Inquirer asked to take up Luisita, land reform in 2nd edition of presidential debate

By Billy Javier Reyes and Kremlin Montenegro

Manila, Philippines-Six of the biggest rural based groups in the country– the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Amihan peasant women federation, the Unyon ng Mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and Anakpawis party list on Tuesday proposed to editors and organizers of the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s presidential debate to take up the issue of Hacienda Luisita and the state of land reform in the second staging of the presidential forum.

In a press statement Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap appealed to Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot and editor-in-chief Leticia Jimenez-Magsanoc to have land reform issues discussed in the 2nd edition of the Inquirer presidential debate.

“We submit this humble appeal to the collective leadership and political wisdom of those behind the Inquirer presidential debate. Majority of the presidential wannabes are landlords and feudal chiefs of vast landholdings all over the country, so there’s already conflict of interest as far as land reform is concerned. We hope this proposal would merit the approval of the organizers,” said Hicap.

The Pamalakaya leader noted that the first edition of the presidential debate held yesterday at UP Diliman and attended by 2,500 people was a success, although there are more important questions that should have been asked to determine if public interest is really in heart and political mind of every candidate, rather than use the occasion as opportunity for political mudslinging against and between presidential wannabes.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap suggested a working title for the Inquirer regarding their proposal. “How about “how do you solve a problem like Hacienda Luisita as title of the next presidential debate?”

The Pamalakaya leader recalled that on June 8, 1989, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, then Senate Minority Leader of the Corazon Aquino controlled Senate delivered a privilege speech questioning the late President Aquino’s insertion of Stock Distribution Option (SDO) in her outline for the land reform law.

Sen. Enrile said former President Corazon Aquino signed Executive Order No. 229 enabling the Aquino presidency to preside over the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), the body that placed and approved to place the 6,453-hectare Hacienda Luisita under the SDO scheme.

“Senate President Enrile could be invited as resource speaker for the presidential debate on Hacienda Luisita,” Hicap suggested.

Pamalakaya said the debate should also include discussion on the plans of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)to distribute some 200,000 hectares of land to qualified farmer beneficiaries this year under the extended Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Reforms (CARPer) with the return of the compulsory acquisition scheme in the five year extended land reform law.

“Secretary Pangandaman is the point person of landgrabbers and the land speculators in and out of Malacanang and in and out of the agrarian reform department. His statement suggests false hopes and political blackmail rolled into. He wants to convince landless farmers that everything is ok under CARPer which is not true,” the group said.

In its website (www.dar.gov.ph) the agrarian reform agency expressed optimism that the department will attain 200,000 hectare land distribution target for 2010 due largely to the restoration of compulsory acquisition as one of the modes of acquiring lands under Republic Act 9700 or the CARPer law. He said the increase in the budget of DAR will hasten the distribution of land to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“First the target is too low compared to the more than 6 million hectares of prime agricultural lands concentrated in the hands of landed monopolies like big landlords, private corporations and multinational plantations and military landlords in AFP military reservations,” the group said.

Pamalakaya said based on the data provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), the country has 14.1 million hectares of prime agricultural lands, of said total 9.9 million hectares are farmlands and about 4 million hectares more or less are devoted to livestock production which were exempted from land distribution since 1988.

“There are about 7 million hectares of prime agricultural lands or more are concentrated in the hands of the few, and we DAR has no proof that five million hectares or more of these lands were already distributed to farmer beneficiaries under the reactionary CARP regime,” the group said.

Pamalakaya noted that in the September 2007 report of DAR, that following data were uncovered: 5,049 emancipation patents (EPs) and 103, 092 certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) were cancelled by the agrarian department covering 204,579 hectares of land. But think tank Ibon Foundation said at the middle of 2004, DAR cancelled 2,000 land titles of farmers involving 380,000 hectares of land. #

Ondoy victims staged “modest caravan” to campaign for bets

By Gerry Albert Corpuz, Rey Manangan and Axel Pinpin

Antipolo City, Rizal- Typhoon Ondoy survivors and groups supporting the plight of typhoon victims today staged a 10-jeep motorcade along lake towns devastated by the super typhoon in Rizal and Laguna provinces to campaign for party lists and senatorial bets which they said will support the fight of typhoon victims in and out of Congress.

