Home Blog Page 338

Statement | The Duterte regime will pay for its crimes against press freedom and human rights

Pinoy Weekly
-
0

The Rodrigo Duterte regime is the biggest threat to the people’s right to press freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It uses the entire coercive power of the State to attack and quell the independent press and these attacks are instigated and led by the madman in Malacañang Palace himself.

Today, May 3, as the country observes World Press Freedom Day, members of the alternative media condemn the nightmarish Duterte regime for its crimes against our ranks and against the Filipino people.

Since December last year, sustained distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have been unleashed against Bulatlat, Kodao, Pinoy Weekly, Altermidya, and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, as well as websites of activist organizations Anakpawis Party, Arkibong Bayan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, Human Rights Online, Ibon Foundation, Karapatan, and the National Democratic Front. Sweden-based digital rights group Quirium has identified two information technology companies, IP Converge and Suniway, as the source of the ongoing cyberattacks aimed at taking down our websites. We have filed cases against these two entities and we expect this to go to trial very soon. We believe that these entities are acting in behalf of masterminds (the real cyber-assassins) who are probably state forces.

Earlier, Altermidya journalists have been arrested for covering the NutriAsia labor strike in Bulacan. Journalists from Altermidya-member outfits have also been red-tagged and, like many other independent journalists, have been vilified online by paid trolls using social media accounts created to defend this rotten government.

Other independent media outfits and journalists suffer all forms of attacks from this regime. Recently, the Office of the President admitted that the so-called matrix of destabilizers, including Vera Files, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Rappler, and Bulatlat associate editor and PW columnist Danilo Arao as well as the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers came from Pres. Duterte himself. Earlier, ABS-CBN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer have been threatened by Duterte, who said that his attacks will only stop if these outfits would agree to be his regime’s federalism drive mouthpieces.

We accuse Duterte for instigating these attacks against press freedom and the people’s right to know. Even before he assumed power, he has already justified the killing of journalists. After ranting madly in his speeches, worsening attacks, harassments and vilification are then launched against the independent press. These attacks go hand-in-hand against the killings of activists, farmers, indigenous peoples, lawyers, church people and many others on top of the unjust arrests and filing of trumped up charges in a grand scheme called the Whole of Nation approach to quell legitimate dissent.

Today, Altermidya and the Filipino people picketed the general headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to indict it and the Duterte regime as enemies of press freedom and human rights. The AFP is one of Duterte’s leading peddlers of lies and fake news. It red-tags journalists and activists, many of whom are later unjustly arrested or, worse, summarily killed.

We are here to prove that we are neither afraid or unbowed of their sinister deeds and plans. We come to warn them that a day of reckoning will soon come and that they will be made to pay for all their crimes against our ranks and the people’s.

No tyrant has ever succeeded in completely silencing legitimate dissent and independent voices. In the Philippines, the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship and the immoral Joseph Estrada presidency—both of which has attacked the Philippine press—were in fact ousted from office. Soon, the nightmare who is Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his bloody tentacles—lieutenants in the government, his online troll army, and the military and police—will end. We vow to make them pay for their crimes against the people.

#WorldPressFreedomDay | Journalists, rights defenders slam Duterte, military for attacks

-
0
#WorldPressFreedomDay | Journalists, rights defenders slam Duterte, military for attacks

MANILA — On World Press Freedom Day, journalists and human rights defenders staged a protest in front of Camp Aquinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), denouncing the state-perpetrated attacks against the Philippine press.

Protesters show their version of matrix, with President Duterte as the nexus of all plots. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea / Bulatlat)

In a statement, the Altermidya People’s Media Network, a network of alternative media outfits, maintained that the Rodrigo Duterte regime is the biggest threat to the people’s right to press freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. “It uses the entire coercive power of the State to attack and quell the independent press and these attacks are instigated and led by the madman in Malacañang Palace himself,” the group said.

The group tagged the AFP as one of Duterte’s leading peddlers of lies and fake news. “It red-tags journalists and activists, many of whom are later unjustly arrested or, worse, summarily killed,” the group said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) as well as journalists based in Panay, Cagayan de Oro City, and Cordillera have been labeled as “communist fronts” by military agents. Sherwin de Vera, a columnist of Northern Dispatch, was charged and detained on trumped-up charges after the military accused him of being a communist. He was released on bail.

