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NDF Bicol vows justice for 2 slain rights workers
“We assure the families of (Nelly) Bagasala, (Ryan) Hubilla and all other victims of violence of the reactionary State of the revolutionary movement’s nonstop efforts until justice is given them,” Nel del Mundo, Bicol NDF spokesperson, said in Filipino.
Pamilya ng mga bilanggong politika, muling inilunsad ang KAPATID
Ayon sa KARAPATAN, mayroong 536 bilanggong pulitikal sa bansa at patuloy itong tumataas.
Artists depict US, China relations with Philippines on Independence Day protest tarps
Sining Bugkos, a regional alliance of cultural groups in Metro Manila, brought with them protest posters on Philippine Independence Day protests on June 12. The five feet long posters encapsulated their depiction of the Philippines’ relations with its current president’s closest foreign allies, US and China. Depiction of US, China influence and control on Philippine […]
The post Artists depict US, China relations with Philippines on Independence Day protest tarps appeared first on Manila Today.
Mga Aparisyon Sa Ulan (Sampung Tula)
I. Nakita ko, nang umulan kangina’y hindi puting likido ang ibinagsak ng langit na kulay abo kundi dugo, mapula-maitim-malapot na dugo na sa kilabot at hindik ay puno; II. at nakita ko na nang bumagsak ito sa ibabaw ng mga bubungang yari sa tagpi-tagping lata, lona at yero -na pinatungan ng pabigat na lumang […]
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Dear Tatay | For fathers in prison
Children of political prisoners talked about their fathers and sent out their messages to the man who nurtured them.
Political prisoners are charged with common crimes such as murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives, arson, among others to hide the political nature of their cases.
For those interviewed by Bulatlat, their fathers are far from being criminals and have instead dedicated their lives serving the poor and the marginalized. All of them are long-time trade union organizers in factories and government agencies.
Nikki Gamara, daughter of Renante Gamara, peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, has this to say to his father:
Makabuluhang araw ng mga tatay, sa’yo, ‘Tay, kasi tunay na makabuluhan naman talaga ang bawat araw sa’yo bilang Ama para sa amin na mga anak mo. Dahil sa mahabang panahon na bago ka pa man maikulong at kahit ikaw ay piniit, pangatlong beses na ngayon ay inilalaan mo ito para sa pagkakaroon namin ng magandang kinabukasan. Wala sigurong mas hihigit na pagbibigay kabuluhan sa pagiging Ama sa pagsisikap na mo na baguhin ‘yung lipunan na meron tayong lahat ngayon para sa pagsisiguro na magiging tunay na malaya at mapagkalinga ‘yung ginagalawang lipunan naming mga anak mo at anak ng iba pang kagaya mong manggagawa at ng iba pang mga tatay.
Proud kami kahit sa gitna ng mga panunupil, sa gitna ng kung anu-anong tagging na ginagawa ng gobyernong ito, kami ang iyong anak at ikaw ang aming tatay. Dahil kahit kailan ay ‘di naging mali ang maghanap ng hustisya at isang makatarungang lipunan. At proud din ako na ikaw ay isang mabuting halimbawa na sinisikap naming gayahin sa pinili naming mga buhay—ako bilang aktibista na rin. Umasa ka na lagi tayong magpapatuloy na magkasama sa ating shared na layunin na magkaroon ng tunay na magandang buhay para sa mga tatay at mga anak sa ating bayan.
Nikki is a full-time volunteer of Rise Up for Life and Rights, an organisation of families and supporters of victims of Duterte’s “war on drugs.”
Aprille Joy Atadero, misses her father’s sinangag at kape (fried rice and coffee) every morning. The smell used to wake her up every morning. As she said this, Aprille teased her mother, “Iiyak na yung isa d’yan!”
Aprille, 25, a law student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and a writer of Catalyst, official student publication of PUP, recalled her father’s words before his arrest eight months ago, “Mapanganib ang panahon. ‘Wag lang titigil. Ang pinakamahalaga ay lumalaban tayo.”
Ireneo is a long-time organizer of Ilaw Buklod Manggagawa (IBM), a national federation of workers of San Miguel Corporation, affiliated with Kilusang Mayo Uno.
This is her message to her father:
Salamat sa pagiging ama sa akin at sa maraming iba pa. Hindi ko naramdamang wala akong kapatid dahil sa pagtulong mo sa iba, sa pagiging ama mo sa iba.
Kala, 26 and Kai, 15, are the children of political prisoners Oliver and Rowena Rosales. Their parents are organisers of Courage, a national federation of government employees.
Kala described his father as “not the ordinary” type. Asked why, Kala said, “Di niya aakuin lahat para sa ego niya.”
Oliver does the laundry and cooking at home. He loves to experiment in the kitchen, mixing vegetables or tofu in many dishes.
Kala has this message for his father:
“Happy Father’s Day. Di naming kayo papabayaan. ‘Di kami mag-mi-miss ng dalaw every week.”
Kai, meanwhile, misses watching TV series with his father. Both of them are Game of Thrones fans.
“Di ko makakalimutan lahat ng ginawa niya para sa akin,” Kai said of his father.
(Interviews by John Mark Aaron Macaraeg and Ronalyn Olea)
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First Person | A tale of two fathers
By ELEANOR DE GUZMAN
Bulatlat.com
Marklen Maojo Maga is father to 10-year old Li Boy. Maoj is a trade union organizer of the Kilusang Mayo Uno. He was recently convicted by the San Mateo Trial Court for crimes he did not commit.
His son upon learning the verdict instantly cried and could only mumble, “Ang daya!”
Why would a trial court convict an innocent man, on the basis of bare allegations by the police, without any proof of evidence of him possessing a gun because there was no gun to begin with?
Maoj was abducted while playing basketball in our neighborhood. Just before that he had breakfast with his family and sent his son to school. A 45-cal gun was planted on him only at Camp Crame after hours of interrogation and being incommunicado.
Three weeks earlier, NDFP Consultant Rafael Baylosis was arrested by the same operating unit of the CIDG-NCR. The police planted a grenade on my father’s bag of red rice belatedly upon learning that the Manila Trial Court denied its Motion to cancel his bail and issue a warrant of arrest against him. The QC Trial Court which heard his illegal possession of firearms and explosive case dismissed the charges against him, as it found his arrest unlawful and any search and evidence supposedly found on him is considered invalid. Baylosis was released from illegal detention one year later.
The story does not end there.
The Office of the Solicitor General is still trying to secure a warrant of arrest against Baylosis after the Manila Trial Court denied its Motion for Reconsideration. He is the only one left with a bail in effect, and thus has to attend hearings consistently (on the case of moving skeletons).
Maoj is facing 8-14 years in prison if the verdict will not be reversed by the courts. And Raffy Baylosis is still being tracked down by his predators. I cannot help surmise that this government made sure that a conviction be in order against Maoj after a Court dismissed charges against Baylosis and the latter walked out of prison.
When I was about Li Boy’s age, I also spoke at rallies calling for the release of my father who was then around Maoj’s age when he was arrested and detained for the second time during the Cory Aquino regime.
It’s already a full cycle for our family. The struggle never ceases.
We are not about to give up our fight for freedom and justice, even and most especially when a regime dares to kill human rights defenders and activists in broad daylight, haunt and kill its preys in the so-called drug war in the dead of the night.
Tuloy ang laban.
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DAILY GRIND
To sustain the daily needs of his family, this vendor has to brave the sweltering heat of the sun in the streets of Baler in Aurora province, as he sells to tourists and visitors local delicacy called “Pakumbo,” a sweetened dried coconut packed in a dry banana bark.