The modest fisherfolk and typhoon Ondoy victims’ motorcade dubbed Laguna Lake People’s Caravan for Social Justice and Progressive Politics was organized by the militant fishermen alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), its Southern Luzon chapter Pamalakaya-Timog Katagalugan, Anakpawis party list, the Katipunan ng Samahang Magbubukid ng Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK) and the broad Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLLM).

The caravan will start in Jala-Jala, then will pass through Pilila, Tanay, Morong, Baras, Teresa, Cardona, Binangonan, Angono, Antipolo, Cainta and will end up in Lupang Arienda in Taytay, Rizal. On the second day, the Laguna wing caravan composed of two mobile propaganda teams will cover the lake areas of Sta. Cruz, Los Banos, Calamba, San Pedro and Binan on their way to Lupang Arienda, also in Taytay, Rizal.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said campaigners will post election materials in populated and designated areas along Laguna Lake in both Rizal and Laguna provinces. The propaganda teams embedded in the mini caravan will distribute materials and posters of progressive party list groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela and Kabataan Party, as well as the campaign posters of Makabayan senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna and Liza Maza of Gabriela Women’s Party.

The Pamalakaya leader said caravan organizers will endorse the party list bids of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela and Kabataan Party and the senatorial candidacies of Ocampo and Maza in tomorrow’s grand proclamation rally to be attended by not less than 5,000 Ondoy victims and residents of Lupang Arienda in Taytay, Rizal.

“This is politics of change in action. The people will vote base on issues and not on politics of personalities and popularity. This is the ultimate concretization of people’s electoral agenda in the May 2010 elections,” added Hicap.

For her part, Kasama-TK spokesperson Imelda Lacandazo said the modest fisherfolk caravan will also highlight the demand of Ondoy victims to stop the massive privatization and conversion of Laguna lake into an across-the-lake hub for big business and frustrate the government plans to demolish close to 100,000 fisherfolk and urban poor families in Lupang Arienda and other parts of the 90,000 hectare Laguna Lake.

Lacandazo, also one of the conveners of SLLM said nominees of party list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela, and Makabayan senatorial candidates Ocampo and Maza were also invited to personally accept the endorsement of Lupang Arienda and Laguna Lake people of their respective bids in the May 2010 elections.

“Lupang Arienda people and the rest of the victims of state sponsored disaster at the height of typhoon Ondoy in Laguna Lake are entrusting their political and electoral votes to the real servants of the poor. The progressive party lists and Reps. Ocampo and Maza will get all the support they could get from the lake people of Laguna for their unyielding commitment to the cause of the marginalized fishermen and poor folks in Laguna Lake,” Lacandazo added.

Kasama-TK said the caravan will also call for the immediate and unconditional release of 43 doctors and medical personnel arrested by state security forces last Saturday during a health seminar inside a resort in Morong, Rizal.

Officials of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army insisted that those arrested were members of New People’s Army and were conducting training on bomb making when the 300 government troops raided the venue, arrested the health workers and brought them to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal over the weekend. With reports from Pepsi La Loma and Sarsi Pimentel

Health group assails AFP witch-hunting

Contributed to The Pamalakaya Times

Manila, Philippines- “The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is on a witch-hunt in its desperate attempt to showcase any success of Oplan Bantay Laya!”

Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) directly linked the illegal arrest and detention of 43 doctors and health workers to the Arroyo regime’s counter-insurgency campaign, which over the years have targeted civilians rather than armed groups.

“After blatantly disregarding the most fundamental tenets of due process, the AFP now has the gall to prop up false charges against those whose basic rights they have violated,” said Dr. Geneve E. Rivera, HEAD Secretary-General.

