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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.
“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.
The Families of the Disappeared for Justice (Desaparecidos) held a press conference today challenging presumptive president Noynoy Aquino to take the straight path to justice and help surface all the victims of enforced disappearances under the term of Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
In the book Pagtatagpo sa Kabilang Dulo, letters and testimonials by the families of victims of desaparecidos reveal emotions ranging from guilt, hopelessness, anger, deep longing for their loved ones, hope and courage.
Written by Palanca awardees Joi Barrios-Leblanc and Rowena Festin and Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) member Grundy Constantino and directed by Socrates Jose, "Mrs. B" depicts the agony and courage of a mother searching for her son. With award-winning actresses Bibeth Orteza and Gina Alajar playing the role of Mrs. Burgos, even the desensitized and the unaware would be moved into tears. Although the two actors have different approaches in portraying Mrs. Burgos, both are so intense and so good that their performances are incomparable.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Many of those who watched the recent premiere of the movie “Dukot” got out of the theater teary-eyed – and enlightened about the atrocious human-rights situation in the Philippines.
Hundreds Honor the Desaparecidos
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
The International Day of the Disappeared on Aug. 30 was marked in the Philippines with a ringing of the bells to honor those taken by the regime -- a warning to the government that the families left behind by these desaparecidos “are watching” to make sure that, soon, “we will get the justice we deserve.” View slideshow
Human-rights activists in Baguio City hold a demonstration on Saturday to mark today's observance of the International Day of the Disappeared. (Photos courtesy of Cordillera Human Rights...
Sherlyn and Karen -- Desaparecidos
Dukot's fearlessness emanates from its depiction of the truth about the worsening human-rights situation in the Philippines today. As Bonifacio Ilagan, the scriptwriter, put it: “It minces no words in pointing out the real perpetrators” of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
While Cory Aquino restored democratic institutions and became a symbol of integrity in governance, her regime remained beholden, if not hostaged, by the military and Washington. This resulted in massive human-rights abuses that were even worse in terms of number of victims than those committed so far under the Arroyo regime.
“How can we claim to be under a democracy when a political prisoner continues to languish in jail even as all the trumped-up charges filed against her have already been dismissed?”
In a perfect world, Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan never would have met. The atrocity that befell them, a most horrendous fate, never would have happened. And they never would have stood now as a testament to the rot that is eating away at the core of this country.
'Torture Part of Arroyo Regime's Official Policy'
He explained to me that there are social relations that created class divisions in our society. That there are social ills that should be cured, so as to solve the pervading problems of class oppression and exploitation that created the phenomena of abject poverty...
By Pamilya ng Desaparecidos para sa Katarungan (DESAPARECIDOS) Posted by Bulatlat The group of families of desaparecidos today called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to surface the victims of enforced disappearances, instead of fabricating stories of “mass...
Their loved ones may be missing, but the families of the disappeared have come forward to stand together and protest the continued enforced disappearances under the Arroyo administration. BY BULATLAT Vol. VII, No. 15 May 20-26, 2007 It was an exhibit of personal...
MANILA -- In 2007, Melissa Roxas moved to the Philippines to pursue what a colleague of hers described as "human-rights advocacy full-time." Prior to Roxas's move, she had been active as a founding member of the cultural organization Habi-Arts in Los Angeles. She...
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