase for oil and gas deposit in the name of Malacañang’s transnational clients may soon trigger a fish crisis that would cut domestic production by an average of 600,000 metric tons of fish and other marine products annually in the next seven to ten years.”

“ A severe fish crisis is in the offing, unless this oil adventure escapade of imperialist oil nations is put to an end,” he added. “ This national sell out of Visayan sea to please the transnational clients of Ms Arroyo and her bunch of corrupt and puppet officials is agitating the Visayan fisherfolk to stage their own Dagohoy revolt in region VI, VII and VIII,” Hicap warned.

The possible decline, Hicap said, represents 20 percent of the gross domestic fish production, which he said would gravely affect the livelihood of not less than 150,000 fisherfolk, as well as the per capita fish consumption of every Filipino family.

Region VI composed of provinces Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental accounts for 349, 928 metric tons of fish harvested last year, while Region VII composed of Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu and Siquijor accounts for 203,069 metric tons of fish produced and Region VIII made up of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar and Southern Leyte yielded 96,233 metric tons in total fish production last year.

Hicap issued the “ stern warning” a day after it quizzed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Michael Defensor why his office did not ask oil explorers Forum Energy Corporation of Canada and Japan Exploration Corporation (Japex) to secure environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from his office.

The Tañon Strait, Hicap said, is supposed to be a protected communal fishing area reserve for subsistence fishermen but Allan Arranguez of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of DENR Region 7 said projects involving oil exploration activities were not required to apply and secure certificate of environmental clearance from the DENR

The regional DENR official said oil exploration projects approved by the Department of Energy were only granted a certificate of non-coverage (CNC) since exploration activities, according to DENR and DoE officials, do not have significant effects on the environment. #

But Pamalakaya’s Hicap dismissed DENR’s line of defense for the two oil drilling corporations as Jurassic, detestable and grossly pro-oil mining company.

“ Which is destructive-----large-scale oil drilling that would get to the bottom of the sea or small scale fishing? While Forum and Japex are enjoying a great chase for oil at the expense of marine life and water environment, subsistence fishermen were religiously banned by the national and local government from fishing,” Hicap blasted.

Hicap said Forum and Japex had started implementing a fish ban in Tañon Strait. He said small fisherfolk who would be caught fishing within the exploration area would be fined from P 20,000 to P 60,000.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap dared Secretary Defensor to declare the ongoing oil exploration in Tañon Strait anti-environment, illegal and totally inimical to the collective interest of the Filipino people.

Hicap noted that Secretary Defensor was advocating a five-year ban fishing ban in the Visayan sea not for marine life regeneration but to allow more oil and gas exploration companies to come to the country and discover the vast potential oil and gas reserves in the Visayan sea for their own monopoly interests.

Pamalakaya said the Macapagal-Arroyo government through the DoE and DENR may soon allow other foreign oil companies to undertake oil and gas exploration in the tradition of Malampaya gas exploration project in other bodies of water encompassing or enjoining the provinces of Masbate in Bicol, Northern and Western Samar, Leyte and Biliran in Eastern Visayas, Aklan, Iloilo and Capiz in Panay Island.

“ Instead of putting up a one-man-show like that Hello Garcia show last week that bombed at the political box-office in the defense of the cheating President in Malacañang, we ask Defensor to do something good and commendable like putting an end to the oil exploration stints of big time plunderers like Forum and Japex,” he said.

Hicap said Sec. Defensor’s other choice is to step down and join his principal- Ms Arroyo in the list of most detested people in the country. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:14 | link | comments |

Tuesday, 16 August 2005

Militant group eyes P 7.3 B refund from Petron, Shell and Caltex

OIL CARTEL OVERPRICED OIL PRODUCTS

BY P 4.62 PER LITER FROM 2000 TO 2004

Militant group eyes P 7.3 B refund

from Petron, Shell and Caltex

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday demanded oil companies- Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and Caltex Philippines to return P 7.3 billion, which the three oil giants allegedly earned from overpricing of petroleum products from 2000 to first half of year 2004.

Citing a study made by independent think than Ibon Philippines last year, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the three big oil companies were guilty of national plunder for stealing over 7 billion pesos over the last four years by overpricing petroleum products by an average of P 4.62 per litter from 2000 to June 2004.

From January to June 2004, Shell, Caltex and Petron overpriced their oil products by an average of P 1.38 per liter allowing them to raked P 2.1 B in total profits. Ibon used the tested formula of rule of thumb where for every dollar increase or decrease in the spot market for Dubai crude, a total of 26 centavos should be increased or decreased from the current prices of oil products.

Local prices are affected by the movement in the domestic exchange rate, and that for every P 1 increase or decrease in the exchange rate, the prices would be affected at least by 13 centavos per liter.

“ Petron, Shell and Caltex went on with their super profiteering activities with the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo- the oil cartel’s political puppet in Malacañang during the period up to present,” Hicap said.