HEAD is reacting to reports of the AFP information office that the raid conducted last Saturday in Morong, Rizal is “the biggest arrests of communist rebels in memory”. The AFP further alleges that Dr. Alexis S. Montes is a member of a special unit of the New People’s Army formed to liquidate former AFP general, Jovito Palparan.

“The lies being peddled by the AFP cannot hide the atrocities they have committed,” declared Dr. Rivera. “The so-called ‘NPA training camp’ is a family rest house of a respected medical consultant that has been used many times for parties and training of health workers and even medical students from various schools.”

“Dr. Alex Montes of Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) is also a known surgeon and an elder of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). He received his medical degree from the University of the East College of Medicine (Class 1976) and has since been active in community service such that he was the UCCP national coordinator for health services for twenty years (1986-2006)!”

According to HEAD, the mild-mannered and soft-spoken Dr. Montes is a far cry from the communist assassin that the AFP paints him to be.

Aside from Dr. Montes, the AFP also arrested Dr. Merry Mia of the Council for Health and Development (CHD). The 34-year-old doctor finished medicine at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in 2001 and has been a community physician of the Council for Health and Development (CHD) since 2004. She is also the mother of two young boys, one of whom is only 11 months old.

The two doctors were actively involved during the relief operations after Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. As such, they headed the “First Responders Training for Life Support” aimed to enable communities, through health volunteers, to be able to respond in times of calamities.

“Yet instead of recognizing their contribution and sacrifice, these people are being vilified and demonized by the AFP,” added Dr. Rivera. “Military officers like Brigadier General Jorge Segovia, Colonel Aurelio Baladad, and Lieutenant Colonel Noel Detoyato are worse than criminals for the sheer number of laws they violated in conducting their illegal arrest and detention.”

“The arrogance being shown by the AFP is reflective of the utter lack of respect for basic human rights by the Arroyo regime,” concluded Dr. Rivera, “As the end of OBL II draws near, state security forces are hard-pressed to show results.”

“The only thing they have now is their crimes against the Filipino people.

Fisherfolk clients of 43 arrested health workers to mount 5-vehicle caravan in Rizal to press release

By Gerry Albert Corpuz, Rey Manangan and Billy Javier Reyes

Manila, Philippines-Regular fisherfolk clients of 43 doctors and health workers arrested by state security forces on Saturday in a resort in Morong, Rizal will stage a five-vehicle caravan to press for the immediate and unconditional release of whom they called “the people’s doctors and medical personnel”.

In a press statement, fisherfolk activists belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) will be joined by progressive party list group Anakpawis and Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLMM) in a 5 jeep caravan along the lake towns of Morong, Teresa, Baras, Cardona, Binangonan, Angono and Taytay all in Rizal province.

“We are their regular clients who are not charge of any single cent since time immemorial. These are doctors and health workers who take care of people’s health and they are not terrorists or bomb makers as maliciously and categorically tagged by the terrorist people in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and their criminal masters- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzalez,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap in a press statement.

The five-vehicle caravan will start in Binangonan and will proceed to Morong, Barras, Teresa, Cardona, Angono and Taytay towns in Rizal. Aside from demanding the release of 43 medical personnel, Pamalakaya’s caravan will also highlight the demand of the lake people to stop all anti-fisherfolk and anti-environment projects across Laguna Lake, including the halt on demolition activities and the pullout of military troops in different areas of the lake.

The caravan will also campaign for Anakpawis party list and the senatorial bids of Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Party list Rep. Liza Maza.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap asserted the arrest of 43 doctors and community based health workers is line with the legal offensive ordered by defense secretary and security adviser Gonzalez issued last week to commence the final staging of the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya 2.

“The the arrest of 43 medical volunteers was presided by Gonzalez’s order last week for all government units to heighten its legal offensive against members of militant groups as Oplan Bantay Laya 2 ends with the term of President Macapagal-Arroyo in June 30, 2010.

