By MARYA SALAMAT
Seven in every 10 Filipinos are farmers, the KMP (Peasant Movement of the Philippines) emphasized, which was why they had been trying to bring their demands right to the president himself. If there is to be change, a lot of it must happen on farmers’ lives, they said.
Update: Peasants in Mendiola Camp-out, First Victims of Violent Dispersal Under the New Government
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Up to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s last weeks in office, impunity presented itself . She should be made accountable for all these atrocities inflicted on the Filipino people.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Karapatan said rendering justice means prosecuting and punishing the guilty parties in these violations, indemnifying the victims; and declaring not to do similar transgressions again.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Given the peoples’ worsening jobs situation and income gap under Arroyo, malnutrition, diseases and accidents caused by poverty plague many poor communities.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Same old names, same old problems dominated the May 2010 elections, but there is reason to hope in the determination voters and teachers showed to make it work.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
For fighting for their basic rights to security of tenure and to form a union, 25 ABS CBN workers were dismissed by the Lopez management. Ironically, the Kapamilya network, which boasts about its public service orientation, showed no regard for the rights and welfare of its own workers.
By MARYA SALAMAT
The outgoing Arroyo has “exhausted the patience of workers with promises of paradise when all it gave us is hell,” KMU said.
By JOAN GARCIA
The claim of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that it has achieved victory in the Ilocos provinces did not make the human rights situation there any better.
By MARYA SALAMAT
“For too long, the rights of workers, laborers and employees have been trampled upon because of the economic interests of a few,” said outgoing CHR Chairwoman Leila de Lima, who is transferring to a new position as Justice Secretary in the incoming Aquino administration.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“Did it have to take so long for the Supreme Court to find out that the investigators made serious lapses? …the Supreme Court took five weeks short of 2 years simply to say that it cannot rule on the case because there were lapses in the investigation?” Mrs. Edita Burgos said in a letter to the justices dated June 23, a copy of which was sent to Bulatlat.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“The business of ensuring justice for all victims weighs just as heavy on Aquino as head of state as it should on all those whose sworn duty it is to protect and ensure the life and welfare of all citizens but which, sadly, they still have to do so,” the NUJP said.