Malacañang over the weekend announced that it would undertake urgent conservation measures as oil prices surpassed a record of US $ 67 per barrel in New York last Friday due to massive global demand and production problems at strained refineries. On the same day, oil giants Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Caltex Philippines Inc. hiked prices of their gasoline, diesel and kerosene by 50 centavos per liter.

President Arroyo yesterday urged the opposition camp and all her other critics to join her in addressing the oil crisis, saying it the time has come to resolve the crisis. But Pamalakaya’s Hicap rejected Ms Arroyo’s call, stressing her administration was grossly liable for allowing the oil cartel to exploit and take advantage of the economic crisis to jack up and manipulate prices of their petroleum products.

“ Ms Arroyo is the point person of the oil cartel in Malacañang. Who can trust Arroyo? Nobody except the controlling interest in Petron, Caltex and Shell,” Hicap said. The militant leader said President Arroyo refused to order Congress to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law that automatically empowers the oil cartel to adjust prices of petroleum products through overpricing and other forms of price manipulation.

Hicap said, Ms Arroyo upon receiving instructions from Shell, Caltex and Petron rejected the proposal to nationalize the oil industry, junked the proposal for centralized procurement and buying back of Petron and slammed the doors to legitimate demands to impose price control on petroleum products. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:42 | link | comments |

Nobel Peace Prize nominee to look into alleged rampant human rights violations in RP under GMA gov’t

Human rights watchdog says Gloria could be the next Roh-Tae Woo or Chun Doo-Hwan

Nobel Peace Prize nominee to look into alleged rampant human rights violations in RP under GMA gov’t

This year’s nominee to the much-coveted Nobel Peace Prize will arrive this week to sit as one of the judges in the International People’s Tribunal on Friday, according to one of the organizers of the International Solidarity Mission 2005, an assemblage of international experts, civil libertarians and legal luminaries that would look into reported cases of grave human rights violations under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

Marie Hilao-Enriquez, mission organizer and secretary general of the human rights watchdog Karapatan said Nobel Peace Prize nominee Irene Fernandez will arrive here on Wednesday to probe reported grave cases of human rights violations since Ms Arroyo assumed office in 2001.

Fernandez, 59, is one of the two Malaysians nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize, co-founder and co-director of Tenaganita, a human rights advocacy group in Malaysia protecting the rights of migrants and agricultural workers in Malaysia would join other international experts and well-known human rights crusaders from Australia, Turkey, United States, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, New Zealand and China.

“ Ms Fernandez is globally known for her crusade and advocacy in defense of people fighting oppression. Like Ms Fernandez, the entire mission is looking for a repeat of an Asian history where two former South Korean presidents were tried by an international court for charges of massacre, corruption and treason,” Karapatan’s Enriquez said referring to the cases of South Korean military presidents Roh-Tae-Woo and Chun Doo-Hwan, who were convicted on charges of corruption and political killings in 1996.

Karapatan’s Enriquez said there is a possibility that Ms Arroyo could be put to trial the same way the two military presidents of South Korea were tried in 1996 on crimes against humanity and grave offenses concerning human rights violations.

Woo and Hwan were tried 15 years after their involvement in the Kwangju massacre in May 1980, when the Korean Special Forces allied with the U.S attacked workers and students demanding the lifting of Martial Law. 2,000 activists were killed by state troops during the series of clashes between Korean military and demonstrators.

Data from Karapatan revealed that under Ms Arroyo’s tenure , human rights violations under her administration- ranging from killings to enforced disappearances-have affected at least 198, 308 individuals, 18,977 families, 123 communities and 1,016 households nationwide.

The international fact finding mission would compile evidence from five areas all over the country where the grossest human rights violations have taken place namely Mindoro Island in Southern Tagalog, Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, Samar Island in Eastern Visayas and Surigao del Sur and Sulu in Mindanao.

Expected to figure prominently in the fact finding mission are the double murder case of two human rights activists Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy in Oriental Mindoro by alleged military and para-military troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Jovito Palparan, the Hacienda Luisita Massacre last year in Tarlac City and scores of political killings in Samar island perpetrated by government troops also under the command of Palparan. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:41 | link | comments |

Sunday, 14 August 2005

CA asked to recall Defensor’s appointment as DENR chief

US forensic audio expert to file criminal, civil raps against DENR secretary for twisting his findings, statements on Hello Garci tape

CA asked to recall Defensor’s appointment as DENR chief

Staunch critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday urged the powerful Commission on Appointment (CA) to recall the appointment of Sec. Michael Defensor as chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) a day after an American forensic audio expert denied saying that the Hello Garci tape was spliced, and that it could not be used as evidence in the impeachment case against the President.

In a press statement, the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) asked CA to immediately revoke its decision approving the appointment of Defensor as secretary of the environment and natural resources department.

