The Manila Times and BusinessWorld also published news about Smart Communication’s decision to fire E-Load dealers.
Category: Movements
Recital of Facts on the NBN-ZTE contract and Northrail Project
Presented by Rep. Teddy Casiño
Bayan Muna Representative
Committee on Justice
House of Representatives
November 24, 2008
Mr. Chairman, my distinguished colleagues.
Former speaker Jose de Vencia has given a substantial account of the facts of the President’s knowledge and involvement in the anomalous NBN-ZTE contract. May I just be allowed to add a few more facts.
A few months after the infamous golf game between the former speaker, the President, COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos and ZTE officials, the President, through NEDA which she herself chairs, and the DOTC which is under the Executive, approved the ZTE’s proposal for a government to government contract. From a BOT project before the golf game, it became a government to government contract. Wala hong public bidding, lumobo na ang presyo ng ilang beses sa original proposal, at may mga lantarang paglabag sa ating procurement laws.
Pagsusog sa Reklamo Hinggil sa Pagpapatalsik sa Katungkulan ng Gng. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Pananalita ni Rep. Luzviminda C. Ilagan
Kinatawan ng Gabriela Women’s Party
sa Pulong ng Komite sa Katarungan
Kamara de Representantes
Ika-24 ng Nobyembre, 2008
Mr. Chairman, sa Mindanao, kung saan ang kinatawang ito nagmula, daandaang kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao at Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas ang kinasasangkutan ni Gng. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
THE EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLINGS AND ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES OF ACTIVISTS UNDER THE GMA ADMINISTRATION ARE CONSTITUTIVE OF THREE (3) CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Presented by Satur C. Ocampo
Bayan Muna Representative and
Deputy Minority Leader
To the Committee on Justice
House of Representatives
Nov. 24, 2008
I. OPENING STATEMENT
Esteemed Members of the Committee on Justice, let us hearken to the complaint of the Filipino people charging respondent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of having committed three impeachable offenses – first, culpable violations of the Constitution; second, high crimes; and third, betrayal of public trust for being criminally, civilly, administratively, and publicly liable for the extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other violations of the constitutional rights of hundreds of militant activists.
Bayan Muna general counsel Neri Javier Colmenares has come out with a legal memorandum that explains and debunks what he describes as “grossly erroneous” preliminary remarks made by the chair of the House committee that hears the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.
For Colmenares and Bayan Muna, Defensor has misinterpreted and has practically redefined the constitutional process (impeachment) and the rules governing it.
Those supporting the impeachment complaint and the larger cause of holding Arroyo for her many crimes, this legal memo comes in very handy.
Another journalist has been killed: Aristeo Padrigao, commentator at dxRS Radyo Natin in Misamis Oriental, died from a single bullet wound in the head yesterday.
Padrigao is the 61st journalist to be killed in the line of duty since President Arroyo.
The online news magazine Pinoy Weekly invites everyone to the Pinoy Citizen Journalism Seminar on Nov. 29, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
No fees will be charged and you only need to register online.
Leaders of the so-called Group of 20 (G-20) have agreed to do what was virtually unimaginable just a few years ago — bat for doses of market regulation — at the “summit on financial markets and the world economy” at the US capital, amid the worse crisis to hit capitalism in recent memory.
Today, their feet are in their mouths.
Do yourself a favor by reading up some really good stuff on the web.
Plenty of stuff available, but I suggest the following:
The second International Verification and Fact-Finding Mission organized by the Dutch Lawyers for Lawyers Foundation ended today with a press conference where the eight mission members presented their initial findings on their probe into the attacks on Filipino lawyers and judges.
For lawyers, bloggers, journalists and those interested in human rights issues, below are the mission’s initial findings:
Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo today delivered a speech before the House of Representatives to deplore the resurgence of extrajudicial killings and trumped-up charges against activists.
Full text of Ocampo’s speech follows:
An eight-member International Verification and Fact-Finding Mission (IVFFM) on attacks against Filipino lawyers and judges today issued its initial findings, claiming that the Arroyo government’s efforts to curb extrajudicial killings and harassments “have not led to visible results”.
“Apparently, only one person has been convicted for these killings and that was in 2006. So impunity still seems to exist,” said the IVFFM.
The Government Service Insurance System has filed a libel case against GSIS members under the banner of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and several media outfits.
The human rights alliance Karapatan has issued its monitor for the third quarter of 2008. Brace yourself for some bad news.
Various sectors are up in arms over a new policy laid down by PNP chief Jesus Verzosa regarding access to police blotters.
In an Oct. 20 memorandum, Verzosa banned media and public access to blotters unless allowed by the station commander or by a court order. The PNP claims the new policy is in consideration of requests made by victims of crimes.
What is this thing called “police blotter”?
Barack Obama’s victory in the US elections is a big step forward for the American people. It is a historic achievement that the Americans chose their first black president despite lingering racism. It is likewise welcome news to the world’s peoples that Americans soundly rejected the continuation of Republican rule that is marked by plunder and war. It is thus no surprise that many non-Americans welcomed Obama’s candidacy and were elated by his election.
Progressives in the US and elsewhere have much to learn from Obama’s campaign. Obama’s raising of the clarion call of change captured the imagination and support of people, especially the workingpeople, the minorities and the youth. Even the conservatives were so attracted by the call for change, they left the tight embrace of their political party afters years of fealty and loyalty. Obama also used technology to advance his campaign, be it to expand his organization or to garner financial support mostly from common people who pitched in small amounts. He expanded the political map in favor of the Democratic Party, thanks to his huge organization and the enormous resources that his supporters donated to him, dime after dime.
The Inquirer’s banner story today should be a pleasant surprise to many: Oil plunges to $61/barrel.
Local oil prices are said to be based largely on world crude prices. Now that global prices have drastically gone down due to concerns of an economic recession, we have every reason to expect huge reductions in pump prices.
Those who wonder who snatched Jonas Burgos and James Balao should consider what happened today to veteran labor lawyer and columnist Remigio Saladero.
Saladero disappeared this afternoon from his Antipolo home which friends found ransacked. His laptop and the CPU of his desktop computer were missing. His cellphone was unattended.
Migrants, including our OFWs, won’t be joining state governments and big business in their second Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). They will usher in their own conference, the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) and they cite good reasons in choosing to do so.
Today is the 35th day since hoodlums abducted James Balao in broad daylight in Baguio City. He has not been found and nobody knows whether he is dead or still alive.
US company Dole wants to raise its investment in the Philippines and is applying for special trade benefits from the US government to help fund the expansion but an international labor group has opposed the quick grant of privileges to Dole, citing the latter’s gross disrespect of labor rights.
The Government Service Insurance System‘s earlier assurances that its investments are not endangered in the midst of the global financial crisis have come under a dark cloud of doubt.
Inquirer.net reports today that the GSIS
may have incurred more losses due to the sharp decline in stock prices around the world in recent weeks, an examination of its portfolio of stock holdings revealed.
The “global property securities” held by the GSIS also showed marked drops in their values in the weeks following the GSIS declared profits from its overseas investments.