News
Torture by RPA-ABB condemned
KARAPATAN-Negros condemned the torture by RPA-ABB elements of two suspected New People's Army (NPA) members in two incidents in Cadiz City on August 7 and 12.
In a statement sent to the media, KARAPATAN-Negros said their investigations have proven that two of the captives, Alexander Pelayo of Cadiz City and Rene Santisteban of San Carlos City, were tortured by RPAABB elements. The two others were identified as Rodney Ilustrisimo, 20, and Richard Gayo, 26, both from Hacienda Pula, Barangay E. Lopez, Silay City.
Pelayo was hit with a rattan stick, kicked and hit with the butt of an M16 rifle. Not satisfied, the RPA men fired a gun near Pelayo's ear. Meanwhile, Santisteban was hit in the head. KARAPATAN said that the four captives were handcuffed, blindfolded and threatened with death while undergoing interrogation by their captors.
Al-Ghozi hunt a pretext to militarize Moro communities
THE National Democratic Front in Western Mindanao (NDF-WMR) strongly condemned the AFP's use of the hunt for escaped terrorist Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi as a pretext to push the all-out terrorist war in Mindanao and scuttle the peace talks between the Arroyo regime and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In a statement on August 28, NDF-WMR spokesperson Adan Sindapan said that Al-Ghozi's escape from Camp Crame in July was stagemanaged to provide the AFP with an excuse to launch fierce military operations in Moro communities and violate the Moro people's human rights.
Sindapan disclosed that elements of Charlie Coy, Task Force Tabak of the 1st Infantry Division killed three unarmed civilians on August 7 when they attacked Barangay Bauyan, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte ostensibly to pursue Al-Ghozi. The AFP also burned down the houses and food supplies of hundreds of civilians who fled during the shooting. Five out of eight non-combat MILF personnel abducted by soldiers from the area were summarily executed. They were identified as Mahmod Esmail, Jeran Ulanda, Gayson Ulanda, Sapra Bago and Siddiq Edris. They were first detained at the 1st Infantry Division headquarters in Upper Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur before being killed. The other prisoners Sakib Esmail, Mohmin Abdul and Rasul Hasim have yet to be surfaced. Meanwhile, Hadji Yunos Esmail, Sakib Esmail's brother, was also abducted on August 19 in Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
The NDF-WMR called on all patriotic and progressive forces in Mindanao to expose and oppose the continuing abductions and summary executions of ordinary and innocent Moro civilians in the name of the "war against terrorism" pushed by the US-Arroyo regime.
Anakpawis pushes for GATT repeal
THE Anakpawis party-list group recently called on the Senate to repeal the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) advanced by Pres. Gloria Arroyo when she was still senator and ratified by the senate in 1994.
Anakpawis and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chair Rafael "Ka Paeng" Mariano made the call in a forum in Quezon City on August 22.
He said that in the eight years the Philippines spent within the GATT and World Trade Organization (WTO) framework, the country gained nothing but hardships. Several million lost their jobs, the trade deficit swelled to $5.2 billion, and many farmers went bankrupt due to the dumping of cheap agricultural imports.
The country's repeal of GATT, said Anakpawis vice chair Carmen "Lola Mameng" Deunida, is the first step towards bolting the US imperialist-led WTO.
Order on ampalaya assailed
ANGER and resistance met a Department of Health (DOH) order to doctors and health workers to stop prescribing ampalaya-based medicines as supplementary drugs for diabetes.
Doctors and health workers say the order will merely worsen the situation of many diabetics who rely on such medicines because they could not afford expensive drugs manufactured by giant companies.
Many patients and even doctors have attested to the positive effect of ampalaya on the health of diabetics.
Doctors says that they see the hand of foreign drug companies behind the DOH order. The drug companies wish to disparage or disregard local herbal medicines because the latter have cut into the companies' sales and profits in the country. Herbal medicines earned up to P800 million in 2002.
Gen. Reyes resigns from post
GEN. Angelo Reyes resigned as Secretary of National Defense on August 28, just two days after he arrogantly said that he would never step down from his post.
Gen. Reyes is known as Pres. Arroyo's handler with respect to the implementation of the all-out war against the revolutionary movement and US imperialist polices like the Visiting Forces Agreement, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and the Balikatan exercises, among others.
Gen. Reyes is the second official of the Arroyo government to resign after the failed mutiny of 300 junior officer and soldiers on July 27. Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, Gen. Victor Corpus had earlier resigned. Reyes' resignation is a desperate step to curb the severe attacks on the Arroyo administration.
Reyes also wishes to evade accusations that he and Gen. Corpus were behind the bombings in Mindanao, and that he is likewise involved in various anomalies.
Armed resistance erupts anew in Nepal
THE armed struggle led by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [CPN(M)] was rekindled after its peace talks with the Nepali monarchy collapsed on August 27.
On August 31, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) attacked a police station in Chapiya, 300 kilometers west of the capital Kathmandu. Four policemen were killed and weapons and ammunition seized in the attack. Two other tactical offensives were launched by the PLA in other areas that same day.
The CPN(M) engaged in negotiations for seven months. The reactionary Nepali government, however, obstinately refused to remove the CPN(M) and organizations under its leadership from the list of "terrorists." The CPN(M) also criticized the US' intervention in the peace process.
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