“ The CA is highly obliged to make an immediate reversal of its previous decision upholding the game plan of Malacañang to designate Defensor as DENR secretary. What Defensor did which constitutes grave betrayal of public trust and national affront to the collective intelligence and national interest of the people merits an outright political rejection”, says Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

The militant leader urged members of the Commission on Appointment to immediately convene and tackle the disposition of Defensor, a day after Texas-based expert Barry Dickey in an interview with RMN-dzXL New York based correspondent Don Selle, denied saying that the tape presented to him by Defensor was spliced, and that it could not be used as evidence in the impeachment case against President Arroyo.

“ Those who approved the appointment of Defensor would be compelled by public opinion to atone for their previous mistake. One way of doing it is to make a big reversal by recalling or canceling his employment as DENR secretary”, Hicap added.

Pamalakaya also urged Dickey to file possible criminal and administrative charges against Sec. Defensor for twisting his findings and statements on the Hello Garci tape submitted by DENR secretary for authentication.

“ Mr. Dickey should file appropriate criminal charges against Defensor for manipulating and splicing his findings and statements on the Hello Garci tape submitted by the eager-beaver secretary of DENR to his office for authentication and analysis. Defensor done a big disservice to the company of Mr. Dickey”, the militant group said.

For his part, Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said Defensor’s one-man-show in Sulo Hotel last Friday presenting the twisted findings should be considered a political smut done by a political slut. It said the resignation or ouster of Sec. Defensor from DENR becomes highly relevant, material, necessary and non-negotiable given his aggressive role to defend the president, twist the truth and stage another mockery of justice in the name of his criminal and corrupt principal.

“ The dishonorable secretary of the environment and natural resources should step down for committing one of the most pornographic crimes of the century. What he presented last Friday was nothing but a political smut coming from of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s political sluts,” Corpuz said.

He added: “The Defensor spliced Hello Garci tape was a bad spoof. A gross national foul play done in the interest and at the behest of the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo syndicate in Malacañang.”

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz asserted that Defensor’s political spoof of the Hello Garci tape would not click with the people. He said as far as the thinking public is concerned, his thesis devoid of any truth and ridden with cruel intentions will not merit public acceptance but outrage.

The DENR chief acting as Ms Arroyo’s political spokesperson said the results of examination revealed that there was “ dagdag boses” (added voices) in the alleged taped conversation between President Arroyo and Commissioner Garcillano to make it appear that the president was ordering the poll official to pad votes to ensure victory in last year elections.

“ Secretary Defensor is grossly liable for betraying public trust and for gravely insulting the collective intelligence of the Filipino people for submitting a wiretapped tape to an expert, which was deemed altered and manipulated by Palace political strategists before submitting it for authentication”, he said.

Pamalakaya reminded Secretary Defensor that his job is to protect the environment ravaged by transnational clients of Malacañang and not to protect the cheating President. He said instead of going after the big time illegal loggers, big mining corporations and large-scale destroyers of the Philippine environment, the DENR secretary is giving 99 percent of his time in defending the immoral, corrupt and criminal president.

“ Secretary Defensor is the young version of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, who will do anything, everything for Ms Arroyo in the name of their respective political careers and narrow interests”, the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 04:50 | link | comments (1) |

Thursday, 11 August 2005

Ermita “confirms” Palace plot to kill impeachment,says militant group

Ermita “confirms” Palace plot to kill impeachment,
says militant group

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita had officially announced Malacañang’s position yesterday at the beginning of the deliberations of the House Committee on Justice hearing the impeachment complaints that it wanted to slaughter the process at the committee level to prevent it from reaching the plenary and the Senate impeachment court.

This was the assessment of the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) after hearing Secretary Ermita yesterday that Palace won’t leave anything to chance when it comes to the impeachment filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“ If we read between the lines of Ermita’s statements the message is clear: Kill the impeachment at all cost. This was the marching order of Malacañang to pro-Arroyo lawmakers at the House of Representatives,” the group said in a press statement.

Ermita, a key official in the Macapagal-Arroyo cabinet explained the Malacañang position to retain Ms Arroyo in power till 2010 was the reason why the president’s allies in the Lower House are doing everything they can to ensure the President remains in power until her term ends in 2010.

Arroyo’s Executive Secretary taking cue from how deposed President Joseph Estrada was impeached did not discount the possibility of history repeating itself that is why President Arroyo while taking comfort on the fact that the majority of the political allies is with her, won’t take any chance after happened to expelled President Estrada in 2000.

“ The game plan is not to derail the impeachment process but to kill the impeachment at the committee level headed by House Committee chair Justice Simeon Datumanong, a staunch ally and reliable political operator of the Macapagal-Arroyo ruling clique at the lower house”, according to Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair.

Hicap said the intentional and arbitrary suspension of the House Committee on Justice deliberations on three impeachment complaints was part of the designed strategy on how to “ murder the impeachment process at the committee level”.

