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The National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), counsel for Anakbayan, lambasted the NTF-ELCAC “for capitalizing on a familial conflict and turning it into a witch-hunt for members of Anakbayan and the Kabataan Partylist, which are legitimate organizations advancing the Filipino youth’s aspirations for national democracy.”

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Legal remedies supposedly for the protection of human rights are now being used against human rights defenders.

This in gist is the response of members of progressive youth groups and a human rights lawyer to the petition for writ of amparo and habeas data filed against them.

The writ of amparo is a remedy “available to any person whose right to life, liberty or security” is violated or “threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission by a public official or employee or of a private individual or entity.” Meanwhile, the writ of habeas data is a remedy “available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.”

Relissa and Francis Lucena, parents of 18-year-old Alicia Jasper, a member of Anakbayan, filed the petition for amparo and habeas data with the Supreme Court. The Lucena couple named as respondents Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, Anakbayan national spokesperson Alex Danday, Anakbayan members Chary Delos Reyes, Bianca Gacos and Jayroven Villafuente and lawyer Maria Kristina Conti of the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) . The SC ordered the respondents to show cause why writs of amparo and habeas corpus should not be issued in favor of the petitioners.

In a compliance filed by the respondents on May 30, they debunked the couple’s claim that their daughter is missing.

“AJ (Alicia Jasper) is not a missing person or one being held against her will. Neither her fundamental rights to life, liberty and security under threat or violated by the respondents,” the compliance read.

NTF-ELCAC behind the petition

The respondents maintained that the petition is pure harassment instigated by the state’s anti-communist task force.

Behind the petition is the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which has been notorious in red-tagging legal organizations, the respondents said. Alicia’s parents are members of the League of Parents in the Philippines (LPP) and Hands Off Our Children (HOOC), which were created by the NTF-ELCAC.

“It is also no coincidence that the criminal complaints filed by petitioner Relissa before the DOJ against respondents is regarded as a ‘highlight’ by the NTF-ELCAC Legal Cooperation Cluster. Even the vitriol written in their placards and social media content merely parrots NTF-ELCAC propaganda that red-tags and maligns respondents and their organization as ‘communist terrorists,’” the compliance read.

The National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), counsel for Anakbayan, lambasted the NTF-ELCAC “for capitalizing on a familial conflict and turning it into a witch-hunt for members of Anakbayan and the Kabataan Partylist, which are legitimate organizations advancing the Filipino youth’s aspirations for national democracy.”

In their compliance, the respondents also pointed out that it is Alicia’s parents who have put her at risk whenever her mother publicly red-baits Anakbayan and Kabataan Partylist as front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army or “communist terrorist groups.”

The respondents also asked the SC to impose disciplinary action against Topacio who willingly allowed himself to be used by the NTF-ELCAC to file a petition which they said intended only to harass the respondents.

“No lawyer worth his salt will advise the filing of a petition for amparo against private citizens who are not acting on behalf of the State, and habeas corpus for persons who have already lost rightful custody over the subject, while another application for judicial relief on substantially the same issues and circumstances is pending in another tribunal,” the compliance read, adding that this is tantamount to a malpractice.

No rights violated

In 2019, when Relissa testified in the Senate inquiry on the “missing minors allegedly recruited by the leftist groups” and when she filed a complaint against the youth groups Anakbayan, Kabataan Party-list and human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Alicia went out to the public to say that she is not missing.

In her previous statements, Alicia stressed that she was not kidnapped by Anakbayan. She went away because her parents locked her up to keep her from joining the youth group. She was also brought by her parents to Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Bagong Diwa to “de-radicalize” her. She was interrogated by members of the police and the military and forced her to provide information about Anakbayan.

This is why the NUPL said that the petition of the Lucena couple has no substantial evidence and is only based on conclusory allegations and “suffer from wild leaps of logic.” The petition is also an attempt to compel Lucena to come home to her parents.

They explained that the writ of amparo which was promulgated during the time of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was meant to address the massive cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of activists.

“The rule aimed to provide expeditious relief to a person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation of an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee or of a private individual or entity.”

They added that “while a writ of amparo may lie against a private individual or entity, government involvement ‘remains an indispensable element.’”

“Petitioners’ odious desire to impose their feudal stranglehold over AJ accurately reflects the current dispensation: a repressive regime where the exercise of the freedom of thought, conscience and belief is abhorred and punished,” the compliance read.

Meanwhile, Elago reiterated that Alicia is not under their custody.

“She is an emancipated woman who can make her own decisions, pursue her own dreams and aspirations. She is neither missing nor kidnapped as she herself made that clear in her interviews last year,” Elago said in a statement.

Elago said they are confident that the petition of the Lucena couple will not be granted because there is no truth behind their allegations.

“We are hoping that someday, everything will be fine between Alicia and her parents. My impression of Alicia is that she is a compassionate person who has her heart set to serve the people and to join their calls against poverty, inequality, and injustice,” Elago said.