Hicap said Secretary Gonzalez and the national security gang in Malacanang had agreed to pursue and intensify the fabrication of trump up charges against leaders and members of militant organizations which the military branded as front organizations of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army.

“What happen in Morong, Rizal was a wholesale political abduction, political kidnapping, gross disrespect of people’s constitutional and basic human rights and all-out political persecution done in the name of a brutal, corrupt and evil regime of Mrs. Arroyo and her extrajudicial killing republic,” the Pamalakaya leader said.#

Health workers provide free medical services and medicines to the people. They are not terrorists as what the AFP want them to appear with the public

Arrest of 43 medical workers linked to Gonzalez legal offensive vs. militant groups

By Akihira Tatchu, Pepsi La Loma and Sarsi Pimentel

Manila, Philippines-The arrest of 43 doctors and community based health workers is line with the legal offensive ordered by defense secretary and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez issued last week to commence the final staging of the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya 2.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the arrest of 43 medical volunteers was made a week after Gonzalez announced that Malacanang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will heighten its legal offensive against members of militant groups as Oplan Bantay Laya 2 ends with the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June 30, 2010.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said Secretary Gonzalez and the national security gang in Malacanang had agreed to pursue and intensify the fabrication of trump up charges against leaders and members of militant organizations which the military branded as front organizations of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army.

“What happen in Morong, Rizal was a wholesale political abduction, political kidnapping, gross disrespect of people’s constitutional and basic human rights and all-out political persecution done in the name of a brutal, corrupt and evil regime of Mrs. Arroyo and her extrajudicial killing republic,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

Hicap also asked the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to immediately undertake an investigation to what he called state-sponsored terrorism and gross violations of basic human rights.

“We strongly ask Commissioner Leila de Lima to personally lead the investigation and in soonest possible time file human rights and other appropriate criminal charges against Lt. Col. Noel Detoynato, military officials of the Army 2nd infantry division and the 300 soldiers who orchestrated this gruesome and Adolf Hitler like campaign,” the Pamalakaya leader added.

Health volunteers from Council for Health and Development and Commed conducted free medical services among victims of typhoon Ondoy last year. No government doctors came to help these Ondoy victims

PAMALAKAYA TWITS DENR CHIEF PLAN TO TAP MUSIC TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENT

By Kaka Esteban and Kremlin Montenegro

Manila, Philippines-,“Music is good but we need results.”

This was the initial reaction of the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) upon hearing newly installed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Eleazar Quinto’s plan to tap music to promote environmental consciousness among the people.

Sec. Quinto announced that the DENR is embarking on songwriting competition to drum up the cause for environment dubbed as “Likhang Awit Para sa Kalikasan” to arouse the citizenry’s passion for the environment.

“This so-called super road show presentation is nothing but an outlandish promotional blitz for a government agency checkered with records of environmental sell out and destruction of national patrimony and triple platinum crimes of corruption in the service of Malacanang corporate partners and clients. This is image building at its best,” says Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The Pamalakaya leader noticed that Sec. Quinto wants to promote music as instrument to raise environmental awareness, the newly designated environment chief has been snubbing a group of indigenous people camping outside the DENR office since January 22.

Hicap was referring to protest camp set up by groups opposed to the ambitious P 52-billion Laiban dam project in Tanay, Rizal. He said of Pamalakaya-Southern Tagalog, Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Kasama-TK), Anakpawis party list and Katribu party list were scheduled to meet Sec. Quinto for the dialogue but the new secretary last Jan.21, but Quinto refused to meet them prompting activists to temporarily blocked the entrance and exit gates of the environment office.

Pamalakaya vice-chair Salvador France said a letter urging Sec. Quinto to face the opposition groups to Laiban dam project was delivered on Jan.12, about 10 days before the scheduled meeting. The letter was received by the DENR receiving section on the same day.