Journalists covering the protest also condemn the attacks on press freedom. (Photo by Zeng Umil / Bulatlat)

Since December last year, sustained distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have been unleashed against Bulatlat, Kodao, Pinoy Weekly, Altermidya, and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, as well as websites of activist organizations Anakpawis Party, Arkibong Bayan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, Human Rights Online, Ibon Foundation, Karapatan, and the National Democratic Front. Sweden-based digital rights group Quirium has identified two information technology companies, IP Converge and Suniway, as the source of the ongoing cyberattacks aimed at taking down our websites. Alternative media outfits have filed a civil case against the said companies. “We believe that these entities are acting in behalf of masterminds (the real cyber-assassins) who are probably state forces,” the Altermidya said.

Rhea Padilla, national coordinator of Altermidya People’s Media Network, denounces the attacks on the Philippine media, ranging from cyber attacks, red baiting, vilification to surveillance, physical attacks, killings. (photo by Zeng Umil/ Bulatlat)

“We accuse Duterte for instigating these attacks against press freedom and the people’s right to know. Even before he assumed power, he has already justified the killing of journalists. After ranting madly in his speeches, worsening attacks, harassments and vilification are then launched against the independent press. These attacks go hand-in-hand against the killings of activists, farmers, indigenous peoples, lawyers, church people and many others on top of the unjust arrests and filing of trumped up charges in a grand scheme called the Whole of Nation approach to quell legitimate dissent,” the group said.

Earlier, Altermidya journalists have been arrested for covering the NutriAsia labor strike in Bulacan.

Human rights defenders and members of people’s organizations join the protest marking the World Press Freedom Day, asserting their right to free expression. (photo by Ronalyn V. Olea/ Bulatlat)

Other independent media outfits and journalists suffer all forms of attacks from this regime. Recently, the Office of the President admitted that the so-called matrix of destabilizers, including Vera Files, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Rappler, and Bulatlat columnist Danilo Arao as well as the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers came from President Duterte himself. Earlier, ABS-CBN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer have been threatened by Duterte, who said that his attacks will only stop if these outfits would agree to be his regime’s federalism drive mouthpieces.

Meanwhile, human rights alliance Karapatan said the dangerous tagging of human rights defenders and journalists as terrorists is “part of a convoluted and orchestrated effort to discredit groups and individuals and evade any form of investigation and accountability processes.”

“Duterte, his minions at PCOO [Presidential Communications and Operations Office] and officials of the PNP [Philippine National Police] and AFP are further engendering a climate of impunity in the Philippines, perpetrating unabated human rights violations amid a growing opposition to the government’s crimes and anti-people policies,” Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said.

Altermidya warned that Duterte and his agents would be made to pay for their crimes against the people.

The post #WorldPressFreedomDay | Journalists, rights defenders slam Duterte, military for attacks appeared first on Bulatlat.

The Duterte gov’t will pay for its crimes against press freedom and human rights

-
0

THE DUTERTE government is the biggest threat to the people’s right to press freedom, freedom of expression and other human rights. It uses the entire coercive power of the state to attack and quell the independent press and these attacks are instigated and led by the madman in Malacañang Palace himself.

Today, May 3, as the country observes World Press Freedom Day, members of the alternative media condemn the nightmarish Duterte government for its crimes against our ranks and against the Filipino people.

Since December last year, sustained distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have been unleashed against Bulatlat, Kodao, Pinoy Weekly, Altermidya, and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, as well as websites of activist organizations Anakpawis Party, Arkibong Bayan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party, Human Rights Online, IBON Foundation, Karapatan, and the National Democratic Front. Sweden-based digital rights group Quirium has identified two information technology companies, IP Converge and Suniway, as the source of the ongoing cyberattacks aimed at taking down our websites. We have filed cases against these two entities and we expect this to go to trial very soon. We believe that these entities are acting in behalf of masterminds (the real cyber-assassins) who are probably state forces.

Earlier, Altermidya journalists have been arrested for covering the NutriAsia labor strike in Bulacan. Journalists from Altermidya-member outfits have also been red-tagged and, like many other independent journalists, have been vilified online by paid trolls using social media accounts created to defend this rotten government.

Other independent media outfits and journalists suffer all forms of attacks from this regime. Recently, the Office of the President admitted that the so-called matrix of destabilizers, including Vera Files, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Rappler, and Bulatlat columnist Danilo Arao as well as the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers came from Pres. Duterte himself. Earlier, ABS-CBN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer have been threatened by Duterte, who said also said that these outfits should agree to be his government’s federalism drive mouthpieces.

