Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD)
Media Release
16 February 2010
“I am tired.”
With these words, Dr. Alexis Montes debunked the military’s accusations against the 43 illegally detained health workers and stamped these as malicious falsehoods. Despite breaking down into tears at the end of his otherwise gripping testimony, the 62-year old surgeon detailed every aspect of their arrest and detention, and revealed once and for all the true extent of the human rights violations perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“We admire Dr. Montes for his steadfastness and integrity amidst the physical and mental difficulties he was subjected to by the AFP,” declared Dr. Geneve E. Rivera, HEAD Secretary-General.
The grey-haired and mild-mannered Dr.Montes spoke yesterday before the Court of Appeals, which was conducting a writ of habeas corpus hearing.
“Immediately after the February 6 mass arrests, Dr. Montes was singled out and tagged by the AFP as the leader of a New People’s Army hit squad formed to eliminate then AFP general, Jovito Palparan,”added Dr. Rivera. “But to date, the AFP has yet to show any iota of proof against the man who, for 20 years, was the National Coordinator for Health Services of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP).”
In contrast, the doctor was able to provide details as to their incarceration without food and bathroom privileges, and how, at one point, he was forced to inhale an aromatic substance that made him dizzy. The military then interrogated him for hours.
Dr. Montes also revealed how even a fiscal from the Department of Justice, a certain Atty. Romeo Sanson, defiled due process when he merely did a “roll call” of the detained health workers during the inquest, did not explain anything to them, and ignored their demands for their own legal counsel.
HEAD warned about the tactics being employed by the AFP as a clear and present danger to the Filipino people.
“It seems to be the institutional character of the AFP to conveniently resurrect the communist bogey every time they are caught flagrantly violating basic human rights.” Said Dr. Rivera, “The military establishment wants us to believe that they can just call anyone NPAs, detain them while fabricating evidences and witnesses, and then file cases against them to justify their actions.”
“The AFP is now acting as the judge, jury, and executioner. Worse, the DOJ is their willing accomplice in this grave injustice!”
“The military and police are acting as though the Philippines is back in the heydays of Martial Law. The Arroyo government, true to form as a Marcos-copycat, is using its counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya not against the armed rebels but against unarmed civilians,” concluded Dr. Rivera. ####
References:
Dr. Geneve E. Rivera
Secretary-General, 0920 460 3712
Dr. Gene Alzona Nisperos
Vice-Chair, 0927 483 2325
Dr. Darby S. Santiago
Chair, 0927 473 7700
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Have you cured Ka Roger?,’ other shockers
By DJ Yap
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:50:00 02/12/2010
THE INTERROGATOR’S taunt outraged Dr. Merry Mia Clamor as she sat blindfolded, her hands cuffed, in a room she could not describe, facing somebody she could not see.
The disembodied voice had sneered: “Ginamot mo na ba ang buni ni Ka Roger (Have you cured Ka Roger’s ringworm yet)?”
The 33-year-old physician did not reply.
“I was shocked. I could not say anything,” she told the Inquirer Thursday in her first interview with the media since she and 42 other health workers were arrested on Feb. 6 in Morong, Rizal, on suspicion of links with communists.
The interrogator was apparently referring to Gregorio Rosal aka Ka Roger, the spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The 43 detainees, including two doctors and other health professionals, were finally allowed to confer with their lawyers belonging to the National Union of People’s Lawyers and of the Public Interest Law Center in their tightly guarded detention cells at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.
The eight lawyers led by Edre Olalia were assisted by Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Leila de Lima.
Presumption of innocence
At a meeting with Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, De Lima said the military’s treatment of the detainees did not meet human rights standards.
“Even assuming that they are really all NPAs (New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP), they still have rights. All civil and political rights are still available to them, especially the constitutional presumption of innocence,” De Lima said.
To which Segovia replied: “The presumption of innocence that applies to NPAs should also apply to our soldiers… As far as our officers are concerned, they’re only trying to do their job.”
Earlier, the CHR accused the military of subjecting the 43 detainees to “psychological torture”—a charge Segovia denied.
'It’s a shame’
Clamor said she was teaching volunteers first aid and other basic medical procedures at a health training seminar in the early morning of Feb. 6 when she and the other health workers were arrested.
She said her unseen interrogator’s question served to trivialize her efforts.
“I was doing this with the purest intention—to train volunteers and to give them skills so they themselves can help others in their community,” Clamor said.
“It’s a shame… I chose to stay here in the Philippines instead of going abroad. I chose to stay [despite] the knowledge it would be a thankless job,” she said.
Clamor said that as a member of the Council for Health and Development (CHD), she had taken part in medical missions and other health training seminars in Rizal, Bacolod, Negros and Iloilo.
Logistics
Segovia said the detainees had not been allowed to see their lawyers until Thursday largely because of a logistical problem.
He said it was the biggest number of arrests of “underground personalities,” and that Camp Capinpin had no ready facility to accommodate all 43 health workers.
The military also needed to process the detainees’ identities, he said.
Olalia at one point objected to the “underground” tag, prompting Segovia to rephrase his remark by adding “alleged.”
Another problem, according to Segovia, was that some of the detainees refused to reveal their identities, and their lawyers also did not provide the right names to the military custodians when seeking permission to meet their clients.
But Olalia said the right of a person to see a lawyer upon arrest was so crucial that denying it constituted a serious breach of human rights.
‘Violated’
“We felt violated. We were illegally arrested. We were questioned without a lawyer present,” Clamor said from her cell.
Recalling her first night in detention, she said the questioning was relaxed at first, with the interrogator asking where she worked, what she did, and so on.
But the tone turned hostile as the night wore on.
When she said she did not want to answer any more questions without a lawyer, she was told: “You’ll be long gone before your lawyer comes.”
Husband Karapatan exec
But while she had initially been denied access to a lawyer, Clamor said her husband, Roneo Clamor, was granted permission to see her.
