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By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
“Land reform is a question of social justice. It is at the heart of the conflict in Luisita.” – Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
Sidebar: A Mother’s Quest for Justice
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“After this dialogue, there is still no clear resolution [on the Morong 43 case],” said Ofelia Beltran-Balleta, mother of Jane Balleta. “We came here with high hopes. After Aquino’s statement about the illegal arrest, we were expecting that he would soon order the release of the Morong 43.”
By RONALYN OLEA
Carlo “Caloy” Rodriguez, 41, president of the Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggawa ng Calamba Water District, became the 22nd victim of extrajudicial killings under the Aquino administration when he was gunned down by two motorcycle riding men last November 12.
Progressive groups in Southern Mindanao Region, led by human-rights group Karapatan, on Tuesday revealed that farmers in Maco, Davao del Norte, continue to experience threats and psychological torture from members of the Philippine military. According to Karapatan-SMR, the farmers have been tagged as members of the New People's Army and were included in The Order of Battle, which forced them and their families to evacuate their homes.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
At the pre-trial hearing on Oct. 27, the two suspects in the killing of Benjamin Bayles denied being members of the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA). The 303rd and 302nd Infantry Brigades have also denied that the two are members of the Philippine Army for four months, but the Headquarters of the Philippine Army officially confirmed their membership and rank last October 9.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Rene Rodriguez, member of the Samahan ng mga Magbubukid ng Batangas, who was shot dead by two men wearing masks and riding a motorcycle last November 7 became the 21st victim of extrajudicial killings under the Aquino administration.
By RONALYN OLEA
In Amsterdam, The Netherlands, a petition-signing for the release of the Morong 43 was led by actress Gina Alajar while promoting a film about victims of enforced disappearances “Dukot”. Protest actions were also held in front of the Philippine embassies and consulates in Ottawa and Vancouver in Canada, New York and Los Angeles in the US, and in Denmark. Protest actions were held in San Francisco in the US, Whangarei in New Zealand, Jeddah, Riyadh and Khobar in the Middle East and in Japan.
Sidebar: Patently Flawed Arrest and Detention
The indoor protest action by Migrante-Jeddah chapter last October 29 jumpstarts a series of protests and press conferences from November 2 to 6, marking the 9th month detention of the Morong 43. The activities will be held simultaneously with internationally-coordinated actions led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan to pressure the Aquino government to act on the immediate and unconditional release of the Morong 43 and other political prisoners.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“Today, as the whole nation remembers the lives of the departed, we commemorate the missing. We light a candle not for their souls to rest in peace but to shed light on their way home. We offer flowers not because we believe they are no longer with us but because they are deeply missed,” Mary Guy “Ghay” Portajada, daughter of a missing labor leader, said.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
A minor’s refusal to join the CAFGU resulted in him being beaten up and threatened by soldiers. And he is not alone in his ordeal.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“They wasted two years of my life,” Lita Mahilum, a political prisoner who was in jail for two years before being cleared by the Court of Appeals of the charges filed against her by the military, said.
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