The post Youth groups, lawyer decry ‘harassment case’ appeared first on Bulatlat.

By VINCENT SILARDE
Bulatlat.com

I went out this morning for my regular pandesal slash workout ride excited to see and perhaps even meet some of the new comrades in the bike commuting community. There was no doubt a remarkable surge in the number of bikers on the road and this sight gave me a sense of great hope and expectations on the future of bicycle use in this country. It was the kind of morning that feels like a new and happy beginning. My absolute feeling of joy, however, would somehow cave in after meeting a duo of first time bike commuters.

Mang Rolando and Mang Larry are neighbors in Montalban, Rizal. Both men work in Manila’s Port area as forklift operator and machinist, respectively. They left their homes at 5am so that they’ll be able to report early or on time for work at 8am today, on board their newly-acquired bicycles. At 6:05 am, they managed to reach the endpoint of this bicycle lane on Commonwealth Avenue where this photo was taken. I estimated that if they keep going at the same pace as they rode from their homes up to this point, they’ll be able arrive at their destination in an hour at least, completing the one-way 30-kilometer or so travel in more or less two hours.

I realized it is easier to see yourself, at least in my case, bike commuting when you are working in an air-conditioned office mostly doing mental labor. Riding a bike for maybe 5-10 kilometers then becomes a welcome form of exercise to make up for the lack of physical activity during those long hours seated at your desk. That you are not stuck in traffic and you lessen your carbon footprint are also encouraging. But this is a position of privilege many bike commuters do not have. Many of them are forced to take on this burden of additional labor before and after a day of performing backbreaking work in factories and other such places where you actually sweat it out to earn a living.

I know it is not a priority or perhaps not even something being imagined now, but I hope that the movement to build a more bike-friendly city will later consider taking on or become a part of the bigger struggle to make the city a more democratic space in terms of how people are able to comfortably navigate and inhabit it. Consider, for instance, the average biking distance to workplace in much-vaunted cycling capitals. In Denmark, it’s around 5 kilometers. Holland is just a little higher at 7 kilometers. I believe this suggests that a successful biking culture is built on the foundation of a democratic access to urban spaces, meaning affordable in-city housing and mass transport system that can hopefully work well in tandem with cycling. In other words, an ideal biking culture does not force people to the distant peripheries of the city and make them commute by bike to their workplaces like what has been practiced here. Our urban development has been characterized by a campaign of displacement and dispossession of the working class who make up a huge part if not the majority of the bike commuting population.

So yeah, let us fight for those damn bike lanes now. That’s the least we can do, specially for those who are left with no choice but to travel long distances using their bikes. But while at it, perhaps we can also start to imagine a cycling metropolis not only in terms of a network of bicycle lanes and other infrastructures but in how we can make urban spaces equally accessible for all.

The author is a biking enthusiast and aspiring farmer.

The post FIRST PERSON | Bike commuting on the 1st day of GCQ appeared first on Bulatlat.

Ni MICHAEL BELTRAN
Bulatlat.com

Kung di ako nagkakamali, kuha ang litratong ito nung naglunsad ng People’s Caravan para suportahan ang Occupy Bulacan noong Marso 2017. Matapos ang programa at habang kumakain ng tanghalian ang mga kasama sa Pandi Residences 3, sumaglit kami ni Karlets sa isang tindahan para bumili ng yosi. Malboro black ang kanya, “lagi ako mamimigay brad, basta meron. Kaso mas madalas ay wala,” madalas niyang sabihin sa akin.

“Iba ka talaga. Pag tumakbo kang Mayor dito, panalo ka na, pwede kitang piktuyran sa may taas diyan” sagot ko. Inulit ko ang isa sa mga paboritong biro ng mga kasama sa kanya, “basta aksyon, Badion!” Natuwa naman siya, at pumosing naman. Buong hapon naglolokohan kami kung magtatayo na nga ba kami ng negosyong patubig sa mga pabahay dahil wala ngang suplay ng maiinom sa lugar.

“Basta aksyon, Bad yon” tawa naming lahat. Siguro nga, kung si Ka Bea, bilang chairperson ang ‘nanay’ ng organisasyon, si Ka Inday iyung tita mong makulit, si Karlets naman ang inabutan kong tito na ‘bad boy’ ng kilusan ng maralitang lungsod. Hindi dahil pasaway siya o mahirap pakisamahan, pero dahil may taglay lang siyang swabeng angas na maganda kasama mapakwentuhan, sa init ng pagtuligsa sa bulok na gobyerno, at syempre sa pagharap sa masa.

Dati sa opisina may house rules na “hindi maaring mag hubad-baro tuwing office hours.” Katwiran ni Karlets, pagpatak ng 5:01, maari nang mag topless dahil sobrang init nga naman. Pauso niya iyun, na ginaya din ng iba, pati ko.

