According to Senator Joker Arroyo, the military has lobbied for the junking in the House of Representatives of a bill that seeks to compensate victims of human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship. The military, Arroyo said, fears that the money would just go to insurgents and rebel groups.
In a privilege speech Monday, Arroyo said the military’s lobbying “demeans and mocks the legislative process” because it shows that the “military can throw a monkey wrench even at the tail-end of congressional work.”
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At last week’s 6th IISS Asian Security Summit in Singapore, top officials from Asian and Southeast Asian nations discussed maritime security. Defense secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. represented the Philippines. The summit was crucial for Mindanao because of its proximity to maritime areas that have been facing threats from terrorists and pirates. Read Ebdane’s paper here, Sri Lanka’s paper here, and Indonesia’s paper here. You can also read a Q&A on the subject.
Manila, Philippines (AHN) – Policemen in northern Philippines will be deployed as teachers in rebel-infested areas. Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil,…
They’re urging for independent autopsy of Grecil’s remains, particularly since there were traces of powder burns on the child’s head — an indication that she may have been shot at close range, the groups said.
The CHR, according to Kabiba, is passing the burden of proof to the victim and is trying to vindicate human-rights violators. It added that the CHRs conclusion — that Grecil died in a crossfire during a legitimate encounter — “is actually inconclusive because the CHR did not actually employ scientific and defensible probing methods like the conduct of autopsy.
Lack of Merit? Grecil’s parents, shown here during a press conference in Manila in April, have also filed charges against the soldiers before the courts and the ombudsman. (Photo by arkibongbayan.org)
In this two-part report, the Center for People Empower in Governance (CenPEG), a think tank that advocates for more grassroots participation in governance, dissects the recent elections.
Helping Hands. Members of the Philippine and US navies load food and supplies onto a truck for delivery to a Mindanao orphanage. The donation by the US military was part of the 13th annual bilateral maritime training exercise called Carat (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) that began last week in Zamboanga and Basilan. (Photo courtesy of the US Navy/US Embassy)
In his TV program on Sunday, Duterte said he is scheduled to undergo a “nerve conduction velocity” (NCV) test to check his spine. He said he has been feeling numbness in the left portion of his body, from the neck down to his chest. Often, he said, he had difficulty closing his fist or gripping his fingers. Depending on the results of the test, he might have to undergo surgery, he said. Related story: Transcript of Duterte’s “Gikan sa Masa” interview
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