The farmers filed charges of murder, frustrated and attempted murder, torture and physical injuries, illegal arrest and detention and other violations of civil and political rights, including the right to peaceful assembly and redress of grievances.
Month: April 2016
The man or woman who would be president
The highlight of the May 9, 2016 national and local elections is arguably the election for president. The Comelec is supposedly helping voters to choose by co-sponsoring with media conglomerates three Presidential Debates. But because of time constraints, and perhaps weaknesses in the format, the five candidates for president hardly had the time to elaborate on their respective programs of government. Television viewers were merely treated to colorful mudslinging and vapid motherhood statements.
The coverage of the media on the candidates, on the other hand, has focused more on what has been happening during the campaign sorties of the candidates.
To do its share in helping the public in making an informed choice, The following are Bulatlat’s short articles on each of the five presidential candidates, focusing on their track record. After all, as they say, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” A cliche but nevertheless true.
Miriam Defensor-Santiago | Will the Dragon Lady spew fire on third try for presidency?
Notorious for spitting fire on controversial issues and against her detractors, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago tails in the presidential race.
Grace Poe| Does her ‘gobyernong may puso’ offer an alternative to ‘trapo politics’?
Being a political newbie has worked both for Poe’s advantage and disadvantage.
Rodrigo ‘Digong’ Duterte | Will his penchant for shooting from the hip propel him to the presidency?
During the first presidential debate, he said, “Criminals, well, I go after them…As long as I do it in accordance with the rules of law, I will continue to kill criminals.”
Jejomar Binay | Man for the masses or just another ‘trapo’?
In his website, Jejomar Binay claims that he was “not born into wealth and political prestige, nor did he taste the privileges accorded to the scions of the rich and powerful.”
Mar Roxas | Could the US-trained banker convince the masses?
He knew even then that the key to winning the elections was “convincing the lower classes that the person running had their interests at heart.” But that has been a problem for him.
Under EDCA, Balikatan drills become slippery slope
Judging by this year’s version of the US-Philippine joint military exercises, Balikatan 2016 has taken a new direction, courtesy of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. From the declared purpose, since 2002, of “enhancing interoperability” between the two allied armed forces, Balikatan is now being placed by the American side squarely within the “context of existing…
Across Mindanao, thousands of hungry farmers demand gov’t aid
“The thousands of farmers will only be affirming to the government officials what they actually already know – that the extreme drought results in death not only of the crops but also the people who plant them!”
Reflections
By RAYMUND VILLANUEVA
Groups storm Comelec over data leak
MANILA — Groups led by Kabataan Partylist stormed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Manila on Friday, April 22 protesting what they call the “lackadaisical” response of the poll body to what was dubbed as “one of the biggest government-related data breaches in history.” The group said the massive data leak may be…