By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN Davao Today Brad Adams, Asia director for the Human Rights Watch, said the Ampatuan massacre has “brought to light” the dangers posed by private armies, militias, and paramilitaries in the country “but the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has not seriously addressed the problem.”
By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today Jorge Madlos, also known as Ka Oris, the spokesperson of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao said the move is an indication that Aquino has now clearly abandoned any pretense of peace overtures with the NDFP. By harping peace on one hand and launching an attack on another, Madlos says Aquino engages in doublespeak.
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN Davao Today Cherry Orendain, spokesperson of the youth group Anakbayan in Southern Mindanao, said that the decision is obviously “pro-Palace” which “further bastardizes the partylist system.”
By DANILDA L. FUSILERO Davao Today Beverly Longid, first nominee of the Katribu party-list, said that they were alarmed at the growing number of IP leaders killed due to their opposition to either mining or similar development projects, which have affected their communities and the environment.
By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today “SWS said unemployment increased from 26 to 29 percent. For KMU, it is more. The biggest number of the labor force comes from the peasant sector,” Labog said. “(A) huge numbers of peasants are unemployed,” he added.