Ronalyn V. Olea or Len to her colleagues loves to brew coffee strong enough to keep everyone in the newsroom awake. She’s a vegan and a bike commuter, braving the chaos of the road to get to meetings and errands.
Ronalyn V. Olea or Len to her colleagues loves to brew coffee strong enough to keep everyone in the newsroom awake. She’s a vegan and a bike commuter, braving the chaos of the road to get to meetings and errands.
The Cojuangco-owned Tarlac Development Corporation started bulldozing farmlands and evicting farmers in Balete village in November last year.
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“…Even when the Honorable Court has specifically ordered the DAR to cover all other agricultural lands in Hacienda Luisita, it did not immediately do so.”
Arman Padino, 33, died from a gunshot wound in the head at around 2 p.m. yesterday at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
At around 4 a.m., Jan. 12, father and son Noel and Reynold Tumali and Arman Pardino were on their way to the farm when they were shot at by suspected security guards and goons of Leonardo-Lachenal Holdings, Inc. (LHI), FL Property Management Corp. (FL PMC).
Joel Amonte, 56, and his wife, Gloria Pritargue Almonte, 52 , were forcibly taken from an apartment in Valenzuela City. By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – An ailing activist and his wife were arrested by state agents, at around 7 p.m. January 9. Joel Amonte,...
At around 3 p.m., Dec. 21, policemen under the command of Tarlac City Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Bayani Razalan, Provincial Director Alex Sintin, chief of Great Star Security Agency, Mauro dela Cruz and Tarlac Development Corporation representative Villamor Lagunero arrested Hacienda Luisita farmers Vicente Sambo, Rod and his mother Eufemia Acosta, Ronald Sakay, husband and wife Jose and Elsa Baldiviano, and Manuel and Mamerto Mandigma. They are now detained at Camp Macabulos, headquarters of PNP-Tarlac. No charges have been filed against them as of Dec. 22.
Has the distribution of land at Hacienda Luisita been completed as declared by President Benigno Aquino III and the Department of Agrarian Reform? No, and here’s why. By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – After the April 24, 2012 Supreme Court ruling ordering...
"For us families of the disappeared, unless and until Palparan is arrested and faces the court, President Aquino becomes part of the cover up to protect the Butcher. He thus, becomes part of the continuing crime of enforced disappearance and should be liable under the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act."
“Ruthless impunity and agrarian unrest hang over Hacienda Luisita. It’s like President Aquino is setting the stage for more bloodshed.” – Florida “Pong” Sibayan, Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala)
Also read BACK STORY| Hacienda Luisita Workers: Bloodied but Unbowed
“Forming local task forces every time a journalist is killed is hardly comprehensive action to address a larger problem of weak law enforcement and a tolerated culture of impunity." – Bayan Muna
In its April 24, 2012 decision, the Supreme Court mandated the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to implement the land distribution of Hacienda Luisita to farmworker-beneficiaries. It was only in July this year that Ambala learned of Tadeco's claims over hundreds of hectares of land.
Malacañang claims that the culture of impunity has been solved because the Aquino government has been doing something about it. And yet, unsolved cases of extrajudicial killings under the current administration continue to pile up.
When President Aquino promoted, instead of punishing, military officers with pending cases of human rights violations, he is sending a message to the Armed Forces of the Philippines that those who commit human rights violations would not even be reprimanded, they would instead be rewarded with a promotion.
“The overwhelming show of people’s goodwill and humanitarianism in the aftermath of super-typhoon Yolanda should prod the BS Aquino government to extend compassion to ailing and elderly political prisoners who continue to suffer systemic and systematic injustice.” – Ramon Patriarca, detained at the AFP Central Command Headquarters at Camp Lapu Lapu, Cebu City
A few meters away from Malacañang, speakers from various sectors held the Aquino administration accountable for "the damage it has caused on the rights, lives and livelihood of the Filipino people, especially the poor majority."
RELATED STORY | Even in jail, political prisoners join protest
A member of the local farmers organization Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Hacienda Dolores (Aniban), which is opposing the eviction of farmers in Hacienda Dolores by LLL Holdings Inc. and F.L. Properties and Management Corporation was shot at; another member’s house was set on fire; and unidentified men threw a grenade at another member’s home.
"It is but a historical deja vu that the place where Bonifacio was believed to have been killed by Emilio Aguinaldo’s men, here, freedom of expression was slain 150 years after by Noynoy Aquino’s state forces." – Vincent Silarde, Artists Arrest
“We deserve a government that does not play with 'human rights' rhetoric and inflicts grave human rights violations against women and the people.”– Cristina Palabay, convener of Tanggol Bayi and Karapatan secretary general
“How long will the trial take? 10 years? 20 years? We are getting old.” – Maria Cipriana Gatchalian, 61, widow of journalist Santos P. Gatchalian Jr.
RELATED STORY | Kin of Ampatuan massacre victims seek UN help
“In this [Ampatuan] case, our criminal justice system is not working. The much-needed reforms in our institutions never happened.” Harry Roque, lawyer for the families of 14 victims
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