“He took it in stride. He’s used to situations like this,” she said of her husband, the deputy secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan.
Clamor said she did not experience rough treatment from the soldiers except during the arrest, when they pointed long firearms at her and the others and ordered them to lie on their bellies.
“We appreciate the handling of the female guards,” she said.
In an interview with reporters, Segovia insisted that all 43 detainees were NPA members.
The military provided reporters a list of the detainees, including name, aliases, addresses, age, educational attainment, schools and “position” in the NPA.
Clamor’s position was listed as “national level.”
“That’s not true,” she said.
Online campaign
The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has launched an online campaign for the release of the 43 health workers.
In a letter posted on Tuesday on its website (http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3362/), the AHRC said two of the 43, Janice Javier and Franco Romeroso, were illegally held from September 2008 to June 2009 and tortured by state forces to admit that they were NPA members.
The two were released for lack of evidence but were rearrested, along with Yolanda Caraig, in Morong Rizal, on Feb. 6, the AHRC said.
It also named Clamor of the CHD, Dr. Alex Montes of the Community Medicine Development Foundation, nurse Gary Liberal, midwife Teresa Quinawayan, and other members of the CHD staff as among those arrested.
The AHRC listed the case under its “urgent appeal” desk, which, it said, was a tool “to create an international support network and open venue for action.”
It expressed the hope that the letter would reach United Nations representatives, national human rights commissions, court houses and government officials.
The AHRC suggested that the letter also be sent individually to President Macapagal-Arroyo, CHR Chair De Lima and other government officials by fax or mail.
Melissa Roxas’ case
In a separate statement dated Feb. 7, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chapter in Canada said it was “demanding the immediate and unconditional release” of the 43 health workers.
The group said the arrests were “reminiscent” of the alleged torture suffered by US citizen Melissa Roxas in May 2009 in the Philippines, when she was abducted while on a medical mission.
With a report from Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:50:00 02/12/2010
THE INTERROGATOR’S taunt outraged Dr. Merry Mia Clamor as she sat blindfolded, her hands cuffed, in a room she could not describe, facing somebody she could not see.
The disembodied voice had sneered: “Ginamot mo na ba ang buni ni Ka Roger (Have you cured Ka Roger’s ringworm yet)?”
The 33-year-old physician did not reply.
“I was shocked. I could not say anything,” she told the Inquirer Thursday in her first interview with the media since she and 42 other health workers were arrested on Feb. 6 in Morong, Rizal, on suspicion of links with communists.
The interrogator was apparently referring to Gregorio Rosal aka Ka Roger, the spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The 43 detainees, including two doctors and other health professionals, were finally allowed to confer with their lawyers belonging to the National Union of People’s Lawyers and of the Public Interest Law Center in their tightly guarded detention cells at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.
The eight lawyers led by Edre Olalia were assisted by Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Leila de Lima.
Presumption of innocence
At a meeting with Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, De Lima said the military’s treatment of the detainees did not meet human rights standards.
“Even assuming that they are really all NPAs (New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP), they still have rights. All civil and political rights are still available to them, especially the constitutional presumption of innocence,” De Lima said.
To which Segovia replied: “The presumption of innocence that applies to NPAs should also apply to our soldiers… As far as our officers are concerned, they’re only trying to do their job.”
Earlier, the CHR accused the military of subjecting the 43 detainees to “psychological torture”—a charge Segovia denied.
'It’s a shame’
Clamor said she was teaching volunteers first aid and other basic medical procedures at a health training seminar in the early morning of Feb. 6 when she and the other health workers were arrested.
She said her unseen interrogator’s question served to trivialize her efforts.
“I was doing this with the purest intention—to train volunteers and to give them skills so they themselves can help others in their community,” Clamor said.
“It’s a shame… I chose to stay here in the Philippines instead of going abroad. I chose to stay [despite] the knowledge it would be a thankless job,” she said.
Clamor said that as a member of the Council for Health and Development (CHD), she had taken part in medical missions and other health training seminars in Rizal, Bacolod, Negros and Iloilo.
Logistics
Segovia said the detainees had not been allowed to see their lawyers until Thursday largely because of a logistical problem.
He said it was the biggest number of arrests of “underground personalities,” and that Camp Capinpin had no ready facility to accommodate all 43 health workers.
The military also needed to process the detainees’ identities, he said.
Olalia at one point objected to the “underground” tag, prompting Segovia to rephrase his remark by adding “alleged.”
Another problem, according to Segovia, was that some of the detainees refused to reveal their identities, and their lawyers also did not provide the right names to the military custodians when seeking permission to meet their clients.
But Olalia said the right of a person to see a lawyer upon arrest was so crucial that denying it constituted a serious breach of human rights.
‘Violated’
“We felt violated. We were illegally arrested. We were questioned without a lawyer present,” Clamor said from her cell.
Recalling her first night in detention, she said the questioning was relaxed at first, with the interrogator asking where she worked, what she did, and so on.
But the tone turned hostile as the night wore on.
When she said she did not want to answer any more questions without a lawyer, she was told: “You’ll be long gone before your lawyer comes.”
Husband Karapatan exec
But while she had initially been denied access to a lawyer, Clamor said her husband, Roneo Clamor, was granted permission to see her.
“He took it in stride. He’s used to situations like this,” she said of her husband, the deputy secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan.
Clamor said she did not experience rough treatment from the soldiers except during the arrest, when they pointed long firearms at her and the others and ordered them to lie on their bellies.
“We appreciate the handling of the female guards,” she said.
In an interview with reporters, Segovia insisted that all 43 detainees were NPA members.
The military provided reporters a list of the detainees, including name, aliases, addresses, age, educational attainment, schools and “position” in the NPA.
Clamor’s position was listed as “national level.”
“That’s not true,” she said.
Online campaign
The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has launched an online campaign for the release of the 43 health workers.