Nung wala na siya sa opisina, doon ako madalas nakapwesto sa lamesa niya. Payapa, may kalayuan sa ibang kaganapan at madaling makakapagpokus sa ginagawa. Minsa’y itataas ko pa ang paa ko, walang pantaas, palarong ginagaya ang kasama.

Sa totoo lang, laking tulong ni Ka Karlets sa lahat ng kasama at laluna sa pamilya niya para maunawaan at mapamahal sa maralitang Pilipino. Para sa akin, nung bago akong sumabak, nagkapagpadulas ng pagsanib iyung kalokohan niya. Minsan, sa gitna ng pulong magbibitiw ng biro na medyo pang kanto. Seryoso ang mukha, ang ibang mga kasama dedman lang dahil hindi nagets. Sabay titingin si Karlets sa akin dahil alam niyang nakuha ko, mabilisan siyang ngingiti at magpipigil naman ako ng tawa.

Pero di hamak na mas nakatulong magbigay kumpyansa si Karlets sa gawain. Mapalad kang makasama siya sa panahon nang walang katiyakan. Tuwing tatapat sa pulis na mahirap tantyahin kung gaano karahas ang magiging tugon sa pagkilos, open-command sa mikropono habang nakikipagtalo at negosasyon sa mga awtoridad.

O kaya nama’y sa tuwing haharap sa masang may sandamakmak na problema’y di mo alam kung paano kikilatisin. Nang may nagtungo sa opisina mga taga Catmon, Malabon upang kumonsulta sa kanilang kampanya hinggil sa demolisyon, hinayaan ko silang magkuwento. Punong puno ng kumplikasyong ligal at mga paikot-ikot na mga kaso, kontrata at polisiya. Nalula ako at sadyang pinakumplika naman talaga ang batas sa paninirahan. Mabuti naroon si Karlets, na tila may encyclopedia sa utak tungkol sa mga bagay na iyan. Mabilis nagbigay payo at nagbalangkas ng susing aksyon. Ako, mula sa dapat ay magpadaloy, naging tagapakinig na lang din at mag-aral sa sinasabi ng lider.

Kapag magsasalita si Karlets, talagang pangwakas sa anumang mobilisasyon. Tanda ko pa ang ibabaw ng labi niya nanginginig lagi sa galit. Ang hintuturo niya, malikot na winawagayway sa pagkukundenda sa lahat ng pagpapahirap na ginagawa sa maralitang lungsod. Danas niya lahat iyun. Kaya matapos ang pagkilos, uuwi kang panatag, imbis na puno ng masamang balita ang isip, maglalakad kang may pag-asa.

Kung maghahanap lang tayo ng patunay ng pagka-matapobre ng marami at kahit ng mga personahe sa ating lipunan, panoorin natin ang interview niya sa Balitanghali. Habang nagpapaliwanag ang kasama, pinuputol siya. Imbis na alamin ang isyu ng homeless, tila interrogation ng mas nakatataas ng uri sa lipunan ang kinalabasan. Kabado ako noon, sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘naku yari pag nagpaka-badboy tong si Karlets, baka ibang gulo nanaman ito.’ Pero naging kalmado lang siya, hakbang-hakbang na nagpaliwanag ng panawagan para maunawaan ng lahat sa maliit na oras.

Ganyan siguro kapag maralitang lungsod ang nagsalita sa lipunan natin. Laging pasan niya ang bigat ng pagdepensa sa sarili mula sa batikos ng may pribilehiyo. Nasa kanya ang bigat ng inaasahan na manatiling kalmado at mapagkumbaba kahit sa gitna ng pambabalahura at kawalang-hiyaan. Isipin niyo kung talagang sinalubong ni Karlets ang interview sa kaparehong tono, hindi ba’t ang “bastos na lider na Kadamay” ang laman ng balita kinabukasan? Ang mga ganyang turing sa mahihirap, ang pagtrato sa kanila na parang mas mababang klaseng tao, na parang mga kriminal iyung nag-aambag sa kung bakit sila, katulad ni Karlets, ay tinatarget ng estado.

Mahirap magpaalam dahil parang lagi na tayong namamaalam sa ilalim ng rehimeng ito. Sadya atang masyadong maraming goodbye sa pagkilos at pakikibaka, pero mainam din kung dadamihan din ang pangangamusta. Ikinalulungkot ko na unang beses ngayong taon na hindi kami bumati sa isa’t isa ng happy birthday, kahit magkasunod na araw lamang iyon. Nung nakaraang taon, siya pa ang humingi ng kaunting patawad. “brad happy birthday, muntik ko makalimutan magkasunod pala tau ng petsa sa birthday.”

Ilang ulit tayong dapat magpasalamat sa kanya. Hustisya para kay Carlito Badion, bundok na di mapapatag sa kasaysayan ng militanteng maralitang lungsod.

* The author serves as the media liaison of urban poor group Kadamay. He also contributes stories to online media outfits.

The post First Person | Si Karletz at ang bundok na di mapapatag appeared first on Bulatlat.