We accuse Duterte for instigating these attacks against press freedom and the people’s right to know. Even before he assumed power, he has already justified the killing of journalists. After ranting madly in his speeches, worsening attacks, harassments and vilification are then launched against the independent press. These attacks go hand-in-hand against the killings of activists, farmers, indigenous peoples, lawyers, church people and many others on top of the unjust arrests and filing of trumped up charges in a grand scheme called the whole-of-nation approach to quell legitimate dissent.

Today, Altermidya and the Filipino people are here before the general headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to indict it and the Duterte regime as enemies of press freedom and human rights. The AFP is one of Duterte’s leading peddlers of lies and fake news. It red-tags journalists and activists, many of whom are later unjustly arrested or, worse, summarily killed.

No tyrant has ever succeeded in completely silencing legitimate dissent and independent voices. In the Philippines, the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship and the immoral Joseph Estrada presidency — both of which has attacked the Philippine press — were in fact ousted from office. Soon, the nightmare who is Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his bloody tentacles—lieutenants in the government, his online troll army, and the military and police — will end.

The post The Duterte gov’t will pay for its crimes against press freedom and human rights appeared first on Altermidya.

Group sees looming crisis in education as gov’t plans to send teachers to China

-
0

Sending more teachers to China will bring about greater effect on the country’s education system with the possible shortage of educators, the ACT Teachers Party-list said in a statement.

Protesta at kawalan ng trabaho

Pinoy Weekly
-
0

Inuulit lang niya ang matagal nang sinasabi ng mga nasa gobyerno, lalo na ng mga nasa pulisya at militar, hinggil sa lumalabang mga manggagawa.

“Paano nila masasabing kontra-manggagawa kami (mga pulis)? Baka sila ang kontra-manggagawa,” sabi ni Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde, sa isang press conference sa Kampo Crame noong Abril 29.

Sabi ni Albayalde, mga miyembro ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) ang dahilan ng kakulangan ng trabaho sa bansa. “Bakit po ba umaalis ang mga investors sa atin? Papasukin ng KMU, i-i-instigate ’yung unyon, at magrarali sila ’Yung investor mawawalan ng gana, uuwi sa kanila,” sabi ng heneral.

Nagreresulta umano ang mga protesta ng KMU sa pagkawala ng libu-libong trabaho.

Reaksiyon ang naturang press conference ni Albayalde sa inilabas ng KMU na “Anti-Worker Matrix” noong nakaraang Sabado, Abril 27. Dito, makikita si Pangulong Duterte bilang sentro ng paglala ng kalagayan sa paggawa sa bansa. Kasama rin sa matrix ang mga miyembro ng gabinete tulad ni Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno, ang tagapagsalita ng pangulo na si Salvador Panelo, ang mga kandidato ng administrasyon sa pagkasenador na sina Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa at Christopher “Bong” Go, at iba pa.

Kasama rin sa naturang matrix ang mga opisyal ng PNP at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Pati si Albayalde mismo.

Kober ng Mayo 3 isyu ng Pinoy Weekly.

Kober ng Mayo 3 isyu ng Pinoy Weekly.

Dati nang paninira

Sa totoo lang, inuulit lang ni Albayalde ang matagal nang sinasabi ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno, lalo na ng mga opisyal ng PNP at AFP: na kung walang protesta ang organisadong sektor ng mga manggagawa, lalo na ang mga militante, umaasenso na sana ang bansa.

Sa esensiya, isinisisi nila sa kolektibong pagkilos at paggiit ng karapatan ng mga manggagawa ang kawalan ng kaunlaran sa bansa.

Pero makikita mismo sa datos ng gobyerno na sa kabila ng mga polisiyang neoliberal ng administrasyong Duterte, tumitindi ang kawalan ng trabaho o unemployment sa bansa.

“Makikita mismo ito sa datos ng gobyerno. Makikita sa datos ng Philippine Statistice Authority (PSA) na bumagsak ang bilang ng nakaempleyong Pilipino mula 41.8 milyon noong Enero 2018 tungong 41.4 milyon noong Enero 2019,” sabi ni Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, tagapangulo ng KMU.