In a letter posted on Tuesday on its website (http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3362/), the AHRC said two of the 43, Janice Javier and Franco Romeroso, were illegally held from September 2008 to June 2009 and tortured by state forces to admit that they were NPA members.
The two were released for lack of evidence but were rearrested, along with Yolanda Caraig, in Morong Rizal, on Feb. 6, the AHRC said.
It also named Clamor of the CHD, Dr. Alex Montes of the Community Medicine Development Foundation, nurse Gary Liberal, midwife Teresa Quinawayan, and other members of the CHD staff as among those arrested.
The AHRC listed the case under its “urgent appeal” desk, which, it said, was a tool “to create an international support network and open venue for action.”
It expressed the hope that the letter would reach United Nations representatives, national human rights commissions, court houses and government officials.
The AHRC suggested that the letter also be sent individually to President Macapagal-Arroyo, CHR Chair De Lima and other government officials by fax or mail.
Melissa Roxas’ case
In a separate statement dated Feb. 7, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chapter in Canada said it was “demanding the immediate and unconditional release” of the 43 health workers.
The group said the arrests were “reminiscent” of the alleged torture suffered by US citizen Melissa Roxas in May 2009 in the Philippines, when she was abducted while on a medical mission.
With a report from Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon
Study in contrast
Streetwise
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo
The contrast is too stark to be missed. “But they are NPA (New People’s Army)!” Thus did Executive Secretary and former General Eduardo Ermita justify the arbitrary arrest of 43 health workers and professionals attending a training seminar in Morong, Rizal last Saturday, their torture, subjection to indignities, deprivation of legal counsel, and denial of visits by relatives and officers of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
This is the same Secretary Ermita who, along with other Arroyo henchmen, immediately invoked the right to due process of the Ampatuans, Arroyo’s warlord allies in Muslim Mindanao suspected to be behind the gruesome mass murder of relatives and supporters of their political enemies, a bevy of media personnel as well as innocent bystanders.
To be labeled as NPA, ergo an “enemy of the state”, is tantamount to a death sentence (via extrajudicial execution) or being subjected to the worst human rights violations by state security forces with the blessings of Malacañang. On the other hand, to be a valued political ally of Mrs. Arroyo, able to deliver hundreds of thousands of fraudulently acquired votes for her presidential bid, to beat back government opposition in an entire region and to terrorize a dirt-poor and restless populace is to be dealt with kid gloves despite being the prime suspects in the most heinous of crimes.
According to General Ermita there was nothing illegal in the arrest of the 43 - two of whom are doctors, two others a nurse and midwife and the rest community health workers - because this is based on solid intelligence information. If this were the case, why were the combined AFP/PNP raiding force of 300 who came in four military trucks and two armored personnel carriers, unable to present any valid search or arrest warrants? Why did they conduct their search of the private resort owned by Dr. Melecia Velmonte, an infectious disease expert at the UP-Philippine General Hospital, to come up with so-called evidence without any impartial witnesses to corroborate their find.
The same military intelligence that led to the "discovery" of a bundle of arms and explosives in a health training seminar had failed to detect an entire arsenal of weapons, ammunition and even armored vehicles in the Ampatuans' possession. It took the declaration of emergency rule and eventually martial law before the authorities could come up with anything substantial against the Ampatuans.
And this same AFP-PNP combine that willfully allowed the Ampatuans to commit the massacre, if they did not actually participate in it by refusing to provide security to the prospective victims, has turned its brutal, coercive power on hapless doctors and health workers whose only intent was to learn how to care for the sick in a setting of want and government neglect.
In order to give the Gestapo military and police time to manufacture more evidence and extract tortured confessions from their victims, the 43 were blindfolded and shackled, held incommunicado, denied food and toilet privileges for maximum discomfort, and deprived of mandatory visits by their legal counsel and CHR officers.
After two days, when the relatives of some of the arrested were allowed in, they were given a very short time to inquire into the condition of their loved ones and always in the intimidating presence of their captors for which reason many could not speak about the despicable treatment they had received.
While refusing to present the 43 to the media, the AFP keeps issuing press releases in a ludicrous attempt to concoct a story about their latest victims: that they were undergoing training in bomb manufacture; that the 60-year-old physician in the group, Dr. Alex Montes, is actually the NPA operative assigned to kill retired General Jovito Palparan, the bloodthirsty general who confesses to “inspiring” his men to kill NPA suspects vigilante style; that several of the women have been identified as having participated in NPA attacks.
And lo and behold, the AFP reported that campaign materials of the progressive party list Bayan Muna were also seized from the group. All the better to keep up the military’s vilification campaign against the party that has successfully won several seats in Congress since 2001 and is now fielding a senatorial candidate? Why limit the propaganda to the AFP’s having chalked up a big blow against the NPA when you can also, by innuendo, implicate Bayan Muna, currently in the thick of the electoral campaign, as an NPA “front” and scare away potential voters?
The raid against the health workers can only be seen as part of the Arroyo regime’s propensity to crack down on those who oppose its policies and its illegitimate rule. The Council for Health and Development, under whose auspices the training was undertaken, is a non-government organization committed to rendering health services to poor and underserved communities. They are critical of government policies and programs that underlie the people’s poverty, ill health and inadequate, low quality health services. As advocates of community-based health care, health training for community volunteers is a staple of their program.
The practice of treating “NPA” or “NPA suspects” as “enemies of the state” and therefore undeserving of due process rights and, more important, non-derogable human rights such as the right to life, against being tortured, against unjust arrest and detention, etc. has brought about a situation wherein military and police officials up to the Executive Secretary can blithely justify their fascist actuations on their mere say so that someone is an NPA.
But more than the fascist military mindset, it is the overweening brutality, ruthlessness and arrogance of power that characterizes the Arroyo regime, in combination with its rabid craving and desperation to remain in power that has cultivated and nurtured the culture of impunity for perpetrating such horrendous atrocities.
