PASAKA Southern Mindanao Lumad Federation Secretary General Jong Monzon said that the criminal cases filed against were “fabricated” and filed only “with the intent to pacify” their resistance.
Instead of a festive celebration of the Indigenous People’s month, the Lumads commemorated IP month with a protest putting up a camp at the Rizal Park here coinciding with the resumption of the formal talks between the government and the National Democratic Front on Monday, August 22.
As the formal talks between the government and the National Democratic Front continue on its second day on Tuesday, August 23 members of the PASAKA Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao called for the abolition of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) because of the agency’s inaction to address extrajudicial killings and displacement of Lumad due to militarization.
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines sees that achieving an agreement on social and economic reforms will be a “major achievement” for both the NDF and the government.
A local movement opposed to the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. lauded the Supreme Court declaring a status quo for 20 days, pending the hearing of six petitions filed against the plan to bury the late strongman at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The 20-day period covers calendar days from Tuesday, August 23 to September 11.
Two days before the resumption of the formal talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, four members of the New People’s Army were killed after a military offensive on August 20 in San Luis, Agusan del Sur.
Following the decision of the Supreme Court declaring Davao City’s aerial spray ban as unconstitutional, a councilor suggested to regulate than prohibit it.
Both negotiating panels of the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front expressed optimism on the resumption of the formal talks which opened on Monday, August 22, in Oslo, Norway.
Sheena Duazo, spokesperson of Bayan Southern Mindanao Region, said that they will use the presentation during their talks in communities in Davao region in a bid to educate the public and enjoin them in supporting the peace process.
The New People’s Army released another video of Police Chief Inspector Arnold Ongachen who was held captive by the communist rebels for almost three months now.
