Latest News

2007 Polls: Beyond GMA, Beyond Retaking Power

It takes convincing the electorate who have long been sickened by elections that mean nothing to their lives and future that this one is more than just a choice between Estrada’s candidates and Arroyo’s candidates and is, therefore, different. The opposition should be able to show that this is beyond ousting Arroyo and beyond retaking power.


Genuine Opposition? The opposition candidates should be able to give substance to the strategy of using the election as an issue of presidential accountability. In this picture, Billy Aportadera (second from right) takes oath as the Liberal Party’s District 2 Davao City Chairman, tasked to set up LP chapter in District 2 in coordination with LP city chairman Councilor Pete Lavina. The LP is coordinating with GO chairman Leo Magno on the slate for city councilors. The oathtaking is headed by Senator Franklin Drilon together with other new LP leaders last Feb.20 at Kalayaan Hall, Club Filipino, in Manila. (Contributed photo)

(more…)

Continue Reading2007 Polls: Beyond GMA, Beyond Retaking Power

UN Prober Raps Military, Gov’t for Killings

In a press statement distributed at a Manila press conference on Wednesday, Philip Alston, the special rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, outlined his findings during his 10-day investigation in the Philippines. Among his conclusions: evidence suggests that the military is behind most of the killings, the military is in a state of denial, an intensified counter-insurgency campaign (presumably Oplan Bantay Laya) is partly to blame for the increase in the atrocities, the Melo Commission and Task Force Usig are inadequate, and the military’s line that the killings are the result of purges within the communist movement “bears all the hallmarks of a fabrication and cannot be taken as evidence of anything other than disinformation.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingUN Prober Raps Military, Gov’t for Killings

Tales of Atrocities Confront UN Prober in Davao

By Tyrone A. Velez
davaotoday.com

DAVAO TODAY — They came from as far as Basilan, Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental. Some 30 people, who are families and survivors of extrajudicial killings and human-rights abuses presented their cases to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Philip Alston who arrived in the city last Sunday as part of his 10-day visit to the country to investigate atrocities.

All in all, 20 cases from the six regions in Mindanao involving 33 violations — such as killings, frustrated killings, forced disappearances and harassments — were presented to Alston. Of the 20 cases, 10 came with testimonies. The presentation of cases were facilitated by Karapatan, the human-rights group.

(more…)

Continue ReadingTales of Atrocities Confront UN Prober in Davao

UN to Probe Extrajudicial Killings in Davao

Leftist groups and the military are jockeying for position and the opportunity to be heard by the United Nations rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, who is scheduled to arrive today in Davao City.


(davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

By Germelina A. Lacorte
davaotoday.com

Related story: Victims? Families Say UN Rep Visit Won?t Stop Killings

DAVAO CITY — The human-rights group Karapatan has prepared at least 20 cases of political killings in Mindanao that it would present to Philip Alston, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings who is scheduled to arrive here today.

The cases are among the grave human-rights abuses that if proven, Karapatan said, might blacklist the Philippines out of the group of nations that respect and uphold human rights.

The arrival here of Alston promises to be a battle of cases between progressive human rights groups on one hand and the government military and the police on the other as both sides try to wrest the opportunity to be heard by Alston.

(more…)

Continue ReadingUN to Probe Extrajudicial Killings in Davao