“Secretary Quinto is evading the issue which is a matter of life and death to affected fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous communities. For the information of Mr. Quinto, Laiban dam project will directly displace 20,000 upland villagers. Will he accept an entry to Likhang Awit Para sa Kalikasan that directly puts his principal Mrs. Arroyo, Palace client Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco and his office on spotlight for crimes against the people and the environment?,” France said.

The Pamalakaya leader added: “It seems to us that the P 52-B Laiban dam project between MWSS and San Miguel Corporation is a done deal and Sec. Quinto is compelled by the appointing authority to follow the anti-people multi-billion project. Will he accept an entry on this?”, he further asked.

France said the P 52 billion dam project was part of the exchange deal between Mrs. Arroyo and SMC chair Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, the group added.

Two weeks ago, officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) announced that the deal will with SMC will be sealed by March. MWSS administrator Diosdado Jose Allado said the government targets to award the project to largest food and beverage conglomerate upon the submission of necessary requirements. #

Group urges Sierra Madre electorates to reject protectors of big loggers

By Pepsi La Loma

Manila, Philippines- The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday urged voters encompassed by the Sierra Madre range to reject politicians running in the May 2010 elections who have tie ups with big time logging syndicates.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap issued the statement a day after concerned groups and local government officials confirmed the sudden increased logging activities in Sierra Madre which were tied to the May 2010 elections.

“The Sierra Madre vote must punish those behind the unbridled large-scale logging adventures in Quezon and nearby provinces such as Rizal and Aurora provinces. We ask the vigilant citizenry to name these politicians and let them suffer the biggest electoral humiliation in their entire political career,” the Pamalakaya leader said in a press statement.

Hicap said it is time to name these big logging syndicates supporting the candidacy of powerful politicians in South and North Quezon, as he appealed to concerned groups and environmental activists to disclose which among these companies are operating and who their backers are.

Pamalakaya agreed with observations raised by opposition groups that the renewed large-scale logging activities in Quezon and in the entire Sierra Madre had something to do with elections. “Aside from jueteng money, the next best source of campaign funds in Quezon is the gang of big time loggers in the province,” the group said.

“The aggressive hunt for electoral campaign funds is the main reason why big time loggers are back in business even though there is an existing total log ban in Sierra Madre. The total log ban is nothing but a toothless tiger and was merely declared for public image building for Malacanang,” the group said.

The militant group also assailed DENR secretary Eleazar Quinto for not doing his job in stopping big time logging groups in Sierra Madre. Pamalakaya said the newly installed environment chief, being former chief for field operations of DENR before assuming the top environment post, was well informed about the large-scale logging activities of private groups in Sierra Madre.

“Quinto is just a figurehead in DENR, so he does not have the balls to confront these all-time, prime time logging syndicates in Sierra Madre,” said Pamalakaya #

Sugar groups told: Recall EO on importation

By Jay Cuesta, Roy Morilla and Sugar Hicap

Lawyers Atty.Jobert Pahilga and Jules Matibag of National Union of Peoples' Lawyers discussing the bitter pills the Cojuangco-Aquino clan has in mind for striking farmworkers

Manila, Philippines- Asserting that there is no legitimate basis to import sugar from foreign sources abroad, five of the biggest rural based groups—the Unyon ng Mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Amihan peasant women federation, the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) in Negros and the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday urged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to recall Executive Order No. 857 authorizing the National Food Authority (NFA) to import sugar together with the private sector.

In a joint press statement, the groups pressed Malacanang to stop NFA from importing 150,000 metric tons of sugar tax free, saying that such move will pave way for the massive dumping of foreign sugar products at the expense of local sugar producers all over the country. They said, the situation does not merit the importation of sugar from sources abroad.

“There is no dramatic indicator for the retail price of sugar to increase as mill gate prices are relatively lower at P1,700 to P1,900 per 50-kg, very far from government lies that it is P2,000 upward,” said KMP secretary general Danilo Ramos.