The House Committee on Justice will have to decide first on which of the three impeachment complaints will be tackled before determining if the compliant against Ms Arroyo is sufficient in form-- the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano, the amended impeachment complaint endorsed by 41 pro-impeachment solons and another impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Jose Rizalino Lopez

Hicap said the proposal of lawyer Pedro Ferrer, the president’s counsel, which is to dismiss the amended impeachment complaint endorsed by 41 pro-impeachment solons from the minority and party list blocs and another complaint filed by Atty. Jose Rizalino Ferrer, in favor of the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano was part of the grand design to send the entire impeachment process to the political slaughterhouse of Malacañang.

“ The gentleman’s agreement between Malacañang and the Speaker Jose de Venecia- Datumanong gangland in the House of Representatives is to kill the impeachment complaint at the committee level. These political charlatans can deny it to high heavens, but the public will not buy their recycled polemics”, he added.

“ Let this trial of the millennium proceed without any interference from the old-schooled political spoilers of the Macapagal-Arroyo camp. Sending Ms Arroyo to the impeachment court is the tall order of the day and this is the current patriotic duty every lawmaker should perform and accomplish,” the militant leader said.

Pamalakaya said the case People of the Philippines vs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is long overdue and the House of Representatives is hereby tasked by the Filipino people and the general public to move forward and immediately elevate the case to the impeachment court for trial.”

Pamalakaya’s Hicap warned House justice committee chair Maguindanao Rep. Datumanong of a major political backlash if he insists Palace terms and own set of rules in handling the impeachment complaint rather than follows the voice of the people eager to have the charges against Ms Arroyo tried before the Senate transforming itself into an impeachment court.

“ Datumanong and the cast of Arroyo’s extra-ordinary hooligans in the House of Representatives will pay a dear price for conniving with the Macapagal-Arroyo syndicate. The people will revolt against any act that would compromise the people’s quest for truth and justice. Nothing more, nothing less”, the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 00:36 | link | comments |

Wednesday, 10 August 2005

Pamalakaya slams Datumanong for attempted murder vs. impeachment complaints

Unilateral suspension of the House Committee on Justice deliberation of impeachment raps

Pamalakaya slams Datumanong for attempted murder vs. impeachment complaints

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday urged anti-impeachment lawmakers to transmit the case

‘ People of the Philippines vs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’ to the Senate for impeachment trial even if the House Committee on Justice suspended the first day of deliberations, which the group said was an attempted murder against the impeachment process.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap made the appeal after the House Committee on Justice chaired by Simeon Datumanong suspended this morning hearing on the impeachment complaints against President Arroyo this morning.

“ The attempted murder of Rep. Datumanong against the impeachment process on the first day of the deliberation is established and we will not allow him to escape for such a heinous crime”, the militant leader said.

Hicap added: “ Let this trial of the millennium proceed without any interference from the old-schooled political spoilers of the Macapagal-Arroyo camp. Sending Ms Arroyo to the impeachment court is the tall order of the day and this is the current patriotic duty every lawmaker should perform and accomplish.”

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the suspension of the hearing and the proposal of Rep. Datumanong to hold an executive session was a marching order sent by Malacañang not only to delay the process but also to kill the impeachment complaint at the committee level.

Hicap said: “ The case People of the Philippines vs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is long overdue and the House of Representatives is hereby tasked by the Filipino people and the general public to move forward and immediately elevate the case to the impeachment court for trial.”

The House Committee on Justice will have to decide first on which of the three impeachment complaints will be tackled before determining if the compliant against Ms Arroyo is sufficient in form-- the impeachment complaint filed by Atty. Oliver Lozano, the amended impeachment complaint endorsed by 41 pro-impeachment solons and other impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Jose Rizalino Lopez

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 06:58 | link | comments |

Tuesday, 09 August 2005

2 militant groups launched “ Piso laban sa Chacha”

2 militant groups launched “ Piso laban sa Chacha”

Stepping up their fight against the revived Charter Change, staunch allies Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) today launched “ Piso Laban sa Chacha”, a fund generation campaign to enable opponents of Chacha to finance its anti-charter change campaign and mass mobilizations.

KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos said the anti-Chacha campaign would be carried by their affiliates in 64 provinces and 15 regions nationwide.

“ The KMP’s 1.3 million strong membership across the country will provide the seed fund for the campaign. The objective is to raise more funds so we could provide material, financial and logistical support to all mass actions calling for charter change rejection, in support of the impeachment initiative at the House of Representatives and for President Arroyo’s ouster from power”, Ramos said.

For his part, Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said chapters of Pamalakaya in 43 provinces and 6 regions will also provide political support and supplemental technical resources to the Piso Laban sa Chacha campaign.