With elections crucial to the fate of the Arroyo cabal just around the corner, there is reason to fear that the worst is still to come. #
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo
The contrast is too stark to be missed. “But they are NPA (New People’s Army)!” Thus did Executive Secretary and former General Eduardo Ermita justify the arbitrary arrest of 43 health workers and professionals attending a training seminar in Morong, Rizal last Saturday, their torture, subjection to indignities, deprivation of legal counsel, and denial of visits by relatives and officers of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
This is the same Secretary Ermita who, along with other Arroyo henchmen, immediately invoked the right to due process of the Ampatuans, Arroyo’s warlord allies in Muslim Mindanao suspected to be behind the gruesome mass murder of relatives and supporters of their political enemies, a bevy of media personnel as well as innocent bystanders.
To be labeled as NPA, ergo an “enemy of the state”, is tantamount to a death sentence (via extrajudicial execution) or being subjected to the worst human rights violations by state security forces with the blessings of Malacañang. On the other hand, to be a valued political ally of Mrs. Arroyo, able to deliver hundreds of thousands of fraudulently acquired votes for her presidential bid, to beat back government opposition in an entire region and to terrorize a dirt-poor and restless populace is to be dealt with kid gloves despite being the prime suspects in the most heinous of crimes.
According to General Ermita there was nothing illegal in the arrest of the 43 - two of whom are doctors, two others a nurse and midwife and the rest community health workers - because this is based on solid intelligence information. If this were the case, why were the combined AFP/PNP raiding force of 300 who came in four military trucks and two armored personnel carriers, unable to present any valid search or arrest warrants? Why did they conduct their search of the private resort owned by Dr. Melecia Velmonte, an infectious disease expert at the UP-Philippine General Hospital, to come up with so-called evidence without any impartial witnesses to corroborate their find.
The same military intelligence that led to the "discovery" of a bundle of arms and explosives in a health training seminar had failed to detect an entire arsenal of weapons, ammunition and even armored vehicles in the Ampatuans' possession. It took the declaration of emergency rule and eventually martial law before the authorities could come up with anything substantial against the Ampatuans.
And this same AFP-PNP combine that willfully allowed the Ampatuans to commit the massacre, if they did not actually participate in it by refusing to provide security to the prospective victims, has turned its brutal, coercive power on hapless doctors and health workers whose only intent was to learn how to care for the sick in a setting of want and government neglect.
In order to give the Gestapo military and police time to manufacture more evidence and extract tortured confessions from their victims, the 43 were blindfolded and shackled, held incommunicado, denied food and toilet privileges for maximum discomfort, and deprived of mandatory visits by their legal counsel and CHR officers.
After two days, when the relatives of some of the arrested were allowed in, they were given a very short time to inquire into the condition of their loved ones and always in the intimidating presence of their captors for which reason many could not speak about the despicable treatment they had received.
While refusing to present the 43 to the media, the AFP keeps issuing press releases in a ludicrous attempt to concoct a story about their latest victims: that they were undergoing training in bomb manufacture; that the 60-year-old physician in the group, Dr. Alex Montes, is actually the NPA operative assigned to kill retired General Jovito Palparan, the bloodthirsty general who confesses to “inspiring” his men to kill NPA suspects vigilante style; that several of the women have been identified as having participated in NPA attacks.
And lo and behold, the AFP reported that campaign materials of the progressive party list Bayan Muna were also seized from the group. All the better to keep up the military’s vilification campaign against the party that has successfully won several seats in Congress since 2001 and is now fielding a senatorial candidate? Why limit the propaganda to the AFP’s having chalked up a big blow against the NPA when you can also, by innuendo, implicate Bayan Muna, currently in the thick of the electoral campaign, as an NPA “front” and scare away potential voters?
The raid against the health workers can only be seen as part of the Arroyo regime’s propensity to crack down on those who oppose its policies and its illegitimate rule. The Council for Health and Development, under whose auspices the training was undertaken, is a non-government organization committed to rendering health services to poor and underserved communities. They are critical of government policies and programs that underlie the people’s poverty, ill health and inadequate, low quality health services. As advocates of community-based health care, health training for community volunteers is a staple of their program.
The practice of treating “NPA” or “NPA suspects” as “enemies of the state” and therefore undeserving of due process rights and, more important, non-derogable human rights such as the right to life, against being tortured, against unjust arrest and detention, etc. has brought about a situation wherein military and police officials up to the Executive Secretary can blithely justify their fascist actuations on their mere say so that someone is an NPA.
But more than the fascist military mindset, it is the overweening brutality, ruthlessness and arrogance of power that characterizes the Arroyo regime, in combination with its rabid craving and desperation to remain in power that has cultivated and nurtured the culture of impunity for perpetrating such horrendous atrocities.
With elections crucial to the fate of the Arroyo cabal just around the corner, there is reason to fear that the worst is still to come. #
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Free the 43 Health Workers
Alliance of Health Workers (AHW
PRESS RELEASE
February 9, 2010
References:
We, health workers from different hospitals, clinics and institutions nationwide, strongly condemn the illegal arrest of 43 health workers in Morong, Rizal. We are angered by the inhumane treatment and torture of our fellow health workers at the hands of the supposed “protectors” of the Filipino people. We hold the military and police men under their Commander-in-Chief Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) responsible for this open brutality against the health workers who are serving the Filipino people.
The 43 health workers were arrested under a false warrant during a health training on February 6, at 7:00 am by a composite team of 300 military and police men from the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry Division and Rizal Philippine National Police headed by Col. Aurelio Baladad and Supt. Marion Balonglong. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. They were held incommunicado for more than 48 hours and bore signs of torture.
