PinoyAbrod.net

The petitioners called on legislators to “consider the greater good while upholding the right of media/art organizations to decide the path it should take as part of its constitutional right to freedom of speech, of expression and of the press.”

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Almost a thousand artists, writers, music composers, cinematographers, lighting directors, production designers, art directors, producers, staff and crew from the television and film industry, signed a petition urging the House of Representatives to renew the franchise of television giant ABS-CBN.

The 17th Congress recently adjourned without passing the House Bill No. 4349, which seeks to renew the radio-television network’s franchise for another 25 years. The franchise shall expire by March 2020.

The petitioners called on legislators to “consider the greater good while upholding the right of media/art organizations to decide the path it should take as part of its constitutional right to freedom of speech, of expression and of the press.”

Among those who signed were Piolo Pascual, Coco Martin, Lea Salonga, Pinky Amador, Jaime Fabregas, John Arcilla, Butuin Escalante, Angel Aquino and other TV personalities.

Ricky Lee, Rody Vera, Lav Diaz, Joel Lamangan and Mae Paner were also among those who signed.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been criticising ABS-CBN for its reportage and for failure to air a paid ad during his campaign for presidency in 2016. In December 2017, the President publicly said that a compromise may be reached if the station will support charter change towards federalism.

The petitioners said the issue regarding the TV ad should have been resolved legally without affecting the entire organization.

“Losing one of just a few national Mass Media Organizations (TV/Radio) that we have will impact on the very reason why information and communication is vital to the building of a great nation. It will deprive people of choices, of another source of FREE access to information, knowledge and entertainment,” the petition read.

The signatories pointed out that many Filipinos still do not have access to the web or have the budget to spend hours browsing in an internet shop and television and radio are their only means to connect with the rest of the nation and the world.

The petitioners said the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise will have implications on their very source of livelihood and will affect their families.

In a statement released Friday, Commission on Human Rights Spokesperson Jacqueline De Guia expressed concern with the non-renewal of the network’s franchise.

“Non-renewal can be tantamount to shutting down the network. If an entire media giant would be toppled down due to a political caprice, it could signal the beginning of a bleaker state of press freedom in the country and a catapult to the wave of previous assaults to media,” de Guia said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Altermidya and Let’s Organize for Democracy and Intergrity (LODI) Arts and Media Alliance held a Black Friday protest last Friday calling on the Duterte administration to stop harassing ABS-CBN and to demand justice for veteran journalist Margarita Valle, who was abducted and held incommunicado for 12 hours.

De Guia, in a statement, noted that the police did not follow due process in the arrest of Valle.

“There are no excuses to circumvent the standards enumerated by the bill of rights especially by those duty-bound to uphold it,” De Guia said.

The post Nearly 1K artists, workers urge Congress to renew franchise of ABS-CBN appeared first on Bulatlat.

Ni OLIVER B. ROSALES

Isang pares kami ng mga mata
Matalim at malinaw
Mabibigo ang mga halimaw
Pigilang makakita

Isang pares kami ng mga bibig
Pigilan man at igapos
Malayang mananatili
Matatag at hindi manginginig

Isang pares kami ng mga paa
Tiyak at panatag
Bnabagtas na animo’y may pakpak
Sa daang ‘di man kaaya-aya

Isang pares kami ng mga kamay
Tampipi ng hangad at dasal
Nagsusumikap mula nang ikasal
Nagpapasalamat sa mga dumadamay

Isang pares kaming minaliit, piniit
May pag-asa at pananalig
Iiral ang totoo at sila’y maantig
Di bingi ang bayan sa sakit

Sa isang pares naming mga anak
Bukal ng ligaya’t liwayway
Lalaya rin ang nanay at tatay
Tahan na sa pag-iyak

Tayo ay maghahapon muli nang sabay

*Binasa ni Kai at Kala, mga anak ni Oliver at Rowena Rosales, sa muling pagtatatag ng Kapatid, mga kaanak at kaibigan ng mga bilanggong pulitikal nitong Hunyo 15 sa Commission on Human Rights.

The post Isang pares* appeared first on Bulatlat.

“Political prisoners are a symbol of unpeace and injustice. They must be freed.”

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Families and friends of political prisoners gathered and re-launched Kapatid, today, June 15 at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Fides Lim, wife of National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Vicente Ladlad, said Kapatid aims to work for the release of all political prisoners, fight for their welfare and gather the broadest support for political prisoners.

Kapatid was originally formed in 1978 as a response to the crackdown of political activists during Martial Law. Today, the organization is revived with more than 500 political prisoners under the Duterte administration.

“We smile in front of you but our hearts are in anguish,” Lim said.

Her husband was arrested along with elderly couple Alberto and Virginia Villamor on Nov. 7, 2018 in barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives and are now detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Speaking for other relatives of political prisoners, Lim said, “Because we love, we know how to fight.”

Today’s chant pic.twitter.com/m2t4EfpQQ6

— Bulatlat (@bulatlat) June 15, 2019

Former Senator Wigberto “Bobby” Tañada, in his speech, said, “Political prisoners are a symbol of unpeace and injustice. They must be freed.”

Humanitarian grounds

Kapatid is calling on the government to release immediately those who are sick and those who have been in prison for so long on humanitarian grounds.

Lim cited Ge-Ann Perez, who suffers from leprosy, and Juanito Itaas, the longest detained political prisoner who has been falsely convicted of common crimes.

She said that under the Duterte administration, four political prisoners have already died.
Kapatid also said that there are a number of activist couples who have been arrested and detained. The group is calling for the release of one of each couple to be able to attend to the needs of their families.

One such couple is Oliver and Rowena Rosales. Their daughter, Kala, 26 and Kai, 15, have been left to fend for themselves.

Carryover from Martial Law

Tañada noted that the policy of criminalizing political dissent is a carryover from the Marcos dictatorship.

Political prisoners are charged with common crimes in an attempt to hide the political nature of their cases, according to Edre Olalia, chairperson of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL). Such practice, Olalia said, violates the Hernandez political doctrine, which prohibits the criminalization of political dissent.

CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Gascon also lamented that even after the fall of dictatorship, the phenomenon of political prisoners has continued.

“This is not appropriate for any society that claims to be free and democratic,” Gascon said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, who also handles cases of political prisoners, pointed out that the arrest and detention of political dissenters forms part of the “waves of repression under the Duterte administration.”

Diokno said, “The law itself is being used as an instrument of repression.”

Broadest alliance needed

Diokno said that the situation calls for the broadest possible unity.

“Now is the time to unite and take a stand together,” he said.

For her part, Carol Araullo, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), welcomed the re-launch of Kapatid. She said that relatives, friends and allies should be tapped to support the campaign for the release of political prisoners.

Lim said Kapatid is preparing for many activities in the coming months.

“There is nothing more powerful than those who are unafraid…We are not afraid because we know we are on the right side,” she said.

The post Kin, friends form Kapatid to press for release of political prisoners appeared first on Bulatlat.