Marking the commeration of the 38th aniversary of the declaration of martial law in 1972, progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros Oriental, held protest actions on Tuesday, condemning the ‘state of undeclared martial law’ in the province and the extension of the counter insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya.
Tags: Oplan Bantay Laya
Rights Groups Hold ‘Sympathy Fast’ to Press for Release of All Political Prisoners
By RONALYN V. OLEA
There are at least 388 political prisoners in the country, 317 were arrested during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Under the new administration, activists continue to be slapped with “trumped-up” criminal charges.
News in Pictures: Noynoy Visit in Davao City Met with Protest
Progressive groups in Davao City staged a lightning rally during President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III’s visit on Thursday. The groups called for the scrapping of Oplan Bantay Laya and demanded justice for all the victims of human-rights violations.
Peasant Leader Killed in Davao City, the 7th Extrajudicial Killing Under the New Administration
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
His colleagues said Naldo Labrador, 39, a member of Paquibato District Farmers’ Association (Padifa) and Farmers Association in Davao City- Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (FADC-KMP) was killed Sept. 3 because he was accused by the military of being a supporter of the New People’s Army (NPA). But the root cause, said Pedro Arnado, chairman of KMP-SMR, is the issue of land.
US Behind Bloody Oplan Bantay Laya, Book Reveals
By RONALYN V. OLEA
The book Oplan Bantay Laya: The US-Arroyo Campaign of Terror and Counterinsurgency in the Philippines not only explains why Oplan Bantay Laya is the most vicious counterinsurgency campaign but also puts in proper context the role of the US government in the state’s brutal campaign against the Filipino people.
News in Pictures: Kin of Human-Rights Victims to Noynoy: How Long Shall We Wait for Justice?
On the eve of the 27th anniversary of the assassination of Senator Ninoy Aquino last August 20, families and relatives of human-rights violations led by Families of the Disappeared for Justice (Desaparecidos) and Victims of Arroyo United for Justice (Hustisya!), tied a long yellow cloth around the Boy Scout Monument in Quezon City to signify their continuing search and fight for justice.
In Davao, Military Uses Vigilante Groups Against NPA
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com The 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army has revived the vigilante group ‘Alsa Lumad’ in its campaign against the New People’s Army (NPA). The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been waging a revolution for more than four decades. The setting up…
Aquino’s Extension of Arroyo’s Dreaded Oplan Bantay Laya Draws Fire from Victims’ Kin
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
President Benigno S. Aquino III is “doing the exact opposite of his pronouncement that he will put closure to the human-rights violations of Arroyo and her cohorts. As commander-in-chief, he allowed the AFP to extend the counter-insurgency plan which was proven to have violated human rights.” Read more stories on Oplan Bantay Laya
Indigenous Peoples Call for Review of IPRA, Other Laws Affecting Their Communities
By LYN V. RAMO Bulatlat.com MANILA — A review of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), a mining moratorium and to put a stop to the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL) became the rallying calls for more than 200 delegates representing the country’s 14 million indigenous peoples from more than ten regions in the…
NDFP Questions Sincerity of Aquino Government in Pursuing Peace Talks but Still Open to Resumption
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“We are willing to go into serious peace talks aimed at addressing the root causes of the armed conflict through fundamental social, economic, political and constitutional reforms.” – NDFP
News in Pictures: Free Detained Peasants, DOJ Urged
Members of Tanggol Magsasaka (Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights) and Freedom for Tomada (FFT) network urged Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to immediately review the cases of peasants detained in jails nationwide and order their immediate release.