“ Pamalakaya would be KMP’s main partner in this politically correct and noble purpose of raising funds for the anti-charter change and anti-Arroyo protests in the national capital region and other parts of the country nationwide”, Hicap said.

The joint KMP and Pamalakaya anti-Chacha fund drive elicited support from Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women and Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), the biggest union of agricultural workers in the country and the agrarian support alliance National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates.

A peso and a signature

Aside from the asking a one-peso donation for the anti-Chacha campaign, leaders and mass members of KMP and Pamalakaya would also ask donors to affix their signatures in the all rural manifesto urging lawmakers and local government officials to junk Charter Change and support initiatives demanding for the resignation, impeachment and ouster of Ms Arroyo.

“ We want to prove to pro-Arroyo governors, mayors and lawmakers that the rural people oppose Chacha and detest their proposal to establish “ warlord republics” in case Ms Arroyo is ousted from Malacañang”, KMP’s Ramos said.

Pro-Arroyo governors earlier promised Malacañang that they would deliver 4.3 million signatures for the charter change campaign being pushed by Malacañang. A total of P 6.4 billion would be released by the government for the massive information drive on the proposed move to amend the 1987 charter in response to Ms Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) officially announcing the debate on Sona.

Picket, political ballroom tomorrow

Some 500 peasant and fisherfolk activists belonging to KMP, UMA, Amihan and Pamalakaya will stage a mass action at the main gate of the House of Representatives tomorrow in support of the impeachment initiative of anti-Arroyo lawmakers and against the revived move to amend the 18 year old constitution.

The peasant and fisherfolk activists would come from Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac City, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Binangonan and Montalban Rizal. They would be joined urban activists from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, party lists Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela Women’s Party, Migrante, Kilusang Mayo Uno and the government employees organization Courage.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said tomorrow the House Committee on Justice would start hearing the amended impeachment complaint filed against Ms Arroyo. “ We are prepared for a round-the-clock vigilance against the cruel intentions of the pro-Arroyo lawmakers to throw off the impeachment complaint and fast track the Chacha project of the ruling syndicate in Malacañang and House of Representatives, “ he said.

Ramos said KMP will sponsor a “ Political Ballroom against Charter Change and for the Ouster of Ms Arroyo tomorrow, 6:00 pm at the Abelardo Hall of the UP Diliman Campus. He said middle-aged and older activists from the ranks of peasants, workers, fisherfolk and urban poor would participate in the political dance drama showing the poor’s rejection of Chacha and for the establishment of the transition council as replacement to the soon-to-collapse regime of President Arroyo.

The KMP expects at least 50 pairs to participate in the political ballroom denouncing Chacha and demanding for the removal of Ms Arroyo from Malacañang. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:55 | link | comments (3) |

Sunday, 07 August 2005

PGMA neighbors in La Vista urged to disown her for transforming village into “ Mecca for jueteng payoffs”

PGMA neighbors in La Vista urged to disown her for transforming village into “ Mecca for jueteng payoffs”

Staunch critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday urged the president's neighbors in La Vista village in Quezon City to disown her for transforming the posh subdivision into a “ Mecca for jueteng payoffs”.

In a press statement, the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) asked officers and members of the La Vista homeowners’ association to issue a statement condemning President Arroyo and the First Family for giving La Vista a bad image and publicity over the alleged jueteng payoffs given to poll officials to ensure the election of victory of Ms Arroyo.

“ We appeal to the moral and political sense of the La Vista people to come to terms and issue a very strong political statement compelling Ms Arroyo to leave the village and assailing her for converting La Vista into a watering hole and payoff center of people with corrupt minds and corrupt practices. Ms Arroyo is a big disappointment to the rational and decent thinking people of La Vista”, said Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz.

“ La Vista is used to be a home for decent people and a low profile village, until Ms Arroyo came into the picture and made this place a launching pad for her syndicated climb to the presidency last year”, Corpuz added.

The group’s information chief lamented that the Arroyos had allowed the underworld group associated with Ms Arroyo’s inner circle to use La Vista as the new Mecca for jueteng payoff. Pamalakaya’s Corpuz said what happen sometime in January four months before the elections was a big affront to La Vista residents.

Advancing further, Corpuz suggested to La Vista neighbors of Ms Arroyo to conduct a signature campaign asking the Arroyos to leave the village and if they could go further, urge the embattled Chief Executive to step down in the name of truth and justice.

“ We know it is tough act to follow. But La Vista residents are strongly capable to contribute in the Filipino people’s struggle for truth and justice by doing their own share within their limited scope and political capacities”, he said.

Pamalakaya said critics of Ms Arroyo had considered La Vista as one of the rallying spots for the anti-Arroyo protesters following last week’s revelation of a former Palace staff turned whistle-blower that a total of P 30,000 each were given to poll officials who attended the La Vista meeting four months before the 2004 elections.

