News
14th IB troops ambushed in Eastern Samar
Red fighters ambushed a group of soldiers from the 14th IB on April 27. The tactical offensive was launched in Barangay Can-iray, Can-avid, Eastern Samar. A sergeant was killed in the ambush.
Bus company punished in Capiz
The Coronacion Chiva-Watling-Waling Command of Panay meted punishment on Ceres Bus Lines because of its refusal to abide by the policies of the revolutionary movement on taxation. The punitive action was conducted in Barangay Banate, Pontevedra, Capiz on April 19 with the burning of a Ceres passenger bus worth P2.4 million.
Death of 15 civilians in Oriental Mindoro condemned
Karapatan's Southern Tagalog chapter has condemned the death of at least 15 civilians and the wounding of an undetermined number after the military fired heavy artillery at Barangay Caramaguit, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on May 16. According to Karapatan, elements of the 2nd Scout Ranger company fired howitzer shells at the barangay from early morning till past noon during pursuit operations against a New People's Army unit. The rights group said that the continuing operations have spilled over to the nearby barangays of Comunal and Baluingayo in Calapan City.
Only two bodies have been recovered because the military continues to prevent the media and members of human rights organizations from entering the area. Karapatan also reported the death of three Red fighters in the brutal operation.
Anti-minority order criticized by Ibalois
Ibalois from Benguet criticized in the first week of May Administrative Order No. 3 (AO 3 series of 2002) of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). AO 3 will be used to purchase the ancestral lands of the Ibalois so they could be ejected and the implementation of the $1.1 billion San Roque Multipurpose Dam Project in Itogon, Benguet forcibly implemented. The new order states that the NCIP shall have the final say in granting permission to corporations to exploit natural resources within ancestral lands, despite opposition from affected minority communities.
CAFGU harassment condemned in Surigao del Sur
Members of the Bad-as Integrated Stewardship Development Cooperative (Bisdeco), a farmers' organization in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, condemned their harassment at the hands of CAFGU elements. According to Bisdeco, CAFGU elements approached them while they were planting trees in Barangay Manyayay on April 20, held them at gunpoint, threatened them with bodily harm and accused them of being NPA supporters. In a petition filed with the Sangguniang Bayan of Lianga, Bisdeco members demanded that the CAFGU be prohibited from entering Manyayay.
Malampaya operations opposed
The Buklurang Lakas ng Mangingisda, a group of fishermen from Mindoro, opposed the operations of the Malampaya oilfields because of its adverse effects on their livelihood. They said that their fish catch has been practically reduced by half since the project started its operations in Palawan.
Masinloc Power Plant barricaded
Some 2,000 residents of Barangay Bani, Masinloc, Zambales charged into the Masinloc Coal-fired Thermal Power Plant before midnight of May 5 to demand compensation for the plant's forcible occupation of their lands. The residents barricaded major approaches to the plant while 20 banca (dugout canoe) operators patrolled the streets between the plant and the China Sea. The mass action temporarily paralyzed the plant's operations. The Masinloc Coal-fired Thermal Power Plant is one of the biggest suppliers of electricity to the entire island of Luzon.
Congress to probe Bayan Muna suppression
One-hundred fourteen congressmen supported a resolution calling for an investigation of state suppression of the Bayan Muna (BM) party. The resolution was filed by BM congress representative Satur Ocampo.
According to Ocampo, there have been 64 documented cases of human rights violations against BM members and supporters from February 2001 to April 2002. Most of the cases occurred in Southern Tagalog, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Central Luzon and Bicol. More than 75% of the violations were perpetrated by the military, police and CAFGU elements.
Implication of BAYAN in bombings condemned
Karapatan condemned the military's attempts to implicate three innocent civilians and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) in the April 21 bombing incident in General Santos City. According to Karapatan, one day before the bombings that claimed the lives of 15 persons and wounded 60 others took place, armed men in masks raided the Pasa Sambao Clinic where Jejhon Macalinsal, Abubakar Amilhasan and Arsul Ginta were and which also served as the BAYAN headquarters in General Santos City. Macalinsal was forced at gunpoint to call in a bomb threat to the Bayantel office. A day after the bombing, the police announced that the source of the bomb threat had been traced to the BAYAN office, and arrested the three men. On May 9, however, the police announced, without any accompanying explanation, that they had already captured the real culprits.
Congressmen scramble over funds
Congressmen manifested their greed this May as they quarrelled over the distribution of funds for infrastructure. The congressmen demanded that the P34.8 billion funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways be divided equally instead of being allotted on the basis of the districts' particular needs. With this approved, they once again proposed that the amount be fattened up with P3 billion from the infrastructure budgets of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Reform. The congressmen made such insistent demands because they are able to pocket up to more than 50% of the infrastructure budgets for their districts in the form of kickbacks.
Case vs. Marcoses lost due to technicality
Due to a mere technicality, a 15-year case against the Marcoses involving ownership of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) was lost on May 6. Government prosecutors could not prove before the Sandiganbayan that the Marcoses were the true owners of PLDT because all the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG) was able to present as evidence were photocopies and not original documents. Karapatan roundly criticized the PCGG for its negligence.
Garment exports fall
Garment exports fell from January to April because of a near-25% reduction in garment imports by the US from the Philippines. The reduction was attributed to American buyers' shift to low-cost textiles and apparel. As a result, many garments factories are expected to close down, and up to 400,000 workers slated to lose their jobs by 2004.
US adds Libya, Syria and Cuba to list of target states
The US added in the first week of May, the names of Libya, Syria and Cuba to its list of target states. Prior to this, the US had already branded Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the "axis of evil", pinpointing them as leading targets for attacks and repression due to their anti-US stands.
US rejects international court
The Bush administration formally refused on May 6 to support the International Criminal Court, a permanent international judicial body that shall try persons who had perpetrated war crimes, genocide and other crimes against humanity. The US openly admitted to fears that the court could be used to try culpable American officials and military personnel.
Many other international treaties had also been rejected by the US due to adverse effects on its economic and military interests. Among the agreements recently rebuffed by the US are the anti-ballistic missile proliferation treaty and the Kyoto accord which calls for the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
French people take action against Le Pen
More than a million people trooped to the streets on May 1 in various parts of France to protest the candidacy of ultra-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen and the growing fascist trend that he represents. In Paris, more than 250,000 people rallied while up to 900,000 massed up in other cities of France. Among them were labor groups that expressed solidarity for the people's calls against Le Pen and against capitalism and fascism. The French people expressed concern over Le Pen's stunning victory in the country's electoral preliminaries. Similar demonstrations were also held in Switzerland and Belgium. Due to strong antifascist and antiracist sentiments, Le Pen was defeated by Jacques Chirac in the election's second and final leg.
Ariel Sharon forced to withdraw troops from Gaza Strip
Israel prime minister Ariel Sharon was forced on May 13 to withdraw an impending attack on the Gaza Strip after more than 60,000 Israelis rallied against it. The impending attack was a reaction by the fascist Israeli cabinet to the latest suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
Likewise, after being pelted with criticism and condemnation, Israel was compelled to forge an agreement with Palestine and free the Palestinian armed men and civilians who had been under siege at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. On May 9, Israel agreed to enter into an agreement on condition that 13 men among the Palestinians inside the church who were wanted in Israel would go into exile in Europe. The others were allowed to leave.
Despite strong international condemnation of Israel's attacks, the US has fully suported the former's actions. In May, the US senate and congress passed a resolution supporting these fascist acts as "counter-terrorist measures" and allotted more military aid to Israel.
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