Citing the report of Sugar Alliance of the Philippines, composed of sugar millers and big planters, Ramos said raw production rose by 14.7%, refined production by 41.74%, even the milling rate of sugarcane to sugar increased by 4.19%, in short, where is the shortage the government is drumming about?” said Ramos.

Price manipulation

Likewise, leaders of UMA and NFSW accused officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) of engaging in price manipulation of sugar prices in the domestic market to justify sugar price hikes, enrich the pockets of big sugar traders, make commissions and justify the importation of sugar from foreign sources abroad.

They said agriculture and sugar officials for misleading the public on the actual price of sugar in the domestic market which they said had allowed big traders and sugar cartels to jack up prices of their products and promoted panic buying among consumers to further justify the skyrocketing prices of sugar.

UMA acting chair Butch Lazonde said the SRA and the Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap had some explaining to do as to why sugar price is going up to an unprecedented levels of P 52 per kilo despite of the government assurance of sufficient supply of sugar for the crop year 2009 and 2010 respectively.

“The general public has the right to know the real score behind the sudden hike in the prices of sugar since the situation does not merit for any sharp increase. Last December sugar price tops only for P42.00 per kilo but this January alone it had reached to P52.00 fearing the price will vault as high as P60.00. Such drastic hike on its price is very unlikely considering that we have enough supply for local consumption,” the UMA official asserted.

“This is a clear case of price manipulation. It shows unscrupulous big sugar traders and millers are behind this sudden sugar price hike. They are the ones who are benefitting from it. This is sheer profiteering. SRA and DA officials connived with big millers and traders to push this major disarray in the local market to benefit a few paved way for this sugar fiasco. Lazonde added

NFSW asserted the upsurge on the price if sugar as “fake” and had no really basis for the increase.

Ronald Dagu-ob NFSW national council member explained that “The province of Negros supplies 60% of sugar requirements and if we combine the supplies from other sugar producing provinces like Leyte, Pampanga, Tarlac and Mindanao this crop year, we think we’re going to have more than enough supplies to last all year round. So why the Department of Agriculture is eager to push for the importation of 150,000 MT of sugar?”

Lazonde said that “Both agencies are treating the situation just like another day in the office. Acting in a casual business like attitude without considering its effect to the general public”.

“As far as we are concern, sugar price should be not higher than the suggested retail price of P43.00 as the Department of Trade and Industry conveyed. If we follow the price of sugar last quarter of 2009 there have been increase of demands because of the holiday season for just only P2 to P3 top. But this January the price of sugar spiked four times, an increase of P14 to P20. This preposterous price frog leap, SRA and the Department of Agriculture can’t concretely explain to the worried stricken public”. Lazonde added.

“What the SRA, DA and the government do is to support our local sugar industry by subsidizing small sugar planters and at the same time help farm workers to increase their wages and benefits. Importation of sugar will only weakened our local sugar industry. To ensure a sufficient supply, we are urging the agencies concern to impose a moratorium not only on sugar but also with all agricultural products that is considered as basic commodities”. Lazonde said.

Special session

Meanwhile, the Pamalakaya asked Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Prospero Nograles to call special session on the issue of sugar following reports that the government will resort to sugar imports to the detriment of the local sugar industry and the sugar consuming public.

“Let this massacre of sugar industry by anarchic importation of sugar be discussed in a special session by Congress. We understand it is already the start of the campaign season, but this should not prevent lawmakers from taking this highly explosive commodity and issue and address the concerns of sectors affected by the looming sugar catastrophe characterized by massive importation and all-out price manipulation of sugar,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap. #

Raps await AFP men in partisan politics

By Bb. Joyce Cabral, Pepsi La Loma and Akihira Tatchu

Manila, Philippines- The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday warned officials and rank-and-file members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that they will file criminal and administrative charges against them if they engage in partisan politics in the May 2010 elections.

