By LUIS V. TEODORO Vantage Point | BusinessWorld Reacting to demands that he fire Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima for, among other reasons, the involvement of policemen in robberies, extortion, kidnapping, even murder and other crimes, President Benigno Aquino III declared that “there have always been ‘scalawags’ in the police.” That statement implied…
Month: October 2014
Investigating mining pollution and plunder in Nueva Vizcaya
By Karl Begnotea Bulatlat.com The abundant natural resources and biologically diverse ecosystems of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, known as the Watershed Haven of Cagayan Valley, are greatly imperiled by foreign large-scale mining and militarization. I witnessed this environmental disaster slowly unfolding as part of an Environmental Investigative Mission (EIM) last April 2014, along with…
Funny but murderous thoughts while stuck in traffic
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com On the Fringes WATERWORLD, Philippines — For the past few days, thunderstorms, occuring usually late in the afternoon, have resulted to heavy flooding and traffic, leaving many “bosses” of this administration, at least here in Metro Manila, either stranded or forced to wade through the filthy flood water, or…
Prosecute Army unit for ‘war crimes’ in Abra – fact-finding mission team
“The military positioned themselves among us civilians. We did not want them to join us, but they insisted. We did not want to go to with them back to the Poblacion but they forced us.” – A Lacub resident interviewed by the National Solidarity Mission to Abra
No justice, no peace | Church workers remember Bishop Alberto Ramento
“The Church once more expresses its deep disappointment towards the country’s judicial system. We note that despite wide media attention, despite the publicly announced promises of national police officers to solve the crime, and despite the proximity of the crime scene to Hacienda Luisita owned by the president’s family; the mediocre case of robbery with homicide turned out to a complete sham with the case dismissal handed down by the Tarlac City Regional Trial Court in June 4. 2014.”
Radio workers go on strike to defend their jobs, union
“We will not make compromises on the matter of our job security and our right to unionize. We will not allow RMN to accomplish its ultimate objective of busting our union and depriving us of our rights arising from being unionized.”
The failed promises of privatization
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Privatization, by whatever name – Build-Operate-Transfer or Public-Private Partnerships – was touted to be the solution to the inefficient, monopolistic management by government of public utilities and services. It was supposed to be the opposite of how the dictator Marcos monopolized and profited from basic utilities such as electricity, water,…
Luisita farmers slam ‘labor laws-compliant eco-zone’ marker
“The Cojuangco-Aquinos are hell-bent on maintaining control of the Luisita estate and in implementing their grand master plan to convert the sugar plantation into a giant commercial hub, in contempt and complete reversal of the 2012 Supreme Court decision for total land distribution.”– Florida Sibayan, chair of the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang-Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala)
Demolition turned us into activists — North Triangle residents
“I would have never been an activist if the government did not tear down our homes.” — Estrelieta Bagasbas, chairwoman of September 23 Movement
Chemical workers call for support against union harassment, 16 hour-work
The company suspended Collective Bargaining Agreement talks after the union and other workers held a protest action on July 16 denouncing the 16-hour work and forced overtime in the company.
Bayan rues ‘End of an era’ as Aquino privatizes LRT 1
“We maintain that the concession agreement is grossly disadvantageous to the public. It will be disastrous for commuters.” – Renato Reyes, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan