Month: February 2019

Stop the crackdown vs. activists and stop killing farmers!

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Philppine Peasant Movement) demands the immediate release of peasant leader Ireneo Udarbe, KMP national council member and chairperson of KMP-Northern Mindanao Region and Lumad leader Datu Jomorito Goaynon, chairperson of Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization.

The two were arrested on January 28, 2019 in Brgy. Patag, Cagayan de Oro City by joint elements of Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 10 and the 4th Infantry Batallion Military Intelligence Bureau based on a warrant issued by Judge Emmanuel Pasal of the Cagayan de Oro City RTC Branch 38.

They were charged with fabricated criminal charges of rebellion, illegal possesion of firearms and explosives and election gun ban.

They were initially reported as missing by their colleagues on January 28, 2019 and were surface and presented by the police on the next day as alleged ranking NPA members.

Prior to their arrest, the two activist leaders were harassed and redtagged by the AFP. The two are actually on bail after they were first arrested along with 11 other activists in General Santos City based on trumped-up criminal charges last July 2018.

The two activist leaders are spearheading peasant and indigenous people’s campaigns against militarization and human rights violation in Northern Mindanao region. Last May 2018, Udarbe joined farmers and Lumad organizations against the 8th and 88th IBPA.

They also joined the International Fact Finding Mission on the atrocities of Martial Law in Mindanao last April 2018.

Under the extended Martial Law in Mindanao and Oplan Kapayapaan, the Duterte regime’s state security forces are committing grave and blatant violations of the people’s socio-economic and cultural rights, civil and political rights, and the rights of persons in the midst of armed conflict in Northern Mindanao.

Blanket repression across Northern Mindanao target entire rural communities and zero-in on individuals affiliated with various people’s organizations.

Violations of rights of the people of Northern Mindanao, especially farmers and national minorities, are committed by state forces with the direct motive of silencing their struggle for land, ancestral domain and right to self-determination.

Military force and deployment in communities are clearly used to pursue the interests of corporate plantations and other forms of environmental plunder.

On January 30, 2019, combined elements of PNP-CIDG, AFP, and MisOR-NICA raided the office of Misamis Oriental Farmers Association (MOFA) in Villanueva town and arbitrarily arrested four adult and 3 minors (two are toddlers).

The arresting team arrived at around 6:30pm, planted explosives and firearms, and forcibly took the seven individuals who were staying at the office.

Among those taken were MOFA Chairperson Jerry Basahon, Gerald Basahon, Marivic Colita and her one-year old child, Mylene Colita and her two-year old relative, and a 16-year old minor identified only as Janine.

According to initial reports, AFP soldiers arrived at the MoFA office and starting searching the office premises and compound without a search warrant. When the MOFA members asserted that the search is illegal, the soldiers punched and kicked Jerry Basahon. The PNP-CIDG arrived with a search warrant and took the individuals. Jerry’s cousin Gerald Basahon was not included in the search warrant.

The police claimed that they arrested 4 NPA leaders based on two search warrants for violation of RA 10591 and RA 9516 or illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The police also claimed that they found a hand grenade, a land mine, a . 45 caliber pistol and documents at the MOFA office. MOFA leaders and members Jerry, Gerald, Marivic and Mylene were presented by the police as New People’s Army (NPA) leaders.

They were brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) detention center in Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City. All six activists arrested are still detained.

(UPDATED) The United States, in a rare statement on a domestic controversy, says it hopes the cyber libel case against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa ‘will be resolved quickly’

Rappler
Paterno Esmaquel II
@paterno_ii
Published 7:55 PM, February 14, 2019
Updated 12:19 AM, February 15, 2019

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The United States released a rare statement on Thursday, February 14, stressing the need for due process in the cyber libel case against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa.

“We hope the charge against journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa will be resolved quickly in accordance with relevant Philippine law and international standards of due process,” said the US embassy in Manila.

The US rarely releases statements on specific Philippine issues such as this. Foreign embassies, after all, avoid commenting on domestic controversies involving the sovereignty of another country. The US is however an advocate of the rule of law, free speech, and democracy.

On Twitter, former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright denounced Ressa’s arrest, calling it “outrageous.”

“The arrest of journalist Maria Ressa by the Philippine government is outrageous and must be condemned by all democratic nations,” said Albright. “I’m proud to call her a friend and to stand with her in defending the principles of a free press.”

Canada on Thursday also issued a statement about Ressa’s arrest.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist herself, said she is “deeply troubled by reports” that Ressa was arrested.

“A free press is a bedrock of democracy. Canada reiterates its call for due process to be respected and for journalists to be free from harassment and intimidation,” Freeland said.

The National Bureau of Investigation arrested Ressa on Wednesday, February 13, due to cyber libel, and detained her overnight in its Manila headquarters. Ressa posted bail on Thursday.

Ressa is facing a string of cases in the Philippines as the Duterte administration slams Rappler for its critical coverage. International news groups and journalists have condemned the threats to press freedom under Duterte’s watch. (READ: Maria Ressa’s arrest part of broader gov’t campaign, say rights groups) – Rappler.com

Church group says violence against women has become ‘very evident’ during Duterte’s administration

UCANews
Mark Saludes, Manila, Philippines
February 14, 2019

Filipino women from various church groups in Manila marked Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 with a protest dance to dramatize their call for an end to violence against women.

The gathering aims to “affirm the participation of women in defending life and dignity,” said the Ecumenical Women’s Forum in a statement.

“It is most rational to speak up about the truth of our situation as we seek justice and continue our struggle against tyrants and dictators,” the group added.

Minnie Anne Mata-Calub, acting general-secretary of the National Council of Churches, said the protest also “aims to call out the misogynistic and anti-women policies of the government.”

In a statement, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines noted that violence against women has become more evident as a result of pronouncements and remarks made about them by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Calub called on Filipino women “to break a culture of silence and oppose policies” that affect and burden women and children.

The Office of Women and Gender of the Association of Major Religious Superiors said Filipino women are suffering because of the government’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

“The senseless killings of suspected drug users and peddlers must stop and justice be given to those mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters who lost their loved ones,” said Holy Spirit Sister Evelyn Jose.

The nun said Catholics should “make a stand against any form of violence.”

Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), the socio-political apostolate of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines celebrates its 33rd Founding Anniversary on February 23 to 25, 2019 with the theme ‘Piliin ang Pag-ibig.’ Our theme mirrors SLB’s life-long commitment to accompany the Church in confronting the issues we face as a nation. SLB believes that our faith in Christ calls on to read the signs of the times and to discern a response grounded in the common good and dignity of life.

To create this space for a common discernment, we are inviting your community to be part of our anniversary weekend’s kick-off activity, the The Church Response in the National Situation: A Discernment Circle on February 23, 2019, Saturday, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Cardinal Sin Center, Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Heights campus.

This event aims:
to shed light on the current situation of the country and the historical factors that built up to this, and
to discern possible responses coming from our communities.

We have invited resource speakers, including Fr. Luciano Felloni of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, to share with us their experiences in connection to the subject at hand.

We pray for your favorable response to this invitation. Kindly email us, whether you will be able to attend or not, at slb@affiliate.ateneo.edu, on or before February 15, Friday. You may also call us at (02) 426-5968 or 426-6134 loc. 4838. Do indicate the number of those coming from your community.

On eve of Valentine’s Day, Duterte urged to have a heart for landless peasants 

“Listen to your heart of hearts. Get to the heart of the land reform problem, which is in Negros Occidental.”

Thus said some 500 farmers belonging to national peasant federation Task Force Mapalad (TFM) as they urged President Rodrigo Duterte to complete the distribution of agricultural landholdings placed under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program by starting it in Negros Occidental where the bulk of the CARP balance is found.

Carrying heart-shaped placards on the eve of Valentine’s Day, TFM farmers on Wednesday trooped to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Provincial Office in Region 6 on San Sebastian Street in Dawis, Bacolod City and held a picket-rally there to dramatize their grievance over the non-movement of landholdings that are supposedly already up for distribution but are not yet in the hands of CARP beneficiaries.

“You promised farmers last year that there will be a rebirth of agrarian reform in the country and your administration will be more aggressive in its implementation of the program. We are still pinning our hope on your promise. We also hope that you will start that ‘rebirth’ in Negros Occidental by ending land monopoly and the rule of powerful hacienderos here,” said Teresita Tarlac, president of TFM-Negros.

‘Let’s first Du the #30’

TFM said the Duterte administration, through the DAR, could complete CARP in Negros Occidental by starting to distribute 30 landholdings in the province that are already in the pipeline.

The many steps required for the CARP acquisition and distribution of these 30 landholdings, covering around 900 hectares, are almost complete and only await issuance of certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to about 1,000 farmer-beneficiaries, according to TFM.

But these landholdings remain stuck in the DAR or are pending at the Registry of Deeds (ROD) despite the absence of any bottlenecks to their distribution, the organization said.

“There is no more reason to slow down or impede CLOA issuance in these landholdings. But the landlords’ grip over these estates remain tight amid the DAR’s lack of political will to award these to their tillers,” said Tarlac. 

“We hope President Duterte will use his commanding power to hasten the distribution of these 30 landholdings. Let’s first Du the #30, President Duterte! End our plight by ending landlord rule in Negros!” the TFM farmers shouted, during the picket-rally at the DAR provincial office, combining the chief executive’s shortened surname (Du30) and the #30 that journalists use to indicate the end of a story.

Among the biggest properties included in the 30 Negros Occidental landholdings that are already ripe for CLOA issuance but remained “parked” at the ROD are the following:

• 132-hectare ANCAR estate in Brgy. Cubay, La Carlota City
• 120-hectare Hacienda Bilabil in Brgy. Tuguis, Hinigaran
• 98-hectare Hacienda Rosarito in Brgy. Caridad, La Carlota City
• 57-hectare Hacienda Lopez Panganiban in Brgy. Jerusalem, Cadiz City
• 50-hectare Hacienda Mirasol Lourdes in Brgy. Andres Bonifacio, Sagay City
• 47-hectare Hacienda Calamnisan in Brgy. Rumirang, La Carlota City
• 35-hectare Unson Farm in Brgy. Andres Bonifacio, Cadiz City
• 23-hectare Hacienda Maria Luisa Solis in Brgy. Busay, La Carlota City
• 22-hectare Hacienda Oscar Ascal in Brgy. Magsaysay, Cadiz City
• 20-hectare Alaja Agro Corp. estate in Brgy. Payao, La Carlota City

ROD’s ministerial duty

Tarlac explained that when land claims in favor of farmer-beneficiaries finally reach the ROD, the said agency is already duty-bound to cancel the landowners’ title, transfer the titles in favor of the Philippine government, and register the CLOAs in favor of the CARP beneficiaries. 

Section 9, paragraph 2 of Republic Act 9700 or the CARPER Law states that the ROD has this ‘ministerial duty.’

It means that part of the agency’s obligation as mandated by law is to ripen the tillers’ right over a CARP-covered land by registering the CLOA and issuing the same to the farmer-beneficiaries, according to TFM.

“In fact, there is no more stumbling block such as landlords’ stiff resistance to the awarding of these 30 landholdings to farmers. The estates are already in the hands of the government. All it needs to do is to hand over the farms to their tillers through CLOAs. So why is this being stalled?” said Tarlac.

And even when the CLOA is not yet issued to the farmers, but the landholding is already under the control of the DAR because its title is already transferred to the Republic of the Philippines, the department is already duty-bound to ensure that the CARP beneficiaries will already be given usufructuary rights to the land as mandated under R.A. 9700, TFM explained.

Section 9, paragraph 3 of the law states that, “Identified and qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries, based on Section 22 of Republic Act No. 6657, as, amended, shall have usufructuary rights over the awarded land as soon as the DAR takes possession of such land, and such right shall not be diminished even pending the awarding of the emancipation patent or the certificate of land ownership award.”

“The Duterte administration should have had more agrarian reform gains in terms of land distribution as there are already many landholdings that are ready for CLOA issuance. What we don’t understand is why the land claims are not moving despite the fact that the landholdings are already ready for distribution,” said Tarlac.

Lowest accomplishment in CARP history

Data from the DAR show that the Duterte administration, in its first two years in office, had the lowest CARP land distribution accomplishment since the Cory Aquino administration started CARP in 1986.

A total of 63,202 hectares of CARP-covered agricultural landholdings was distributed to farmers  under the present administration from 2016 to 2017.

The highest land distribution accomplishment was recorded in the first two years of the Ramos administration. It was able to distribute to CARP beneficiaries a total of 679,341 hectares in 1992 and 1993.

The second highest accomplishment was during the first two years of the Estrada administration wherein a total of 269,427 hectares was distributed from 1998 to 1999.

This was followed by the administration of President Benigno Aquino III with 222,069 hectares from 2010 to 2011; by the Arroyo administration with 215,983 hectares in 2001 and 2002; and by the Cory Aquino administration with 114,259 hectares in 1986 to 1987. -END-

The inviolability of the person which is a reflection of the absolute inviolability of God, finds its primary and fundamental expression in the inviolability of human life. …the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights-for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture- is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination.    (St. John Paul II, On the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful [Christifideles Laici. . .], no. 38)

On February 16, 2019 the Christian faithful will hold another Walk for Life- in an act of solidarity- to uphold the dignity of life. We stand by the universal truth that human life is the apex of God’s creation thus the need to uphold, protect and defend it at all cost. We must discern and expose deceptive ideologies and actions that seek to destroy life. The right to life and human rights are universal. It is for all and should be defended especially for the most vulnerable in our society such as the poor, the children and the sick.

Recent local and global developments have prompted this urgent call to action. We strongly condemn any and all policies, programs and actions that destroy and minimize the value of human life:

•          The unabated loss of human lives in the anti-drug war

•          The senseless acts of bombing and terrorism done in Jolo and Zamboanga

•          The proposed lowering of the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility

•          The loss of work opportunities for Filipinos due to the influx of millions of Chinese laborers

•          The persecution of people all over the world in the name of religion and religious rights;

•          The proliferation of substance abuse that lead to addiction;

•          The proposed re-imposition of the Death Penalty that should not have a place in a democratic society;

•          Abortion in all its forms, including the use of artificial contraceptives that have abortifacient effects;

•          The systematic pillage of our natural resources through mining and development projects that destroy our oceans, rivers, land, forests and other sources of life;

•          The imposition of taxes in the name of development but at the expense of the poorest of the poor;

•          The use of our people for experimentation of treatments (like dengvaxia) that have not passed thorough studies of their adverse effects;

•          The poor implementation of genuine land reform;

•          The abuse of labor through contractualization, and inhuman working conditions and wages;

•          The weak policies against trafficking of persons; and

•          The meager provision for shelter for the homeless and the urban poor.

We cannot accept being governed by laws and policies that deceive and were crafted based on manipulated facts.  We cannot agree with the premise that solutions to our social problems require that some of us should die.

This walk is for the life of every person who has been a victim of this culture of death. As Christians we stand together because we have the responsibility to care for our fellow human beings and to ensure that common good and justice must prevail.

We walk not only to condemn the wrong that is being done; but also to pray that the hearts of those who pursue such wrongs may be touched and softened by our collective action.

We walk to uphold truth and righteousness and to proclaim that upholding the primacy of human life is a choice we must all make.

With these, the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity through its lay arm, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas wants to have a yearly “grand procession” a “Walk for Life” to institutionalize the expression of our choice.

We encourage everyone to join the simultaneous nationwide Walk for Life at 4:00 in the morning to 8:00 A.M. on February 16, at the following Venues:

MANILA     – Venue: Liwasang Aurora, Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
CEBU           – Venue: From Fuente Osmeña Circle to Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu City
PALO           – Venue:  Three (3) Sites: 
Eastern side: Palo Metropolitan Cathedral
Western side:  Ormoc City and Palompon Leyte
MINDANAO  – Venue: Provincial Capitol Grounds, Cagayan de Oro City
NORTH LUZON – Venue:
Tarlac City Plazuela
St. John the Evangelist Cathedral, Dagupan City

Bring your own placards with slogans, white and yellow flaglets & ribbons, tarpaulin banners, if you must. Bring the whole family and walk for the protection of life and the next generation.

+ MOST REV. BRODERICK S. PABILLO, D.D.                        MA. JULIETA F. WASAN, PhD        Chairman, CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity                   LAIKO President

February 8, 2019 ·  By John Nery, Manila for international.la-croix.com

Two recent statements issued by the Philippine Catholic bishops’ conference, though muted in tone, sounded the alarm over the country’s political situation.

The statements, released after the bishops met in Manila for the first of their semi-annual assemblies, were carefully written; the documents did not even mention the name of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an exhortation to voters in the Catholic-majority country to vote for the common good in upcoming mid-term elections, the bishops included a warning that Duterte’s government was headed towards “total control.”

 “The mid-term elections on May 13 are already crucial. In our country today checks and balances in government are being undermined. So far the Senate is the only institution in government that is holding out as our country is inching towards total control.”

The use of “country” to mean “the present government” is both diplomatic and clearly understood. And the context for the bishops’ analysis of the undermining of the democratic principle of checks and balances is also clear: The executive branch has almost complete domination of the House of Representatives and effective control of the Supreme Court; in this reading, only the Senate, where a vocal minority is still able to block impeachments or other extraordinary measures, is “holding out.”

The bishops use slightly stronger language to signal their opposition to the latest government attempt to change the 1987 constitution.

 “However, more than the elections, another serious, and perhaps more insidious, matter that we should pay attention to is the threat the version of constitutional change and federalism approved by the Lower House and now being dangled to the senators. It takes away the term limits of most of the elected officials and allows political dynasties to continue. It opens the national resources to foreign ownership and eventual control. Its version of federalism is vague and it will do away with the 2019 elections.

 “We denounce any attempt to avoid the 2019 elections.”

This position should not come as a surprise; a year ago, the bishops released pastoral guidelines “for discerning the moral dimension of the present-day moves” to revise the constitution. In sum, the bishops agreed with those who favor the “full implementation” of the constitution, rather than its revision. The provisions of the three-decade old basic law that have not yet been implemented include a ban on political dynasties.

The second communication from the bishops — a pastoral statement issued to address Duterte’s attacks on Church doctrine as well as criticism of the Church for its response to the president’s extremely violent campaign against illegal drugs — adopted a similarly measured tone.

 “We are aware that many of you have been wondering why your bishops have kept a collective silence over many disturbing issues, about which you may have felt you urgently needed our spiritual and pastoral guidance. Forgive us for the length of time that it took us to find our collective voice.”

To Duterte’s attacks, the bishops offered the other cheek.

 “When people do not understand our essential doctrines as Roman Catholic Christians, we have also ourselves to blame…. Perhaps we should find better and more appropriate ways of communicating the faith.”

But to criticism about its role in rehabilitating drug addicts and assisting the families of the victims of the government’s “war on drugs,” the conference stood fast.