Two of the health workers are community doctors who are serving poor patients through medical missions and regular clinics. Dr. Merry Mia-Clamor and Dr. Alex Montes treated hundreds of patients in Rizal, Bulacan, and Metro Manila communities affected by Typhoons Ondoy & Peping last year. The doctors are members and staff of Council for Health & Development and Community Medicine Development Foundation that spearheaded the National Health Training.
Gary Liberal is a head nurse of the Operating Room of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) in Manila. He is the National Auditor of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), the Union President of JRRMMC Employees Union, and is a board member of Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines (ORNAP). He has served as a nurse in JRRMMC for almost 18 years and was one of the instructors during the health training.
Lydia Obera, one of the 43 health workers, is a teacher by profession, and is a community health worker for more than 20 years serving in different non-government health institutions. She is a staff of the national office of AHW.
Drs. Merry and Alex, Gary and Lydia, together with others shared their knowledge, skills, and time to the community health workers, in response to the increasing need for trained health personnel in the countrysides. The 43 health workers are serving the most deprived and far-flung communities, long time neglected by the Philippine government.
With this illegal arrest & detention, the GMA government through its most rabid military and police officers are attacking not only the health workers but the poor Filipino people sick and dying in poor communities. They are depriving again and again the poor Filipino majority of the most needed services provided by these health workers. In time, they will face the wrath of the united Filipino people.
We call on all service-oriented, freedom-loving people in the Philippines and other countries to make a stand, resist the attack against the health workers, against our health and our rights.
Free the 43 health workers now!
Hold the GMA government accountable to these human rights violations!
Continue the struggle for better health for the Filipino people!
PRESS RELEASE
February 9, 2010
References:
Emma Manuel, National President, 09178008634
Robert Mendoza, PRO, 09183186377
We, health workers from different hospitals, clinics and institutions nationwide, strongly condemn the illegal arrest of 43 health workers in Morong, Rizal. We are angered by the inhumane treatment and torture of our fellow health workers at the hands of the supposed “protectors” of the Filipino people. We hold the military and police men under their Commander-in-Chief Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) responsible for this open brutality against the health workers who are serving the Filipino people.
The 43 health workers were arrested under a false warrant during a health training on February 6, at 7:00 am by a composite team of 300 military and police men from the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry Division and Rizal Philippine National Police headed by Col. Aurelio Baladad and Supt. Marion Balonglong. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. They were held incommunicado for more than 48 hours and bore signs of torture.
Two of the health workers are community doctors who are serving poor patients through medical missions and regular clinics. Dr. Merry Mia-Clamor and Dr. Alex Montes treated hundreds of patients in Rizal, Bulacan, and Metro Manila communities affected by Typhoons Ondoy & Peping last year. The doctors are members and staff of Council for Health & Development and Community Medicine Development Foundation that spearheaded the National Health Training.
Gary Liberal is a head nurse of the Operating Room of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) in Manila. He is the National Auditor of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), the Union President of JRRMMC Employees Union, and is a board member of Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines (ORNAP). He has served as a nurse in JRRMMC for almost 18 years and was one of the instructors during the health training.
Lydia Obera, one of the 43 health workers, is a teacher by profession, and is a community health worker for more than 20 years serving in different non-government health institutions. She is a staff of the national office of AHW.
Drs. Merry and Alex, Gary and Lydia, together with others shared their knowledge, skills, and time to the community health workers, in response to the increasing need for trained health personnel in the countrysides. The 43 health workers are serving the most deprived and far-flung communities, long time neglected by the Philippine government.
With this illegal arrest & detention, the GMA government through its most rabid military and police officers are attacking not only the health workers but the poor Filipino people sick and dying in poor communities. They are depriving again and again the poor Filipino majority of the most needed services provided by these health workers. In time, they will face the wrath of the united Filipino people.
We call on all service-oriented, freedom-loving people in the Philippines and other countries to make a stand, resist the attack against the health workers, against our health and our rights.
Free the 43 health workers now!
Hold the GMA government accountable to these human rights violations!
Continue the struggle for better health for the Filipino people!
------
Notes: The All U.P. Workers Union, Manila Chapter is an affiliate of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW). The AHW is a labor center primarily catering to Public Health Workers. It has more than 20,000 members in more than 30 affiliate unions, public health employees associations and individual members nationwide
Sunday, February 07, 2010
HEAD Demands Immediate Release of Detained Medical Personnel
07 February 2010
Media Release
Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) called for the immediate release of two doctors, a nurse, midwife and other health workers (CHWs) arbitrarily arrested and illegally detained by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Contrary to allegations made by Colonel Aurelio Baladbad of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, the people they are holding are long-time medical personnel who are well-known to their patients and the communities they serve,” declared Dr. Geneve E. Rivera, HEAD Secretary-General.
Dr. Alex Montes of Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) and Dr. Merry Mia of the Council for Health and Development (CHD) were among those blindfolded and hauled to Camp Capinpin after elements of the AFP Southern Luzon Command and the Rizal Philippine National Police forced their way into a private resthouse in Morong, Rizal early yesterday morning.
The two doctors have been working with their respective NGOs for many years. Together with Mr. Gary Liberal, a nurse, Ms. Teresa Quinawayan, a midwife, and CHD staff members, they were conducting a health skills training with volunteers from various communities when they were arrested.
“Col. Balalad is now accusing all 43 of being members of the New People’s Army in order to justify their actions. The AFP should prove their allegations instead of using bogus arrest warrants and planted evidence.”
HEAD strongly condemned military allegations that bomb-making materials, guns, and even a claymore mine were found under the beds of the participants during their raid.
“The absurdity of the military’s story is confounding! The AFP conveniently finds these so-called weapons after confiscating all of the personal belongings of the participants as well as the materials used for the training. He (Baladlad) and his men should be reprimanded for gross abuse of authority and outright violations of basic human rights,” added Dr. Rivera.