Ito umano ang ikalimang taon lang na bumaba ang bilang ng nakaempleyong manggagawa sa Pilipinas matapos ang diktadurang Marcos. Ayon sa Ibon Foundation, bumaba ang employment ng bansa nang 529,000 noong 1997. Noong 2005, bumaba ito nang 270,000. Noong 2014, bumaba nang 1.5 milyon. Noong 2017, bumaba nang 13 milyon, at nitong 2019, bumaba nang 387,000.

Sa kabila umano ito ng di-napuputol na pag-akit ng iba’t ibang administrasyon ng dayuhang mamumuhunan para magnegosyo sa Pilipinas. Sa ilalim ng rehimeng Duterte, kung kailan naganap ang dalawang pagbaba ng empleyo, naging masugid at agresibo pa ang gobyerno sa pag-akit ng mga mamumuhunang Tsino.

Ipinapakita ng datos na ito, ayon sa KMU, na hindi nagreresulta sa pagkakaroon ng dagdag na trabaho sa bansa ang dayuhang pamumuhunan. Hindi rin dahilan ng pagbaba ng empleyo sa bansa ang sama-samang mga pagkilos ng KMU.

Ang salarin, ayon sa Ibon Foundation, ay ang kawalan ng kaunlaran sa agrikultura. Noong 2018, tumala lang ng 0.8 porsiyentong pag-unlad ang sektor ng agrikultura sa bansa, ayon kay Sonny Africa, executive director ng Ibon. Samantala, kalakhan ng foreign investments, lalo na sa panahon ng Build, Build, Build na programa ni Duterte, ay nakatuon sa imprastraktura sa mayayaman o mauunlad nang mga sentrong bayan at lungsod.

At kalakhan ng mga imprastrakturang ito ay nakatuon din para sa mas madulas na daloy ng dayuhang negosyo sa bansa.

Walang interes lutasin

“Mukhang halos walang interes ang administrasyong ito na baligtarin ang trend (sa agrikultura),” sabi ni Africa. “Halimbawa, Ang P49.3-Bilyong badyet sa departamento ng agrikultura na panukala ng Kongreso ay mas maliit nang P1.4-B sa P50.7-B badyet noong 2018.”

Sa kabilang banda, matagal nang ipinapanukala ng KMU ang paglilikha ng sapat na trabaho sa mga mamamayang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng malakas na suporta ng gobyerno sa agrikultura, gayundin sa pagpapatupad ng tunay na repormang agraryo at pambansang industriyalisasyon.

“Nagresulta ang matinding paggiging palaasa natin sa dayuhang pamumuhunan sa pandarambong ng ating mga rekurso at pagsasamantala ng ating lakas-paggawa,” sabi pa ni Labog. “Ang gusto ng mga manggagawa ay paglikha ng trabaho na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng mga mamamayang Pilipino sa halip na malalaking dayuhang negosyo.”

Hindi lang ang mga militante at KMU ang nagsasabi nito. Maging ang mga tradisyunal o burges na ekonomista, halimbawa, ng World Bank, ay may pag-amin na na sa pamamagitan lang ng masusing distribusyon ng lupaing agrikultural at pagtatatag ng sariling batayang mga industriya malulutas ang kahirapan at kawalan ng trabaho sa iba’t ibang bansa.

“Iniluwal ng 39 taon ng militanteng pakikiaka ng KMU ang di-mabilang na mga tagumpay sa dagdag sahod, regularisasyon at pagtataguyod ng demokratikong mga karapatan (ng mga manggagawa at mamamayan),” sabi pa ni Labog.

Mga larawan | Makabuluhang dagdag-sahod, pagbasura sa ‘endo’ muling siningil sa ‘Dutertemonyo’

Pinoy Weekly
-
0

Humigit-kumulang 20,000 manggagawa, maralita at iba pang sektor ang nagmartsa mula sa Welcome Rotunda patungong Mendiola Bridge, malapit sa Malakanyang, noong Mayo 1, Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Manggagawa, para muling yanigin ang rehimeng Duterte. Ang pangunahing panawagan nila: P750 pambansang minimum na sahod, pagbasura sa kontraktuwalisasyon, at pagtigil sa panunupil at panghaharas ng rehimen sa mga unyonista at aktibista.

Ang sentro ng protesta: effigy ni Pangulong Duterte bilang “Dutertemonyo“, o “demonyong” pangunahin umanong tagalabag sa karapatan ng mga manggagawa.