In a press statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said officials and members of their chapters all over the country were asked to document cases involving AFP officials and government troops who will campaign against progressive groups and individuals running in the May 2010 polls.
The fisherfolk official said leaders and members of Pamalakaya in 43 provincial chapters nationwide will closely coordinate with the anti-fraud and anti-violence election related group Kontra Daya. “We will file appropriate charges against them before the Commission on Elections,” the group said.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap cited a report prepared by activist party list groups- Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and Kabataan Party which said that military officials were directly engaged in partisan politics during the May 2007 elections. He said officials and rank-and-file troops Porac Pampanga campaigned against these militant party lists and their local leaders and supporters were harassed during the campaign season.

“Comelec chair Jose Melo and the rest of the poll body officials should be ready with the flooding of election related cases prior, during and the post May 10 elections involving officials and members of the AFP on grounds of partisan politics and other election related fraud and violent acts,” Hicap added.

Pamalakaya said cases of partisan politics specifically against Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela party lists were also documented Castilla Sorsogon, San Luis, Isabela, Nasugbu, Tanauan and Taysan in Batangas, Dasmarinas, Cavite, Cordon, and Cauayan, and San Luis Roxas, Isabela, Tuburan, Iloilo, Tubod, Lanao Del Norte, Palimbang Sultan Kudarat, Baggao, Cagayan, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Kolambugan and Tubod Lanao del Norte, Roxas, Mindoro Oriental, Masbate, Guimba, Nueva Ecija, New Bataan, Compostela Valley, Gumaca, Lucena, Sariaya, Candelaria, Lucena, Pagbilao, Gen. Luna and Macalelon, all in Quezon province, Alangalang and Tacloban in Leyte, North Cotabato, Marikina City, Makati City, any parts of Camarines Norte, Sa. Rosa, Laguna, Lavenzares, North Samar, Abuyog, Cagayan Valley, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Marawi City, many polling places in Lanao del Sur and many canvassing areas in Isabela.

Pamalakaya said the forms of military and police involvement include abductions and salvaging of progressive party list leaders and poll watchers, Illegal presence inside canvass areas or roaming around polling places and canvass areas, harassment of voters and forcing them not to vote militant party lists and instead vote for Palace backed party lists like Bantay of Rep. Jovito Palparan, transporting of ballot boxes in canvass areas, banning militant party list poll watchers inside the canvass areas and selecting only those they want to allow to enter, acting as bodyguards of candidates, presence of APC and 6×6 trucks near polling places and canvass areas, police counting the votes in precinct, the shooting and wounding of a Bayan Muna leader, the burning of school rooms, the Illegal arrest of poll watchers and the threatening Comelec official.

Pamalakaya also reiterated its call for Comelec to recall its previous decision allowing CAGGUs and other paramilitary units to carry fire arms during the election season. The militant group asserted that the long experience and track record of CAFGUs in partisan politics, acting as paid goons and private armies of powerful politicians, the poll body should have recalled its resolution and pursued the across-the-nation disbandment of special civilian armed forces.
Under Comelec resolution 8742 made effective last January 11, amending Resolution 8714, the CAFGU was exempted from gun ban along with members of the Presidential Security Group, Bureau of Fire Protection, Optical Media Board, the treasurers and deputy treasurers and members of the Internal Security Division of the Bureau of Treasury.

Prior to Comelec promulgation of Resolution 8714, Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao opposed the disarming of CAAs because these paramilitary groups are tapped by fishing companies to secure their venture in the South. For his part, Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, chief of Western Command said as far as the military is concerned, the CAFGUs are part of the military organization and not all CAFGUs are utilized by private companies operating in far flung areas. #

Noynoy siblings are stupid in blaming baby boom for Luisita workers sorry state

By Jay Cuesta, Chocolate Moose Fernandez and Gerry Albert Corpuz

Manila, Philippines- Four of the biggest rural-based organizations—the activist farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the peasant women federation Amihan and the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) on Monday assailed the sisters of Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III for blaming the lack of family planning among tenants and farm workers as the reason why poverty is widespread in the 6,453-hectare Hacienda Luisita sugar estate.