Earlier, Michael Angelo Zuce, a trusted staff of Palace former political liaison officer Joey Rufino who testified before the Senate inquiry on jueteng payoffs last week, said Ms Arroyo had direct knowledge of the jueteng payoffs to Comelec officials at the La Vista residence of the President allegedly given Lilia Pineda, wife of suspected gambling lord Bong Pineda.

Zuce said the alleged bribery of poll officials courtesy of jueteng money was done with full consent and approval of President Arroyo. He said Comelec regional directors and provincial election supervisors were gathered by Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano at the La Vista residence of Ms Arroyo. Also present during that time was defeated Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. who was set to testify in next week’s Senate hearing on jueteng payola. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:25 | link | comments (5) |

Militants to kick off nationwide signature drive vs. Chacha

Militants to kick off nationwide signature drive vs. Chacha

Four of the biggest rural-based organizations “ will kick off a nationwide signature drive against Charter Change (Chacha), according to the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the groups leading the anti-Chacha campaign.

The three other groups- Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and Amihan-National Federation of Peasant Women will join Pamalakaya in the across-the-nation, across-the-country anti-Chacha campaign, according to Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

“ Oust Gloria, Yes to Transition Council, No to Gloria’s Chacha would be the official rallying call of the rural movement against Ms Arroyo and Charter Change”, Hicap said, adding that the campaign will take place in at least 64 farming and 43 fishing provinces across the country encompassing 15 farming and 6 fishing regions nationwide.

Staunch allies of President Arroyo at the House of Representatives are gearing to open the debate on Chacha by introducing the controversial piece of legislation this week.

Pamalakaya said their chapters would join forces with KMP, Amihan and UMA local affiliates in the provinces and regions, and these local groups would be transformed into campaign machineries for the anti-Chacha and Oust Gloria drive in the localities.

“ We will make it sure that it is the end of the road of Gloria and Chacha. Any proposal for political and economic reforms, including Charter Change shall be undertaken in the post-Arroyo period under the transition government”, the group added.

Hicap said the signature campaign would match Malacañang’s P 6.4 B pro-Chacha offensive, which will be undertaken by local government officials allied with President Arroyo in cooperation with presidential allies at the House of Representatives.

Press Secretary and Palace spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said Malacañang’s propaganda offensive on Charter Change would be undertaken to make it more acceptable to the people after a recent Pulse Asia survey says that 7 out of 10 Filipinos are opposed to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Bunye said the government’s nationwide information campaign would give people an overview regarding the advantage of Chacha and the proposed shift in the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. He said the idea is to explain to ordinary Filipinos the necessity of changing the 18-year old charter.

In her last State of the Nation Address (Sona), the President officially announced the debate on Chacha, which were applauded by allies in the House of Representatives led by House Speaker Jose de Venecia. The Philippine Senate said Chacha would be outrightly junked by the Senate if Ms Arroyo pushes Constituent Assembly as the mode in changing the 1987 constitution.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap did not give any exact figure on the number of signatures the anti-Chacha campaigners wish to gather during the signature drive. However, the militant leader said their group would try to surpass the 4.3 million-signature targets of local government officials allied with Ms Arroyo.

“ We will give our best shots and present to the public the real sentiment of the people in the countryside regarding Ms Arroyo’s continued stay in power and her Chacha project. But one thing is for sure, we would not allow Gloria and her political bubble gang to manipulate public opinion at the expense of the collective interest of the people”, the leftist leader added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:24 | link | comments |

Thursday, 04 August 2005

6 Palace officials named as Arroyo's political bubble gang

Militants name 6 Palace officials as members of Arroyo’s

“political bubble gang”

Executive Sec. Ermita, DENR Sec. Defensor, DoJ Sec. Gonzales, PMS chief Tiglao, NSA Norberto Gonzales and Press Secretary Bunye join GMA in leftist group’s hate list

A group calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice-President Noli de Castro on Thursday named six of Ms Arroyo’s most trusted men in the Cabinet to its’ hate list.

The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) named Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Environment and Natural Resources Sec. Michael Defensor, Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Presidential Management Staff chief Rigoberto Tiglao, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Press Secretary and palace spokesperson Ignacio Bunye to its’ hall of shame awardees which Ms Arroyo topped for four consecutive years.

“ The six cabinet members led by Sec. Ermita and Justice Secretary Gonzales shall be known as the political bubble gang of Ms Arroyo who would be remembered by the Filipino people as equally evil as Ms Arroyo”, said Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz, adding that the six officials played their roles to the hilt as apologists of an immoral and anti-people President currently embroiled in the twin scandal of jueteng payola and Gloriagate tape.

The group’s spokesperson has definite description for each of the Palace officials named in Pamalakaya’s hate list. Corpuz described Secretary Ermita as the psy war specialist in Malacañang dressed in executive garb that is tasked to execute the campaign of repression and demonization among critics of the present administration.