Dr. Melecia Velmonte, who owns the resthouse, is a respected consultant of the Philippine General Hospital for infectious diseases. The place has three buildings and is a regular venue of health trainings. Yet, the AFP alleges that this is an “NPA training camp”.
The health group also denounced attempts by the military to link the party-list group, Bayan Muna.
“It is obvious that the Arroyo regime is doing everything to discredit legal organizations that have been critical of its anti-people policies. With such implicit consent, the worst forms of criminal behavior are those of state security forces, who conduct illegal raids and arrests with impunity, and who make baseless accusations with wanton disregard for the rule of law.”
“We demand an end to the abuses by the AFP, PNP, and the Arroyo regime. We demand the immediate release of our colleagues!” concluded Dr. Rivera. ####
References:
Notes: Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) and Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) are allies of the All U.P. Workers Union in its advocacy for health workers rights and people's health
Media Release
Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) called for the immediate release of two doctors, a nurse, midwife and other health workers (CHWs) arbitrarily arrested and illegally detained by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Contrary to allegations made by Colonel Aurelio Baladbad of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, the people they are holding are long-time medical personnel who are well-known to their patients and the communities they serve,” declared Dr. Geneve E. Rivera, HEAD Secretary-General.
Dr. Alex Montes of Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) and Dr. Merry Mia of the Council for Health and Development (CHD) were among those blindfolded and hauled to Camp Capinpin after elements of the AFP Southern Luzon Command and the Rizal Philippine National Police forced their way into a private resthouse in Morong, Rizal early yesterday morning.
The two doctors have been working with their respective NGOs for many years. Together with Mr. Gary Liberal, a nurse, Ms. Teresa Quinawayan, a midwife, and CHD staff members, they were conducting a health skills training with volunteers from various communities when they were arrested.
“Col. Balalad is now accusing all 43 of being members of the New People’s Army in order to justify their actions. The AFP should prove their allegations instead of using bogus arrest warrants and planted evidence.”
HEAD strongly condemned military allegations that bomb-making materials, guns, and even a claymore mine were found under the beds of the participants during their raid.
“The absurdity of the military’s story is confounding! The AFP conveniently finds these so-called weapons after confiscating all of the personal belongings of the participants as well as the materials used for the training. He (Baladlad) and his men should be reprimanded for gross abuse of authority and outright violations of basic human rights,” added Dr. Rivera.
Dr. Melecia Velmonte, who owns the resthouse, is a respected consultant of the Philippine General Hospital for infectious diseases. The place has three buildings and is a regular venue of health trainings. Yet, the AFP alleges that this is an “NPA training camp”.
The health group also denounced attempts by the military to link the party-list group, Bayan Muna.
“It is obvious that the Arroyo regime is doing everything to discredit legal organizations that have been critical of its anti-people policies. With such implicit consent, the worst forms of criminal behavior are those of state security forces, who conduct illegal raids and arrests with impunity, and who make baseless accusations with wanton disregard for the rule of law.”
“We demand an end to the abuses by the AFP, PNP, and the Arroyo regime. We demand the immediate release of our colleagues!” concluded Dr. Rivera. ####
References:
Dr. Geneve E. Rivera------
Secretary-General, 0920 460 3712
Dr. Darby S. Santiago
Chair, 0927 473 7700
Notes: Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) and Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) are allies of the All U.P. Workers Union in its advocacy for health workers rights and people's health
Saturday, February 06, 2010
UNMASK THEIR SUBTERFUGE: Self-Interest In Discrediting Our Student Regent
University Student Council
University of the Philippines-Diliman
We have a Student Regent.
Contrary to the claims of the UP administration that Ms. Charisse Bernadine Bañez is not qualified to sit as a Student Regent (SR), the University Student Council of UP Diliman (UPD-USC), asserts that Ms. Bañez remains qualified and remains to be the Student Regent, unanimously mandated by the General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), to represent the student body.
The UPD-USC further condemns to the highest level the manipulation of some members of the Board of Regents (BOR) and the Chancellor of UPLB in once again trying to render our SR incapacitated to discharge her duties as the representative of the students in the highest policy- and decision-making body in the University. We detest this abuse, clearly driven by the interest of reversing the decision of the BOR on the PGH Directorship at the expense of the student’s essential right to be represented.
While it is true that Ms. Banez does not officially have a Residency or Leave of Absence (LOA) status in UPLB, she remains to be a student, as she has not been officially separated from the University. She has also filed an application and appeal for Residency and then an LOA, both pending the approval of the UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco even before the January 29 BOR meeting. Contrary to the claims of the UP administration, Ms. Banez never withdrew her application for residency.
It bears notice that this is the same UPLB Chancellor who had continuously attempted to discredit Ms. Bañez and prevented her from sitting as the Student Regent ever since her selection in April 2009. He is also the same Chancellor who had prevented her from graduating from the University despite her fulfillment of all her academic requirements. Yet again, he is the same Chancellor who had refused to grant her a residency status in UPLB.. Clearly therefore, our SR's application shall not be easily granted without the strong pressure and assertion from the students.
The vendetta of Chancellor Velasco against Ms. Bañez is familiar to the students of UPLB. During the term of Ms. Bañez, she has effectively exposed Chancellor Velasco as a conspirator behind the repression, harassment, and militarization incidents in UPLB. It became known that Chancellor Velasco’s hands were not clean when the UPLB-USC of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 were made to face trumped-up charges; when the UPLB Administration refused to collect the student fund and publication fees, thereby depriving the student council and publication of the necessary source for their operating expenses; when the Editor-in-Chief who topped the editorial exam of the UPLB Perspective was not appointed; and when the military agents were permitted to enter the campus and conduct surveillances against progressive student organizations. In all these, SR Bañez was able to effectively lead the students in victorious campaigns. Clearly, this is not the first time that the Velasco administration attacked our student leaders in an attempt to abate student protests and the movement for democratic rights in the University. The removal of our SR --one of UPLB's most assertive student leaders-- from office would be a great source of relief for Chancellor Velasco.
