By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Pagbabago! and Ibon Foundation dare the Filipino people to be more critical in choosing their candidates. High on their “people’s criteria” are concrete steps by the presidential candidate to stamp out corruption and to promote human rights and stop abuses.
By RONALYN OLEA and MARYA SALAMAT
It is not enough for the candidate to claim representation of the marginalized because representation is easy to claim and to feign, Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza said in the petition they filed against Mikey Arroyo’s so-called partylist group. The partylist organization or party must factually and truly represent the marginalized and underrepresented constituencies mentioned in the Constitution, they said.
As more candidates contest local positions, the more violent local elections become. While personality politics shows the triviality of national elections, warlord politics reveals the violent character of local elections. And no amount of vague calls and covenants for peaceful and fair elections would put a stop to these.
New Bridge, Old Problems
By CHERYLL D. FIEL Davao Today Posted by Bulatlat.com DAVAO CITY – Davao lawyers are restive over the issue of the President’s impending appointment of a new Chief Justice, following a Supreme Court ruling that allows her to do this despite a ban on this action in the Philippine Constitution. Eight lawyers’ groups, namely: the…
Kabataan Rep. Mong Palatino will discuss with Bulatlat.com his party’s education agenda, in a live webcast interview on March 24, Wednesday, at 2 p.m.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Five of the Morong 43 who admitted to being rebels were tortured, their families harassed, according to relatives. The children of one of the detainees have allegedly disappeared, according to their grandmother.
By RONALYN OLEA
Two grenades were thrown at a house of a Bayan Muna member in Lezo, Aklan. Meanwhile, soldiers from the Philippine Army are openly campaigning against progressive party-list groups in South Cotabato.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“In her desire to appoint a new chief justice, President Arroyo will be transgressing several laws and the Constitution and will also be breaking a long tradition already in place in our judicial system, and will also be encroaching upon the powers and the independence of the Judiciary,” the NUPL said.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Critics of the new ID system say “this multimillion project will be another campaign kitty for the Arroyo administration and also an avenue to skirt the unconstitutionality of the National ID System which was already rejected by the Supreme Court during the Ramos regime.”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
OFWs and domestic helpers are still going through the same nightmare that Flor Contemplacion suffered. Many rot in jail. Several have been sentenced to death. Thousands suffer abuse from their employers and neglected by their government. To these OFWs, the Arroyo regime is “chief executioner of the rights and welfare of OFWs.”