Naging tampok din sa kilos-protesta ang pagpapatuloy ng makasaysayang pagkakaisa ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) sa iba pang malalaking grupo ng mga manggagawa. Sa umaga, sa Mendiola, nagsagawa ng press conference ang koalisyong Nagkaisa, kasama ang KMU, ang mga kandidato sa tinaguriang LaborWin, at mga kinatawan ng simbahang Katoliko. Muli nilang inihayag ang abang kalagayan ng mga manggagawa sa ilalim ni Duterte: ang pagkakaroon nila ng mababang sahod, kontraktuwal na trabaho at ang pagbabanta sa kanila tuwing iginigiit nila ang kanilang mga karapatan.

Matapos ang programa sa Mendiola, nagtungo ang mga manggagawa at iba pang demonstrador sa pangunguna ng KMU sa Liwasang Bonifacio. Dito natipon sa programa ang mga kandidato ng LaborWin kabilang sina Neri Colmenares, Leody de Guzman, Allan Montano, Sonny Matula, at Ernesto Arellano, gayundin ang dalawang kandidato sa pagkasenador na pabor sa mga panawagan ng mga manggagawa — sina Chel Diokno at Erin Tanada — at progresibong mga party-list.

Matagumpay ang mapayapang malawakang protesta, sa kabila ng pananakot ng Philippine National Police na may hahalo raw na mga rebelde sa hanay ng mga demonstrador para “manggulo.”

Samantala, libu-libo ring manggagawa at iba pang sektor ang nagprotesta noong araw na iyon sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.

Sinunog ang naturang effigy sa Mendiola.

Mga kandidato ng LaborWin: Sonny Matula ng Federation of Free Workers, Ernesto Arellano, Neri Colmenares ng Makabayan/Bayan Muna, Leody de Guzman ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, at Allan Montano. KR Guda

HR group: Don’t discredit us with arrest of former head

-
0

Human rights group Karapatan-Southern Mindanao asserted on Wednesday, that the arrest of its former secretary-general over alleged involvement in illegal drugs should not be used to discredit the work of their organization.

Filipino journalists, advocates to mark #WorldPressFreedomDay

-
0
Filipino journalists, advocates to mark #WorldPressFreedomDay

MANILA — Several media organizations, artists, digital rights advocates and human rights defenders have organized activities to mark the #WorldPressFreedomDay tomorrow, May 3.

With the call #FightBack, journalists, artists and advocates will highlight the defense of press freedom and free expression amid all forms of repression.

Here’s the list of the activities:

9 a.m. – A forum on the State of Philippine Media will be held at B Hotel, Scout Rallos St., Quezon City. This is organized by Freedom for Media, Freedom for All, which includes the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Philippine Press Institute

10 a.m. – Members of Altermidya People’s Network will stage a protest action in front of Camp Aguinaldo to denounce the cyber attacks, red tagging, threats and harassment against journalists, human rights defenders

9 a.m. – 11 p.m. – There will be a free screening of “Portraits of the Mosquito Press,” a documentary by JL Burgos about the alternative press during the Marcos dictatorship. (See Portraits of the Mosquito Press Facebook page for details)

5:30 – 7 p.m. – Video for Change Impact Tool Kit will be launched at UP Cine Adarna Videotheque, organized by Engage Media, Dakila and Active Vista

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. – A Freedom Festival Jam will cap the celebration at Eton Centris Open Grounds. Performances include Sining Obrero, Tubaw, Pasada, Musikang Bayan, Concerned Artists of the Philippines, Kilusan Stepsisters, The Bed Bites, Dating May and many more. This is organized by Let’s Organize for Democracy and Integrity (LODI), Rappler, Altermidya, NUJP and the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP).

The attacks against the Philippine media have intensified with the arrest and charges against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa; cyber attacks against the alternative media outfits; red tagging of journalists; and the recent matrix released by Malacanang accusing journalists of plotting the ouster of President Duterte.

Journalists have not taken these sitting down. Alternative media groups have filed a civil case against IT companies found to be behind the distributed denial of service attacks. Rappler has questioned the coverage ban imposed by Duterte. Media groups named in the so-called matrix have exposed and condemned the fakery.

The post Filipino journalists, advocates to mark #WorldPressFreedomDay appeared first on Bulatlat.

1...337338339...730Page 338 of 730
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv