NEWS AT A GLANCE

P4-B contract with U.S. telecom giant seen as special gift for Bush visit

Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance) last week questioned the P4-billion contract with giant telecommunications provider Lucent Technologies for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In her recent trip to the U.S., President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asked Lucent to prepare a proposal for the modernization program of the AFP.

A CNN report in July 1999 cited then Texas Governor George W. Bush as a stockholder of Lucent Technologies. Lucent was also a big campaign contributor to Bush’s presidential bid and Bush’s Republican party.

In a statement, Bayan spokesperson Renato M. Reyes, Jr. said, “It appears that the government is all set to hand over a juicy P4 billion ($90.9 million) contract to a major Bush ally and contributor.   “The timing could not have been more perfect. The Arroyo administration is going out of its way to please Bush Junior and to make his visit to the Philippines as profitable as possible.”

Lucent Technologies has been listed by Fortune 500 magazine as the 76th most profitable corporation in the world in 2002.

However, Bayan revealed that Lucent Technologies is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice after being sued by a Saudi telecommunications firm for alleged bribery of a Saudi official from 1995-2002. Lucent was said to have paid more than $15 million in bribes during the said period. Also in 2001, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also investigated Lucent for possible fraudulent accounting practices.

Reyes said, “There is more than enough reason for the Philippine government to be more circumspect before entering into a huge contract with a US firm whose corporate integrity is being questioned by its own government. ““How could Arroyo not have known this? The sudden rush to secure the deal makes everything suspect.”

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Consumer group asks: Who’s paying Meralco’s multi-million refund ads? 

Fearing that consumers could be made to shoulder the multi-million advertising blitz of Manila Electric Company, a consumer advocacy group has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to compel the private utility firm to open its books for scrutiny. 

Meralco has gone on an advertising offensive to inform the public of the on-going refund which emanated from some P30-billion overcharges since 1998.  

The National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms (Nasecore) said that while it does not question the advertising campaign itself, Meralco should prove that it has not charged the cost to consumers. 

Nasecore president Pete Ilagan asked,  “We want to know who is paying this tri-media campaign?  Is it paid by Meralco stockholders or just conveniently passed-on to consumers like almost all expenses of Meralco.” 

The consumer group also emphasized that Meralco should explain as well how it computed the refund of the consumers.  

Ilagan also said, “Meralco’s massive tri-media campaign creates an impression that Meralco is making the refund out of the goodness of its heart.” 

“The media campaign is inaccurate by omission in that it fails to make reference to the Supreme Court decision on the refund,” he said.

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Another Bayan Muna regional officer abducted in Cebu 

Cebu City – Another Bayan Muna (People First) regional officer was abducted along Osmeña Blvd., this city, Sept. 26 at around 7 p.m. by suspected agents of Philippine National Police (PNP).

Mario Auxillo was on his way home from a meeting of the Bayan Muna Chapter in Sitio (village) Riverside, Inawayan, Cebu when a heavily-tinted, dark green L-300 van with no license plate, suddenly pulled over. Armed plainclothesmen believed to be members of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) jumped out of the van and hauled Auxillo inside.

The abductors took him to a safe house near the Mactan Airbase in Lapu-Lapu City where he was interrogated about the activities of the New People's Army (NPA) and Bayan Muna until the evening of the following day. 

The victim was allegedly only given a few pieces of bread for food the day after his abduction and was subsequently released that evening.

In a statement, Bayan Muna-Cebu chapter said that “the recent harassment is part of Oplan Bantay-Laya, an anti-insurgency program aimed against perceived enemies of the state such the Partylist Group Bayan Muna and other legitimate people's organizations and non-governmental organizations.”

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Probe on Marcellana-Gumanoy murder delayed;
alleged mastermind named deputy commander

The justice department’s preliminary investigation on the killings of Southern Luzon leader-activists Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy has been postponed thrice.

Marcellana and Gumanoy were abducted and killed on April 22 in Bansud, Mindoro Oriental (a province in an island in southern Luzon) by suspected agents of the 204^th Brigade of the Philippine Army.

M/Sgt. Donald Caigas, one of the alleged abductors, failed to present a counter-affidavit to the sworn statements of witnesses. Caigas’ lawyer Hobard Cocadiz asked for another extension.

Orly Marcellana, widower of Eden, said, “Wala silang konsiderasyon sa naiwang pamilya, asawa at mga anak.”  (They have no consideration for the families)” Talagang ipinapakita lamang nito ang kung anong klaseng tao ang mga sundalong ito lalo na ang  kanilang komander na si Palparan.”  (This only shows what kind of people these soldiers are, especially their commander [Col. Jovito] Palparan)

Irein Cuasay, spokesperson of human rights group Karapatan-Southern Tagalog, condemned the recent appointment of Palparan as deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Palparan was transferred to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal (a province south of Manila).  His promotion to brigadier general was deferred due to massive people’s protest.

In a separate statement, Rev. Armando Perez, chairperson of Karapatan-Rizal, said that Palparan’s appointment only shows how President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo supports the ‘systematic repression of human rights.’ 

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Filipinos in Europe call for GMA’s ouster

Filipino migrants in Europe recently called for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In a statement, Filipino organizations MigranteEurope, Bayan International, UMANGAT and LAMPADA denounced Macapagal-Arroyo’s “public relations campaign and junket trip” around Europe. 

While Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo spends taxpayers’ money in her tour, her government has no funds for Filipino migrants in need, the statement said.

The groups further said Filipino migrants are being made as milking cows by the foreign affairs department and Philippine embassies abroad. 

They also criticized Macapagal-Arroyo’s “massive corruption and state-sponsored terrorism.”

The groups said that if they do not succeed in overthrowing the Macapagal-Arroyo presidency before 2004, they would frustrate Macapagal-Arroyo’s reelection.

Bulatlat.com

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