Must-Reads Archives | Page 17 of 85

Hounded by Military for Years, Ex-Bayan Leader Takes Refuge in NPA

"Yes, I have chosen to seek refuge under the revolutionary movement, particularly with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front. This is the most logical choice on my part because these are the very organizations that can guarantee not only my protection from political killings but also, above all, freedom of the people from the oppressive grip of a reactionary fascist state. I am still breathing and fighting precisely because of this choice."

Bulatlat Staff | Jan 17, 2010

Groups Hail SC Order Vs RFID, Call Project Arroyo’s Money-Making Scheme

By MARYA SALAMAT
The Supreme Court decision came just a month after the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, representing progressive partylists Bayan Muna, Gabriela partylist and Anakpawis and transport group Piston, filed a petition questioning the RFID project of the LTO.

Marya Salamat | Jan 15, 2010

In Historic Nationwide Caravan, Peasants Push Struggle for Land and Justice

By RONALYN V. OLEA “The Filipino peasantry are about to deliver their strongest indictment to the anti-peasant, fascist and corrupt Arroyo regime,” Anakpawis Representative and KMP national chairman Rafael Mariano.

View slideshow of Lakbayan: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 7

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jan 13, 2010

Partylist Groups Push for Accreditation, Slam Arroyo Regime

By MARYA SALAMAT
Act, Migrante and Courage accuse the Arroyo administration of having a hand in the Comelec's decisions to bar them from the partylist race. The rulings were released quite late last year, thus not allowing enough time for the three partylist groups to challenge the decisions. The groups have been active in campaigns against the Arroyo administration's policies, corruption scandals and rights abuses.

Marya Salamat | Jan 12, 2010

For Moros, Dreams of Peace and Homeland Hanged in Balance in 2009

By ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
As the curtain was beginning to fall on 2009, the on-and-off peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) resumed in Kuala Lumpur, with both parties agreeing to begin talks on the drafting of a Comprehensive Peace Compact that would resolve the Moro question. The year, however, drew to a close without any far-reaching movement in the GRP-MILF peace process.

Alexander Martin Remollino | Jan 11, 2010

Misunderestimating the Philippine Left

By REP. RAYMOND PALATINO
Manny Villar’s brave decision to openly embrace a platform-based unity with the Left has smashed the taboo in Philippine politics. From now on, the participation of the Left will be expected in future electoral contests for top political posts.

Bulatlat Contributors | Jan 4, 2010

In 2009, Human Rights Took Serious Beating from Arroyo Regime

By MARYA SALAMAT
Human-rights violations in 2009 are “numerous and varied and no sector of society is exempted,” belying the Arroyo government’s claim that steps have been taken to improve the Philippine government’s human-rights record, according to Karapatan. And with Oplan Bantay Laya 2's deadline in 2010 fast approaching, more abuses are certain to occur, it said.

Marya Salamat | Jan 3, 2010

Agrarian Reform in 2009: More of the Same Failed Program

By RONALYN V. OLEA
In 2009, the landlord-dominated Philippine Congress extended the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program for another five years. Did the landed legislators, among them President Arroyo's close relatives, go against their interests in passing CARPER? Or did they simply lengthen the agony of Filipino peasants, given that the new program seems worse than the original?

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jan 1, 2010

Labor in 2009: Joblessness, Rights Violations, Violence Confronted Filipino Workers

By MARYA SALAMAT
The year 2009 began, ended and paved the way to 2010 with the festering problem of joblessness for millions of Filipinos. The global financial crisis only revealed the stark reality of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s inherently flawed job-generation strategies. The Arroyo regime fell short of its employment target. Worse, thousands of jobs, especially in the export industry, were "massacred" in 2009 even as unionists faced violence, intimidation and murder.

Marya Salamat | Dec 31, 2009

Labor Migration in 2009: A Terrible Year to Be an OFW

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
The regime of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo changed the face of labor migration in the Philippines. It pursued its labor-export policy aggressively, begging receiving countries to accept more overseas Filipino workers. In the meantime, it shirked its responsibilities toward OFWs in distress, in many instances even becoming complicit in the abuse of overseas workers.

