Marcos-Araneta blamed
for harassment of Bulacan farmers
The Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) and its
local chapter Sandigang Samahan ng Magsasaka (organization of farmers or
SASAMAG) in Tungkong Mangga, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan denounced
Nov. 13 the Marcos-Araneta clan for the alleged repeated harassment of the
farmers in the area.
“It seems that after
their initial deal with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regarding Rep.
Imee Marcos’ boycott of the impeachment vote, the Marcos-Araneta clan is
now launching an all-out drive to harass and eventually evict the peasants
in the 311-hectare land the farmers have been tilling for decades,” said
KMP internal deputy secretary general Willy Marbella.
Marbella said that
they have been receiving reports of soldiers operating in the area. Manuel
Edano, SASAMAG secretary-general, received at least two death threats this
November alone. The first was through a letter dated Nov. 2 stating, “Kung
ayaw mong may masamang mangyari sa iyo tigilan mo na ang pagsuporta sa
teroristang komunista. Habang maaga pa mag-isip-isip ka na kung ayaw mong
matulad sa mga nauna (If you do not want anything bad to happen to
you, stop supporting terrorist-communists. Think, while it is not yet too
late, if you don’t want to suffer the same fate as those who preceded
you).”
The next threat was
sent Nov. 11 through a text message: “Pare paunahan na lang tayo balita
ko armado kakampi mo tibayan ng dibdib pare (Let us see who gets to
kill the other person first. I heard that your supporters are armed. Let
us see who has the guts). ”
Edano said that even
if they have already reported it to the barangay (village) captain, the
harassment continued. On Nov. 11, more than 200 banana trees planted by
the peasants were cut down by still unknown persons.
“Although these acts
were done to sabotage our livelihood and cow us into submission,” Edano
said “we will not stop until justice is served and we own the land we
till.” Bulatlat
* * *
Bayan Muna urges
in-depth investigation of Diwalwal tragedy
The Bayan Muna (People First) party-list chapter in Southern Mindanao
Region (SMR) urged authorities Nov. 12 to conduct a thorough and
transparent investigation regarding allegations that the Sunshine tunnel
explosion that killed 32 miners was not a mere accident. The group said
the fire that gutted houses in Barangay Ngan a week before the explosion
could be a related incident.
Bayan Muna-SMR Spokesperson Jeppie Ramada urged law enforcers to look into
the possible involvement of groups with vested interests in Sunshine
tunnel. Ramada said that they have received reports linking the fire and
the explosion to an attempt to hasten the take-over of the tunnel by a
large company.
Ramada also said that the fire and the explosion are “intended to weaken
small-scale mining operations in Diwalwal to pave the way for the entry of
large-scale mining.” He said that “the noxious incidents in Diwalwal are
implications of Arroyo’s revitalization of the mining industry at the
expense of the people and national patrimony.”
Bayan Muna noted that government studies cite millions of metric tons of
gold, limestone, carbon and copper in the Agtunganon Range where Diwalwal
nestles, which makes the area highly viable for large-scale mining
investments. Bulatlat
* * *
At least 15 OFW
‘mysterious deaths’ since 2002 remain unsolved – Migrante
Migrante International said Nov. 10 there have been at least 15 cases of
“mysterious deaths” of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) since 2002, all of
which remain unsolved.
Ivy Bautista, a
27-year-old domestic helper, was slain Sept. 27 in Santander,
Spain. Her body was discovered on
the third floor of her employer’s home with a kitchen knife penetrating
her neck. The report of the Spanish police concluded that she committed
suicide.
Migrante identified
the other OFWs whose deaths remained unresolved as Magdalena Martinez,
Grace Aguilar, Juanita Lajot, Maricon Gatapia, Catherine Bautista, Louella
Montenegro, Divina Beth Urbi, Veneranda Pana, Janet Paradillo, Nelsa
Villarta, Racquel Pascual, Alfrand Magcanan, Isla Gwen, and Nimia Pintor
and her two children.
Since OFWs leave the
country for their family’s survival, “stories of suicide or even
accidental deaths are dubious,” said Migrante International
secretary-general Maita Santiago. Santiago said in most cases, “the OFWs
repeatedly complained about maltreatment or held fears about their safety
before they died.”
She also said, “The
DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and the Arroyo government tried to
bury the quest for justice even before these OFWs were buried.” Migrante
accused Philippine government officials of criminal neglect when it comes
to addressing cases of abuse and foul play committed against Filipino
migrant workers. Bulatlat
* * *
Bayan condemns
overkill in Ortigas shootout
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) officials
called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) Nov. 10 to “seriously
examine the prevailing ‘culture of impunity’” that resulted in similar
incidents like the recent shooting of three suspected carjackers in
Ortigas last Nov. 7.
Bayan officials were
”deeply disturbed and enraged” at the video footage showing members of the
PNP Traffic Management Group shooting suspects that were allegedly already
hors d’combat.
“Carjackers or not,
nobody deserves that kind of treatment,” said Bayan secretary-general
Renato Reyes, Jr. “This clearly exposes the culture of impunity within the
Philippine National Police.”
Reyes also warned that common people have a lot to be worried about if
indeed this was the prevailing conduct within the police and military
establishments. He also said that it was not the first time that the PNP
has been involved in a rubout or massacre.
“The problem may be
institutional and orientational,” he added. ”The way the incidents keep
getting repeated, this is not just a case of incompetence or ignorance of
the rules of engagement.” According to Reyes, the PNP in the past was
linked to the Kuratong Baleleng rubout case, the Hacienda Luisita massacre
and the siege of the Air Transport Office tower resulting in the death of
former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villareal, Jr. Bulatlat
* * *
Bayan Muna Solon to probe ’dubious’ oil
exploration in Tañon Strait
Bayan Muna Rep. Joel Virador filed House
Resolution 1005 urging the committees on natural resources and energy of
the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged dubious approval
of oil exploration activities in Tañon Strait in the Visayas Region
despite being declared a protected area under Republic Act 7686 or the
National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) law.
Citing data from the Department of
Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR-R7), the
Tañon Strait is among the country’s top fishing grounds producing huge
quality fish stocks which include blue marlin and tuna. It is also one of
the chosen conservation areas by the World Wildlife Fund, where at least
10 out of 21 known species of whales and dolphins are found including the
bottlenose and long-snouted spinner dolphins, false killer whale and the
short-finned pilot whale.
Aside from possible violation of the NIPAS
law, incidents of human rights violations against fisherfolk in the area
have also been reported involving Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. (JAPEX)
and the Canada-based Forum Exploration Inc. (FEI). The two firms have been
granted a 25-year contract to extract and produce oil from Tañon Strait.
Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya
ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya or National Federation of Fisherfolk
Organizations in the Philippines) also reported that small fisherfolk and
other nearby residents said they are already experiencing the harmful
effects of the exploration, including fish kill, destruction of fishing
nets and dangerous obstructions caused by pipes and cables.
The group also
reported that JAPEX and FEI
allegedly banned fishing and shell picking along Tañon Strait. Without
consulting the local fisherfolk, those caught fishing around the
exploration area threatened with a fine with P20,000 ($367.51, based on an
exchange rate of P54.42 per US dollar) to P60,000 ($1,102.54).
Fishers’ harvest has also been reported to
have been reduced by 80 percent, from around 20-30 kilos to only three to
five kilos a day, since the oil exploration started in May. Bulatlat
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