“We will stand firm beside Sister Pat!”
Group assails FB for taking down accounts critical of Duterte
An arts and media group has slammed social media platform Facebook for taking down accounts of Duterte critics Mae “Juana Change” Paner and the popular Pinoy Ako Blog (PAB) creator Jover Laurio. The Let’s Organize for Democracy and Integrity (LODI), itself critical of attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression under the Rodrigo Duterte government, […]
Cagayan courts find political prisoner innocent
By NORWIN GONZALES www.nordis.net BAGUIO CITY– After over a year in jail, David Soriano who was facing trumped up charges was declared not guilty of arson. Soriano was declared not guilty in a May 10 decision penned by Judge Nicanor Pascual, Jr. presiding judge of Branch 8 of the Regional Trial Court in Aparri, Cagayan. […]
MARTIAL LAW IN MINDANAO: YEAR ONE
MARTIAL LAW IN MINDANAO: YEAR ONE
a report by Sandugo, Suara Bangasa Moro, Karapatan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
Introduction
On May 23, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Proclamation 216 that placed the whole of Mindanao under Martial Law, including the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. This was in reaction to reports that a small band of armed men identifying themselves as Dawlah Islamiya, had staged attacks around the Islamic City of Marawi while President Duterte was in Russia for an official visit.
IN PHOTOS: Rights groups stage ‘Protesta De Mayo’
Intermittent rains didn’t stop human rights groups from holding an alternative form of protest dubbed ‘Protesta De Mayo Laban sa Tiraniya’ at the University of the Philippines Diliman today.
Organized by Karapatan and Hustisya, the ‘procession’ of five ‘reinas’ depicted current human rights issues and people’s stuggles under the Duterte administration.
La Reina de la Verdad shows the curtailment of press freedom by the government and the growing resistance of artists and media practitioners.
La Reina de los Martires is Deborah Escudero, sister of drug war victim Ephraim Escudero. Escudero was abducted by unknown men in San Pedro Laguna in September last year. He was found dead in Pampanga five days later.
On La Reina Esperanza’s skirt is Filipina revolutionary leader Gabriela Silang. Her ensemble protests the Duterte government’s terror tag against activists, human rights defenders, development workers, and church people.
La Reina de la Paz. Her piece illustrates the people’s struggles under martial law in Mindanao. Documented human rights violations since Duterte declared martial law last year include 49 extrajudicial killings of Lumad, peasants, and Moro and the displacement of 500,000 civilians due to military operations in the countryside and in Marawi City.
The procession’s Reyna Elena is Eleanor de Guzman as La Reina de la Justicia. De Guzman is the daughter of National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultant Rafael Baylosis and wife of trade union organizer Marklen Maoj Maga. Both Baylosis and Maga were detained on January and February this year, respectively, on trumped-up charges.
The Flores de Mayo spin-off is also Karapatan’s contribution to the #BabaeAko #LalabanAko campaign. This movement of women posting the said hashtags on social media networks is a response to Pres. Duterte’s sexism and misogyny and came soon after the president’s snide remarks about not appointing a woman as the next chief justice.
The post IN PHOTOS: Rights groups stage ‘Protesta De Mayo’ appeared first on Manila Today.
GRP rejects Joma-Duterte meet in Hanoi
The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) negotiating panel rejected a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) suggestion that its chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison and President Rodrigo Duterte meet in Hanoi, Vietnam. This was revealed by Sison in a statement Saturday, May 26, saying he and his former student could […]
Sr Pat’s lawyers explain next moves after deportation order
In a press conference after the Bureau of Immigration ordered Sr Patricia Fox’s deportation, her volunteer lawyers explained their next moves to allow the nun to stay in the country. Various political and sectoral organizations also expressed their support for the beleaguered nun. During the press conference, Sr Pat broke into tears due the deluge […]
NCIP: selected Davao IPMR not qualified
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in region 11 said the selected Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) lacks the mandatory genealogical qualification and cannot be installed into office.