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By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
To the Supreme Court, they sent a letter addressed to Chief Justice Renato Corona appealing for the speedy resolution of the Hacienda Luisita case. To the Justice department, it was a letter to secretary Leila de Lima seeking the reopening of the 24-year-old Mendiola Massacre case.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Forging the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (Caser) is said to be the “meat” of the negotiations as it aims to resolve the root causes of poverty and lack of development in the Philippines.
Related Stories: Philippines Eyes Peace Pact with Reds in 3 Years as Talks Resume | Reporter’s Notebook: Covering the Peace Talks in Oslo | Caser Negotiations Will Be Tougher -- Jalandoni
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
For urban poor group Kadamay, buying an expensive car such as a Porsche is like Aquino saying "I do not care if prices are high for as long as I have the money to buy myself a nice car." The group also compared Aquino to a father who ate an entire roasted chicken for himself while his children are starving.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“The DOJ panel totally ignored the testimony of the witnesses that attest to the culpability of the military on the death of the Kananga 3”, said Dr. Giovanni Tapang, chairperson of AGHAM and convenor of the Justice for Leonard Co Movement.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“How can these officials and businessmen put the health and very lives of our children at risk? They are also destroying the environment in the name of profit.” – Fr. Anacleto Ignacio, parish priest of San Jose del Monte city.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
"Laws of the land proclaim equality for men and women, but when it comes down to the specifics -- when it comes down to equal treatment for LGBTs -- the laws are severely lacking." -- Oscar Atadero, regional director of the International Association of Pride Organizers (Inter-Pride)
Sidebar: Bayan Muna's Proposed LGBT Bill
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Survivors of martial law call on President Benigno S. Aquino III to certify as urgent the compensation bill for victims of human-rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship. To this day, not a single centavo has been given as reparation to the victims or their families.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Brillantes cannot just hold another fully automated elections even without banishing "the ghosts and weaknesses" of previous elections, particularly that of the 2010 automated elections. “He must come up with a comprehensive report at the soonest time possible, lest he be accused of merely sweeping under the rug all those cases of poll irregularities,” said We Watch, a watchdog.
By MACEL INGLES
and RONALYN V. OLEA
In a major breakthrough, Manila and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines agreed to resume the formal negotiations in February and a possible ceasefire the same month. The government panel also agreed to release several political prisoners, even as it acknowledges that the NDFP, contrary to what the US government and the Philippine military have been saying, "is not a terrorist organization."
Gov't Workers Press Demand for Wage Hike
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“Companies like OceanaGold that violate human rights and destroy the environment have no reason to stay and should not be allowed to operate in our country...” – Clemente G. Bautista Jr., national coordinator of Kalikasan PNE.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money on proposals to amend the charter, legislators should heed the Filipino farmers’ demands for the repeal of Republic Act 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with ‘Reforms’ (CARPer)" -– Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Kentz, a major contractor that operates one of the world’s biggest nickel-cobalt refineries in the world, is accused of mistreating its Filipino workers, one of whom the company allegedly kidnapped to prevent the other abused workers from protesting.
By MACEL INGLES
"The challenges are great, but the possibilities for a peace agreement under the new presidency of Benigno Aquino are there,” Ambassador Ture Lundh of Norway’s foreign ministary said. “At the end of the day, however, it is the parties to the conflict that must prove decisiveness, boldness and political will to move forward, to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
Sidebar: Hacienda Luisita Case Should Be Tackled in GRP-NDF Talks — Farmers | At Start of Talks in Oslo, Reds Insist Manila Violated Agreements | 'Ka Bart' Is Member of NDF Peace Panel, CPP Reiterates
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Employees of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) led by their union, the Alliance of Comelec Employees in Service (ACES), urged the Aquino government on Friday to address the needs of its rank and file.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas says Malacañang should make public the report made by NFA administrator Lito Banayo about massive overpricing of rice during Arroyo's regime.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
As the 24th anniversary of the infamous Mendiola Massacre nears, farmers led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called on President Benigno S. Aquino III to bring justice and closure to the issue by reopening the investigation.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Since Aquino became president, he has not made any significant policy that would alleviate the conditions of OFWs. Instead, his administration has allowed anti-migrant policies to continue and even reduced the budget for legal assistance for OFWs.
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