“ If Ermita’s task is to orchestrate the campaign of repression and demonization, Justice Sec. Gonzales’ role is the open point person task to deliver the campaign of vilification to the public and mass media”, Corpuz said.

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz said Gonzales shares the same role with PMS chief Tiglao, security adviser Gonzales, Press Secretary Bunye. “ They play supporting character roles next to Justice Gonzales and they are spare tires to Gonzales known for sowing intrigues and malicious attacks against the president’s critics and the broad anti-Arroyo movement.

He said Sec. Defensor essays a different role, which is to defend Ms Arroyo from critics coming the ranks of professional and business sectors. Corpuz further said Defensor is the political jolog among the president’s league of extra-ordinary apologists.

“ However, the efforts of Malacañang’s political bubble gang failed to convince the public that Ms Arroyo is clean and should be trusted to lead the country until 2010. Surveys conducted by independent pollsters show that the president is definitely on her way out of Malacañang”, he added.

Pamalakaya said the political bubble gang failed to change the rising tide of political isolation on Ms Arroyo by the Filipino people citing the latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia from July 2 to July 14 where President Arroyo’s approval rating dropped to 19 percent from 25 percent last June. The group said the President’s disapproval rating rose to 58 percent from 46 percent during the same period.

“ The latest Pulse Asia survey shows that is the officially the end of the road for Ms Arroyo and VP de Castro and the Arroyo political bubble gang led by Ermita and Sec. Gonzales. It is about time for President Arroyo to accept defeat and admit that she is bound to lose the presidency to the transition council being eyed to replace her unwanted and detested regime”, the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:13 | link | comments |

170 anti-impeachment solons told: Be patriots not GMA cohorts

Leftist group eyes hate campaign against anti-impeachment lawmakers

170 anti-impeachment solons told: Be patriots not GMA cohorts

A left-leaning fisherfolk group on Thursday urged the 170 pro-administration solons at the Lower House to cross party lines and allow the impeachment case filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to reach the Senate at the soonest time possible.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) today made the appeal after Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita confirmed yesterday that 170 members of the House of Representatives had signed a document that they would block any move to send Ms Arroyo to the Senate impeachment trial.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia even gave a bigger number saying 186 not 170 of the 236 members of the House of Representatives had pledged to kill the impeachment bid at the level of the House Committee on Justice level whatever the evidence presented before the said committee.

“ We appeal to pro-administration solons to rise above the occasion, shun partisan politics, act like patriots in the name of people’s interest and refrain from performing their roles as cohorts of the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo circle in Malacañang”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

While Pamalakaya’s Hicap made an appeal to pro-Arroyo congressmen to go beyond partisan politics, the leftist leader berated Speaker de Venecia and the ringleaders of the pro-Arroyo group in the House of Representatives for obscuring the path towards truth and justice.

“ Speaker de Venecia is one shameless political animal. A Jurassic traditional politician ready to sell his soul no matter what happen”, the militant leader said.

The militant leader said they would secure a copy of the names of anti-impeachment solons at the House of Representatives, adding that they might conduct a national hate campaign against pro-Arroyo lawmakers who would frustrate a “ politically correct move” that would send Ms Arroyo to a national trial on charges of election fraud, corruption, betrayal of public trust and national interest and political repression.

“ The Filipino people will not allow the tyranny of numbers to defeat a noble crusade for regime change. The parliament of the street will dictate and decide the fate of the cheating regime in Malacañang, not Arroyo’s army of hooligans masquerading as lawmakers”, Hicap said.

Pamalakaya is one of the groups calling for the ouster of Ms Arroyo through another exercise of popular uprising similar to People Power I and People Power 2. However, the group is also supporting the impeachment initiative at the House of Representatives led by 41 lawmakers, mostly from the minority group and activist party list representatives.

The leftist fisherfolk group said Ms Arroyo’s ouster this year is highly probable given the series of unfolding events characterized by series of big anti-Arroyo rallies and high impact events starting July 8 when on that single day 10 cabinet members of President Arroyo tendered their resignations and when ex-President Corazon Aquino announced on national TV that the President should resign and top leaders of Liberal Party led by Senate President Franklin Drilon bolted out of the ruling coalition and asked Ms Arroyo to step down. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:11 | link | comments |

Wednesday, 03 August 2005

Mussomeli, a big fat liar, says leftist group

For saying PGMA as brilliant, tenacious

Mussomeli, a big fat liar, says leftist group

Leaders of the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) have harsh words for outgoing US Charge’ d Affaires Joseph Mussomeli for describing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a very brilliant and tenacious leader who can turn the crisis around positively for the country.

“ He is a big fat liar. The King of All Congenital Liars”, said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement. “ Mussomeli is merely appeasing Ms Arroyo, the way master makes fun of his puppet”, the leftist leader added.