Janess Ann J. Ellao | Dec 31, 2009

Politics in 2009: Arroyo Regime Brought Philippines Deeper Into Crisis

By BENJIE OLIVEROS
While it would take more than a change in president to effectively address the worsening economic and political crisis, if Arroyo and her minions are able to get away with keeping themselves in power -- by declaring a failure of elections, martial law, or charter change -- the Filipino people would sink faster and deeper into the quagmire of backwardness and poverty.

Benjie Oliveros | Dec 31, 2009

Mangudadatu: ‘Ampatuans Made Business Out of Elections’

By ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
In this Q&A, Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, Maguindanao, talks about the Ampatuan massacre and how the Ampatuans ruled the province. "They made business out of the votes. They extorted money out of the senatorial candidates who were campaigning in Maguindanao by selling votes to them," he said. He also wished that there would be no whitewash in the case against them.

Alexander Martin Remollino | Dec 20, 2009

Benjie Oliveros | The Impunity Must End

And this impunity would not end for as long as Arroyo wields power whether as president, congresswoman, or prime minister. Impunity would also persist if Arroyo’s clone cum anointed one, Gilbert Teodoro, emerges the winner in the presidential elections by some stroke of luck, especially of the Garci kind.

Benjie Oliveros | Dec 20, 2009

‘Mrs. B’ Brings Jonas Burgos’s Case to Attention of Europeans

In this audio clip, Edita Burgos, the mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos, talks about her recent trip to Europe where she brought her campaign to force the Philippine government to surface her son. She also talks about the human-rights situation in the Philippines and why President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a "bad mother" to the Filipino people. Listen now

Bulatlat Staff | Dec 14, 2009

‘Ampatuan Massacre Should Be Brought Before International Courts, Tribunals’

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
The failure of investigators to secure the crime scene, the apparent contamination of forensic evidence, and the weak rebellion case filed against the perpetrators have led people to believe that there is a high probability that the Ampatuan clan would walk away with the murder of 57 people, even as the case has generated a strong international concern.

Janess Ann J. Ellao | Dec 14, 2009

The Ampatuans, the Military and Elections in Maguindanao: The Ties That Bind

By ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO The Ampatuans' rise to the peak of political power was in no small part due to their ties with the military. In a most ironic twist, the military proposed the extension of martial law in Maguindanao until the 2010 elections purportedly to teach the Ampatuans “how to run peaceful and credible elections.”

Alexander Martin Remollino | Dec 14, 2009

Ex-Arroyo Aide Among Execs of Mining Firm Terrorizing Bukidnon Lumads

A former chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), who is also one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's most trusted men, is one of the directors of a big mining company that operates in a number of provinces, among them Bukidnon, which is one of the provinces where several indigenous-peoples' communities are suffering under a reign of terror perpetrated by the military and paramilitary groups.

Alexander Martin Remollino | Dec 14, 2009

As 2010 Polls Draw Near, Unprecedented Fraud, Violence, ‘No-El’ Loom

By ARNOLD PADILLA
Underneath the never-ending and intensifying political conflict is the permanent and worsening crisis of the economy. The raging economic crisis feeds the growing dispute among the various factions of the political elite contending for control of political power and monopoly of economic spoils – a conflict that has become more pronounced and increasingly vicious under the nine-year old Arroyo administration.

Bulatlat Staff | Dec 11, 2009

Military Did Not Need Martial Law Declaration to Abduct, Torture Activist

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Noriel Rodriguez, a member of Anakbayan, was tortured for 10 days by people he claimed to be soldiers. The soldiers, he said, threatened to harm his family and mutilate his genitals. He was released only after he was forced to sign papers stating that he was a rebel returnee. Watch video Related video: Noriel Rodriguez recounts his ordeal

Ronalyn V. Olea | Dec 11, 2009

Critics Denounce Martial Law in Maguindanao as a Ruse and a Cover-Up

Listen to audio
Critics Slam Martial Law as Ruse, Cover-Up

Marya Salamat | Dec 10, 2009

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