MANILA — Another Supreme Court magistrate has joined the public discussion on terrorism.
Supreme Court Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez recently described the Human Security Act of 2007, otherwise known as ?The Philippine Anti-Terrorism Law,? as a ?novel and complex law? and ?unchartered waters only a few have sailed.?
(more…)
Statement of the Ecumenical Bishops Forum
Vestiges of Martial Law
The Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF), the fellowship of bishops from the United Church of Christ (UCCP), United Methodist (UMC), Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP), Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and the Roman Catholic Churches in the Philippines lament the deployment of elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in urban areas in the country. It is another nail hammered on the flailing limbs of freedom in this country.
(more…)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Davao Teen Center (DTC), together with the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), demanded the local candidates of Davao City to include Reproductive Health (RH) policies as their top priority in their legislative agenda.
Jamail Lunar Macla, Youth Coordinator of DTC, pointed that this has been a long time struggle of young people in the city that the problem in reproductive health must be prioritized since there are no comprehensive local legislative order to arrest the said problem of the city.
(more…)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The military is showing its desperation in its move to deflect the attention from its tragic offense of killing and labeling as ?child soldier? the 9-year old Grecil Galacio. This is according to Alphonse Rivera, Spokesperson of SALINLAHI Alliance for Children?s Concerns, one of the organizations that assisted the Galacio family in their case against the military.
(more…)
MANILA, Philippines — The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan hailed as a ?tactical victory? the order of AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon to pull out troops deployed in Metro Manila.
?We have gained a short term victory. This is the result of pressure from various groups which include militant organizations as well as church and human rights institutions. The pull out should be permanent,? said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
(more…)