In a joint press statement, the groups said Noynoy sisters- Ballsy Aquino-Cruz and Pinky Aquino Abelleda are politically arrogant, mentally disoriented and morally inept for putting the blame on farm workers lack of family planning as the ultimate cause of their poverty and sorry state.

“Noynoy and her sisters are twisting the truth and distorting the life and struggle of Hacienda Luisita farm workers. May the God of truth and justice teach these political bitches the lessons of a lifetime,” the groups said in their joint statement.

“More than 8,000 farm workers were denied of their rights to land. More than 8,000 farm workers were kept as slaves of the Cojuangco-Aquino family and that Luisita workers were compelled to believe that the P 9.50 per day salary for each worker is just in exchange for nominal ownership under the blasphemous Stock Distribution Option (SDO) scheme. This is stupid. Pinky and Ballsy are stupid political animals acting like feel good politicians,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

The Aquino sisters joined the LP delegation in Candelaria, Quezon on Sunday to meet supporters of their brother in the May 2010 presidential elections.

Cruz denied allegations that the management of Hacienda Luisita did not give farmer-shareholders their just share of over P80 million paid by the government for the 83-hectare right-of-way through the Luisita estate in constructing the Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Expressway.

She said the money was spent by the corporation to pay off debts.

Cruz said Hacienda Lusita is a corporation. It has lots of debts. The money was not divided among shareholders and instead, it went to the trasurer.

In defending the stock distribution option, which has been criticized for effectively exempting the Cojuangcos from agrarian reform, Cruz said the farmers were able to have their land without the government paying even a single centavo for it.

Cruz said they own only 11 percent of the 67 percent shares controlled by the Cojuangco clan.

Pamalakaya, KMP and UMA earlier dared Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to re-open the Hacienda Luisita case involving SDO and the massacre which happened on Nov.16, 2004 that claimed the lives of 7 farm workers and injured 100 others.

The groups reminded Enrile that on June 8, 1989, the senator, then Senate Minority Leader of the Corazon Aquino controlled Senate delivered a privilege speech questioning the late President Aquino’s insertion of Stock Distribution Option (SDO) in her outline for the land reform law.

They said 21 years ago, Sen. Enrile accused former President Aquino of usurping powers by signing Executive Order No. 229 to preside over the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), the body that placed and approved to place the 6,453-hectare Hacienda Luisita under the SDO scheme.

“Will the Senate leadership under the Enrile presidency find time to re-open the long-running story of Hacienda Luisita and the controversial SDO in the name of farmers’ right to land and social justice? Is there a guarantee from Enrile that he will re-open the still unresolved cases and issues surrounding the sugar estate of the Cojuangco-Aquino family upon the request of Luisita farm workers?” the groups said in their joint statement.

In his speech, Enrile, then Senate Minority Floor Leader assailed the Aquino presidency for withdrawing the government case against owners of Hacienda Luisita, adding that the Arroyo presidency circumvent land reform to stay control of Hacienda Luisita.

“It is about time to re-open the Hacienda Luisita case. It will be moral and politically upright to have this case closed ahead of the 2010 elections with the free distribution of lands to 8,000 farmer beneficiaries and the punishment of those involved in the Nov.16, 2004 Hacienda Luisita massacre,” said UMA spokesperson Lito Bais.

The groups lamented that Noynoy and her sisters believe Hacienda Luisita is God’s gift to Cojuangco-Aquino clan, and therefore only God can take it back from them.

The United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) said the Cojuangco-Aquino clan is relying on the strength of SDO to prevent the free land distribution of the 6,453 hectare sugar estate to some 8,000 farmer beneficiaries. ULWU acting president Lito Bais said the SDO which transformed farmworkers into nominal stockholders, also compelled Luisita workers to accept the P9.50 net pay daily. With reports from Sugar Hicap and Viva Regala-Alonzo