Lawmakers under the Makabayan Coalition are calling for the prioritization of the passing of a new law that aims to provide financial assistance to those affected by the pandemic.
In a statement, Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan, said the recent killings should be investigated in the context of previous incidents of killings and attacks against other NDFP peace consultants.
Elwin Mangampo is also an elected government official pushing for more aid for small fishers.
The lectionary reading for this Sunday presents us the different complimentary facets of the persons of the Holy Trinity.
State agents have killed and arrested several JASIG-protected peace process participants, especially after formal NDFP-GRP peace negotiations were cancelled by GRP President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017.
“The Filipino people should reject all those identified with dictatorship and authoritarianism, reject all those responsible for or who abet extrajudicial killings and whose mantra is ‘kill, kill, kill,’ and all those who violate human rights.”
With practically all House members – except Duterte’s son and a few die-hard Duterte lawmakers – co-authoring the measure, Bayanihan 3 brags the unprecedented and massive support of different lawmakers who crossed party lines. The political reasons are obvious, but on one hand, such a move in the House sans Palace nod says a lot about Duterte’s deliberate neglect of calls for cash aid.
“We are told, ‘Stay home and stay safe. Wash your hands regularly,’ but the displaced Meranaws live in cramped makeshift spaces without sufficient water supply. Those whose homes are at ground zero still could not return.”
“While the country is in an economic crisis, public funds must be used primarily for basic social services, including education.”
“Our teachers and our learners alike suffered the effects of state abandonment even as we ourselves are grappling with the raging pandemic and economic crisis. How long will the DepEd and the Duterte regime turn a blind eye to the needs of the education sector?"
“It is absurd that the Mandaluyong court saw the inconsistencies and defects of the narratives and evidence provided by the police in arresting Esparago and Salem; but the same set of facts were ignored by QC and Manila courts.”
“They told me we wouldn’t be released unless we admit to being rebels.” -- Lumad teacher
“The victims live in constant fear for their lives, liberty and security. Adding insult to injury, even their families suffer the same. They deliberately singled out as the public is conditioned that they must have done something wrong to justify an extrajudicial punishment."
“It is the youth that has been victimized from this failed flexible learning. Yet, they are being called ‘confused’ for the struggles they have to contend with.”
"We are more than just death statistics. We are your children, your siblings, your friends, your family. We are your fellow Filipinos, who deserve love, kindness, justice, and dignity."
"We won’t be fooled by the pretext that reopening our natural resources to large-scale mining would help revive the pandemic-battered economy as it would inflict serious damage than repair."
Will it be enough to straighten out its vagueness and overbreadth, as argued by petitioners? Or should the high court’s magistrates strike it down due to vagueness and overbreadth that can bring more harm than the evils it promises to destroy?
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