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Citing the unpaid estate taxes of the Marcoses, martial law victims said the family of the late dictator continues to rob the people.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers said that based on their interviews with the teachers and school heads, schools have not received any additional budget to fund the requirements set by the DepEd and the Department of Health (DOH) to qualify for the limited in-person learning.
For Filipino transport drivers, the incessant oil price hikes may force them to stop operating. Worse, it keeps them from putting food on their table.
Sweden-based Qurium Media Foundation released their internal forensic investigation on the three-month long distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) against Philippine media, tracing it to a group of Filipino hackers that were earlier hailed by the government's counterinsurgency arm as "a group of computer geniuses.”
According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), there is "no physical shortage" of oil. So, what is happening then? As in the case of major oil price volatilities this century, excessive speculation in the oil derivatives markets is pushing up prices, not the disruptions in oil's actual or physical trading.
“These are not isolated incidents,” said Charm Maranan, Defend ST spokesperson. “These are coordinated attacks by the Philippine National Police, by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict to disenfranchise the people from their legitimate demands.”
“Is this really the mindset of the armed state agents, that they will just shoot the non-combatants? Not only shooting to disable them but shooting to kill them." - forensic expert Raquel Fortun
Farmers and fisherfolk groups reiterated the need for aid as the incessant oil price hikes have significant impacts on their production and cost of living.
Progressives commemorated the International Women's Day, decrying government neglect as prices of oil and staples continue to soar.
“This string of dismissals shows Judge Villavert’s notorious and baseless issuances of search warrants. She has clearly turned her court into a factory of bogus search warrants which has led to the illegal arrest of at least 76 activists, human rights defenders, peace advocates, peasant leaders, and journalists."
“Judges like Judge Dela Rosa — who use their courts and powers for judicial harassment and political persecution — should instead be investigated and held to account for their complicity in these killings and human rights violations and this murderous regime’s campaign of State terror."
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that the court's findings "only prove how State forces are hell-bent at quelling the exercise of labor rights being promoted by trade union organizers such as Dennise Velasco as well as activists in general.”
"We hope the current electoral hopefuls walk their talk of environmental and climate concern by standing with our embattled defenders. We should call out the worsening violence they face and demand accountability from the outgoing public authorities."
Environmentalists renewed calls for the repeal of the Philippine mining law and denounced moves to allow new mining applications.
Filipino farmers are urging the Department of Trade and Industry to implement measures like price ceiling and buffer fund to address increasing prices of basic goods and necessities.
“Every oil price increase is an added burden to consumers, workers, farmers, and the poor. These price hikes have resulted in increased cost of production and lower income for farmers, fisherfolk, and transportation workers who have nothing to bring home to their families now."
Antonio La Viña, counsel for indigenous peoples, said the ATA, if not declared as unconstitutional, has deadly consequences. He cited the case of Chad Booc, volunteer teacher for Lumad schools and a petitioner against the ATA. He said that Booc, whom he knew personally, was constantly targeted by state forces, tagged as a member of “a terrorist group” until he was killed.
“If given the chance, I would like to speak with the Asian Development Bank, investors, and corporations to ask them why are they supporting the New Clark City project that brazenly violates our rights,” Chieftain Pet stated.
Ephraim Cortez, secretary general of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL), said that "the arrest is illegal since the warrant had already lost its force and effect."
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