Hicap said contrary to Mussomeli’s “ bold prediction” that Ms Arroyo, who is currently embroiled in the twin scandal of jueteng payola and Gloriagate tapes will survive the present challenge to her administration, the embattled regime of President Arroyo is on the brink of collapse and it is highly probable that the downfall of her administration will take place before the end of the year.

“ This political condition and logical conclusion of the fast-shaping events in the national scene is being denied to the highest level by the likes of Mussomeli and Ms Arroyo because both are allergic to the prospect of another People Power”, the militant leader said.

Hicap was convinced that Mussomeli was merely consoling Ms Arroyo just to assure her that the United States would still take care of her and her family once the people take the streets to boot her out of Malacañang, although Washington was still pushing for an amicable and peaceful transfer of power from Arroyo to another clique of the ruling class in vain attempt to stop the people from launching another popular revolt, which is unpopular to Washington D.C.

The US diplomat yesterday said opinion polls and public mood swings were always a fickle suggesting that the embattled President Arroyo should move forward with her reforms and reach out her enemies.

Malacañang was very thankful to Mussomeli for his well-intentioned but unsolicited advice that President Arroyo would whether the gathering political storm is she implemented her desired political and economic reforms. The outgoing US diplomat received the Order of Sikatuna award during a farewell party hosted by Foreign affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap argued that Mussomeli’s statements praising Ms Arroyo was part of US plot to downplay if not sabotage the increasing sentiment among the Filipino people to stage another popular uprising in the tradition of People Power I and People Power II to remove President Arroyo from power.

“ Mussomeli hates People Power because Washington does not like another popular uprising to take the center stage in resolving the current political crisis. It is for the status quo. But People Power hates Mussomeli and Ms Arroyo and the present regime of puppetry, greed, corruption, brutality and fraud, that’s why Mussomeli is performing the damage control to resolve the crisis along the framework of status quo and narrow constitutional means”, the leftist leader added.

However, Pamalakaya said the US is ready to dump Ms Arroyo anytime like what they did to former dictator-president Ferdinand Marcos during the turbulent years of the Marcos regime because like Marcos, Arroyo’s prolong stay in power would not solve the present political turmoil facing the country, which Washington admits in discreet manner, would affect US political, military and economic interests in the country.

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:03 | link | comments (1) |

Militants dare PGMA to take lie detector test with Zuce

Militants dare PGMA to take lie detector test with Zuce

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday dared President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to take a lie detector test together with former Palace political operator turned whistle-blower Michael Angelo Zuce.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap posed the challenge to Ms Arroyo a day after Zuce told the public that he was very much willing to undergo a lie detector test to prove his allegations that President Arroyo used jueteng payola to bribe poll officials to help her rig the last year’s presidential elections.

“ Let’s have a face off between Ms Arroyo, the chief of the ruling mafia in Malacañang and Zuce, a trusted protégé who spilled the beans against her Chief Executive and members of her political bubble gang in Comelec and Malacañang”, Hicap said.

The militant leader said an independent group should undertake the lie detector test for the President and Mr. Zuce, saying the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation would not render fair and square judgment because these agencies are currently dominated by people close and loyal to Ms Arroyo.

“ Of course, we would be committing a national foul play if we entrust the President’s lie detector test to her loyalists in the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police. That’s another travesty of justice”, Hicap stressed.

Hicap advanced the extra challenge despite the statement of denial issued by Zuce’s former boss, ex-Palace political liaison officer Joey Rufino that there was no truth to his ex-staff’s claim that Ms Arroyo knew that bribes were given to Comelec officials at her La Vista residence in Quezon City to rig the May 10, 2004 polls in favor of Ms Arroyo.

“ We cannot accept Ms Arroyo and Mr. Rufino’s statements of denial on the issue, much more take these written and oral polemics in their face values. Malacañang is such a big house of denials occupied currently by the Macapagal-Arroyo ruling circle. As for Mr. Rufino, we hope for his speedy recovery and sudden change of heart and mind for the good of this country”, Pamalakaya said.

The militant group likewise berated the policy of the Presidential Palace to stonewall the specific issues raised against the Macapagal-Arroyo presidency regarding controversial Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and Zuce.

Press Secretary and Palace spokesperson Ignacio Bunye yesterday refused to comment on Garcillano and Zuce, especially on specifics allegations against Ms Arroyo, although Malacañang had already issued a statement denying Zuce’s eyewitness account of Ms Arroyo’s meeting with Comelec regional directors and provincial election supervisors at her La Vista resident four days before the May 10, 2004 elections.

“ They cannot stop the national inquiry on this issue. Definitely Malacañang cannot silence the public from invoking their right to know the truth and Ms Arroyo and her political propagandists have no way out but to confront the issue day-by-day and blow-by-blow”, Pamalakaya added.

The group said the refusal of Malacañang to comment on the specific issues against Ms Arroyo concerning jueteng payola and vote rigging merely confirmed Zuce’s eyewitness account. #

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