The family, clan, colleagues, as well as friends of missing Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) member James Moy Balao held a photo exhibit and information drive on enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings at the public market of La Trinidad, Benguet on April 17, the 213th day of his disappearance. BY ALDWIN QUITASOL Northern Dispatch HUMAN RIGHTS…
Tags: Human Rights
IFI Priest Unfazed by Threats from the Military
Rev. Fr. Dionito M. Cabillas or Fr. Diony to his parishioners and colleagues, received information that he was included in the ‘top ten’ of the military’s order of battle. BY RONALYN V. OLEA HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Bulatlat On March 12, at around 8:25 a.m., Fr. Rex Reyes, Jr., general secretary of the National Council of…
Ilocos CHR Orders PNP to Submit Evidence on Manegdeg’s Killing
The Commission on Human Rights in the Ilocos Region ordered the Philippine National Police to submit documents and pieces of evidence in their possession on the extra-judicial killing of Jose “Pepe” Manegdeg III. BY ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Northern Dispatch Posted by Bulatlat SAN ESTEBAN, Ilocos Sur (363 kms. North of Manila)– The…
CHR Gets Pittance from 2009’s Trillion-Peso Budget
It is a shame to hear that the Commission on Human Rights, despite the taxing demand it now faces amid unsolved and continuing cases of extrajudicial killings, abductions, torture, and disappearances, is getting a mere pittance from the country’s PhP 1.4 trillion (USD 29.1 billion) budget for this year. BY RORIE R. FAJARDO Project Coordinator…
Another Activist Shot Dead
BY BULATLAT Another activist was shot dead this morning in Calatagan, Batangas. Wilfredo Gonzales, 52, Bgy. Bucal, Calatagan, Batangas was gunned down while driving an Elf-truck, around 6 a.m. today by two motorcycle-riding men, human rights group Karapatan reported. Gonzales is a member of the Haligi ng mga Batanguenong AnakDagat (HABAGAT), provincial chapter of Pambansang…
Labor Organizer Arrested
BY BULATLAT Authorities arrested a labor leader around 2 a.m today at the Westdrive Subdivision, Barangay Labas, Santa Rosa City, Laguna. According to the Organized Labor Association in Line Industries and Agriculture (OLALIA-Kilusang Mayo Uno), labor organizer Leonardo Arceta, 51, was taken to the Santa Rosa Police Station and then transferred to Camp Vicente Lim…
Farmers File Charges vs Army officials in Negros Oriental
Four farmers filed complaints before the office of the Ombudsman against the officers of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. BY EDMUND B. SESTOSO Contributor HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Bulatlat Four peasant activists based in Negros Oriental and a human rights leader in Cebu City had lodged various complaints before the office of the…
Detained Peasant Leader, Colleagues Fast for His Release
Detained peasant activist Randall Echanis and his colleagues from the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or Peasant Movement of the Philippines), Pamalakaya, the Amihan Peasant Women’s Association, Anakpawis Party-list, and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines have been fasting the whole day to protest the latter’s continuing imprisonment. Echanis, deputy secretary general for external affairs…
Baguio Youth to Form Alliance for Human Rights
The young generation of Baguio is ready to face the New Year with the resolve to forge a group of human rights defenders this 2009. BY THE NORTHERN DISPATCH HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Posted by Bulatlat BAGUIO CITY (246 kms. North of Manila)— The young generation of Baguio is ready to face the New Year with…
Anti-Mining Activist Killed in Compostela Valley
BY BULATLAT An anti-mining activist was killed by unidentified men two days before Christmas, an environmentalist group in Compostela Valely said. Fernando Sarmiento, 39, secretary general of Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao Region (SMR), was killed by still unidentified men, December 23, around 7 p.m. at Purok 1, Barangay Cabinuangan, New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province. Francis Morales, spokesperson…
Gov’t, Media ‘Fall Short of Responsibility’ in HR Issues – Rights Advocates
In the midst of rampant human rights violations in the country allegedly perpetrated by the state’s armed forces and intelligence agencies, human rights groups and advocates lament that the government is not making any move towards resolving them. The media, they say, is likewise falling short of its responsibility of bringing the issue close to…