Currently, even President Roman and the Malacanang appointees in the BOR have their own interests in making the SR position vacant. They have currently cited the ratified CRSRS to discredit our SR, but we must not forget that nine months ago, they had explicitly violated the same document when they kept our SR from representing us in the Board for two months. They have proven to us that they can implement the rules when it suits them; they disregard the same rules when it is in conflict with their interests.
Their interests lies in the Directorship of the Philippine General Hospital and the micro-privatization of PGH. The PGH Directorship became a highly-contestested position during the BOR vote-casting last December 2009, such that some members of the BOR who lost in the vote tried to move to rescind and invalidate the decision to appoint Dr. Jose Gonzales as the new PGH Director, in order to field their own bet. Pres. Roman even issued a memorandum in January to hold the oath-taking of Dr. Gonzales but was defeated by the mass movement in UP Manila . Now, despite the decision of the BOR to permit our SR to participate and vote in the December BOR meeting, they are now moving to invalidate all BOR decisions since November where our SR have participated, including the votation for the PGH Directorship.
The ill motives are clearly laid down in front of us. We shall be disenfranchised of our right to representation as Ms. Bañez is attacked and discredited just so the few can secure their interests in the BOR. This move from the administration to discredit our SR is a curtailment of our right to genuine representation as they are aware that Ms. Bañez does not have a successor and that the GASC shall not convene until April 2010 to select a new SR.
They have proven once again, that for the powers that be led by Pres. Roman and the Malacañang bloc, self-interest gains more weight than our fundamental right to be represented. They have committed a grave disrespect not only to Ms. Banez and the institution she represents, but as well as to the University that expects a transparent and democratic governance from its administration.
It is imperative for us to take our historic role of defending our student institutions. We are called once again to stand by our Student Regent and condemn this intervention from the Roman administration. Our SR must discharge her duties of representing the students until the end of her term especially since fee increases and various anti-student policies in other campuses shall be decided upon. Together, let us assert that UPLB Chancellor Velasco grant the application of Ms. Banez for Residency, give back her rights and privileges as a student of the University, and stop the political persecution and harassment in UPLB.
With the firm resolve demonstrated by those who fought for the establishment of the OSR, we call on our fellow members of the General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) to reaffirm the mandate we have given to Ms. Banez. We call on the broadest number of students in the entire University system to support the campaign to defend our SR from political persecution and attacks; to prove, once again, that measures meant to impede our democratic rights shall fail against the collective militancy of the students.
Stop political persecution in the University!
Reaffirm the mandate and Defend our Student Regent!
Fight for our right to be represented!
University of the Philippines-Diliman
We have a Student Regent.
Contrary to the claims of the UP administration that Ms. Charisse Bernadine Bañez is not qualified to sit as a Student Regent (SR), the University Student Council of UP Diliman (UPD-USC), asserts that Ms. Bañez remains qualified and remains to be the Student Regent, unanimously mandated by the General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), to represent the student body.
The UPD-USC further condemns to the highest level the manipulation of some members of the Board of Regents (BOR) and the Chancellor of UPLB in once again trying to render our SR incapacitated to discharge her duties as the representative of the students in the highest policy- and decision-making body in the University. We detest this abuse, clearly driven by the interest of reversing the decision of the BOR on the PGH Directorship at the expense of the student’s essential right to be represented.
While it is true that Ms. Banez does not officially have a Residency or Leave of Absence (LOA) status in UPLB, she remains to be a student, as she has not been officially separated from the University. She has also filed an application and appeal for Residency and then an LOA, both pending the approval of the UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco even before the January 29 BOR meeting. Contrary to the claims of the UP administration, Ms. Banez never withdrew her application for residency.
It bears notice that this is the same UPLB Chancellor who had continuously attempted to discredit Ms. Bañez and prevented her from sitting as the Student Regent ever since her selection in April 2009. He is also the same Chancellor who had prevented her from graduating from the University despite her fulfillment of all her academic requirements. Yet again, he is the same Chancellor who had refused to grant her a residency status in UPLB.. Clearly therefore, our SR's application shall not be easily granted without the strong pressure and assertion from the students.
The vendetta of Chancellor Velasco against Ms. Bañez is familiar to the students of UPLB. During the term of Ms. Bañez, she has effectively exposed Chancellor Velasco as a conspirator behind the repression, harassment, and militarization incidents in UPLB. It became known that Chancellor Velasco’s hands were not clean when the UPLB-USC of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 were made to face trumped-up charges; when the UPLB Administration refused to collect the student fund and publication fees, thereby depriving the student council and publication of the necessary source for their operating expenses; when the Editor-in-Chief who topped the editorial exam of the UPLB Perspective was not appointed; and when the military agents were permitted to enter the campus and conduct surveillances against progressive student organizations. In all these, SR Bañez was able to effectively lead the students in victorious campaigns. Clearly, this is not the first time that the Velasco administration attacked our student leaders in an attempt to abate student protests and the movement for democratic rights in the University. The removal of our SR --one of UPLB's most assertive student leaders-- from office would be a great source of relief for Chancellor Velasco.
Currently, even President Roman and the Malacanang appointees in the BOR have their own interests in making the SR position vacant. They have currently cited the ratified CRSRS to discredit our SR, but we must not forget that nine months ago, they had explicitly violated the same document when they kept our SR from representing us in the Board for two months. They have proven to us that they can implement the rules when it suits them; they disregard the same rules when it is in conflict with their interests.
Their interests lies in the Directorship of the Philippine General Hospital and the micro-privatization of PGH. The PGH Directorship became a highly-contestested position during the BOR vote-casting last December 2009, such that some members of the BOR who lost in the vote tried to move to rescind and invalidate the decision to appoint Dr. Jose Gonzales as the new PGH Director, in order to field their own bet. Pres. Roman even issued a memorandum in January to hold the oath-taking of Dr. Gonzales but was defeated by the mass movement in UP Manila . Now, despite the decision of the BOR to permit our SR to participate and vote in the December BOR meeting, they are now moving to invalidate all BOR decisions since November where our SR have participated, including the votation for the PGH Directorship.
The ill motives are clearly laid down in front of us. We shall be disenfranchised of our right to representation as Ms. Bañez is attacked and discredited just so the few can secure their interests in the BOR. This move from the administration to discredit our SR is a curtailment of our right to genuine representation as they are aware that Ms. Bañez does not have a successor and that the GASC shall not convene until April 2010 to select a new SR.
They have proven once again, that for the powers that be led by Pres. Roman and the Malacañang bloc, self-interest gains more weight than our fundamental right to be represented. They have committed a grave disrespect not only to Ms. Banez and the institution she represents, but as well as to the University that expects a transparent and democratic governance from its administration.
It is imperative for us to take our historic role of defending our student institutions. We are called once again to stand by our Student Regent and condemn this intervention from the Roman administration. Our SR must discharge her duties of representing the students until the end of her term especially since fee increases and various anti-student policies in other campuses shall be decided upon. Together, let us assert that UPLB Chancellor Velasco grant the application of Ms. Banez for Residency, give back her rights and privileges as a student of the University, and stop the political persecution and harassment in UPLB.
With the firm resolve demonstrated by those who fought for the establishment of the OSR, we call on our fellow members of the General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) to reaffirm the mandate we have given to Ms. Banez. We call on the broadest number of students in the entire University system to support the campaign to defend our SR from political persecution and attacks; to prove, once again, that measures meant to impede our democratic rights shall fail against the collective militancy of the students.
Stop political persecution in the University!
Reaffirm the mandate and Defend our Student Regent!
Fight for our right to be represented!
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Romantisismo at Sinisismo: Walang Lugar sa Eleksyong 2010
from Facebook Notes of Sarah Raymundo
Today at 10:28am
Sa isang note na pinost ng aking facebook friend hinggil sa isang survey kung saan binabanggit na medyo nakaka-ungos si Villay kay Aquino, may nag-comment. Hindi ko na papangalanan rito ang aking fb friend at ang nag-comment sa kanya. Maari nila akong padalhan ng mensahe kung gusto nilang pangalanan ko sila. Pero sa ngayon, hindi muna dahil wala namang pahintulot mula sa kanila. Hindi lang naman kasi sariling opinyon ito ng nag-comment kundi napaka-dominante ng ganitong disposisyon at sensibilidad, lalo na sa mga usaping pang-eleksyon. Kung kaya't ipo-post ko rito ang comment at ang naging tugon ko sa thread na iyon dahil gusto ko ring makita kung ano ang tingin ng iba hinggil sa mga usapin na mababanggit sa baba. Salamat.
Ang nag-comment:
Napanood nyo ba sa tv patrol yung speech ni manny villar kagabi? Marami siya sinabai pero wala naman siya nasabi... at ang nakakahindik pa, NABAHAG ANG BUNTOT NYA NANG I-COCROSS EXAMINE NA SIYA, PARANG PUSANG ITINABOY NA NAGTATAKBO PALAYO DAHIL SA TAKOT MATANONG... HAAYYY... KAWAWA NAMAN ANG MGA SUPPORTERS NYA, YAN BA ...ANG SUSUPORTAHAN NYO? BIGLA NA LANG KAYO IIWANAN SA GITNA NG LABAN? TSK TSK TSK..
Ang sagot ko:
I don't see the usefulness in romanticizing our presidentiables. Only those who limit the national body to the social contract between 'the leader' and the general will of the people will be so disappointed (bordering on a weird display of emotion)with the dispositions of current presidentiables. The national elections is a populist and a pragmatic affair. Mass movements participate on account of pragmatic principles which tactically bridge the gap between popular-democratic demands with the strategic goals of the mass movement.
Ang weird ay yung paglahok sa eleksyon, knowing fully well the neo-colonial context of government, at sa gitna ng laban biglang may mga indications na sinasanto pala natin ang mga so-called leaders na yan. Even in lockean liberal democracies like ours, it is imperative to emphasize the role of mass movements. Various progressive groups have clinched alliances with particular presidentiables, the fact that they have done so does not mean that their political stakes have been subsumed under the general logic of elite democracy (and its corrupt ways). Hindi naiwan sa ere ang mga supporters ni Villar, in the same way na hindi rin naiiwanan sa ere ang mga supporters ni Noynoy habang pininindigan niya na ang pamilya nila ang nagdala ng demokrasya sa bansa at walang bahid ito sa naganap sa massacre sa Hacienda Luisita.
Yung tinutukoy mong pag-iwan sa ere ay ang gap between the interest of progressive groups and these presidentiables who are part of the ruling elite long before alliances were clinched. Precisely, that gap, that contradiction is one that has to be obliterated in the long run through the struggle for good governance. And how do we begin to do that? We as part of the mass movement for social transformation participate with critical engagement in thought and in practice. Walang santo rito, walang perpekto. What is perfectible is the power of the people. And as a mass movement which participates in the parliamentary struggle at a very crucial time of deadly crisis, we can only push for what is politically and morally correct. Meaning, we can demand from our tactical allies who are part of the ruling elite to correct their ways. It is rather sad that you have to condescend in that manner, as in "kawawa naman ang supporters ni blah."
You know, Christopher, it is neither empowering nor useful in any way.
Maraming mga grassroots organizers ang tumatanaw na ang eleksyon ay panahon din para makapagmobilisa ng mamamayan hindi lang para bumoto kundi para magkaroon ng stakes sa social transformation. Kailangan ng mga rekurso para magawa yan, kaya kailangan bumuo ng alyansa.
Hindi nagtatapos at dapat malimitahan ng eleksyon at parliamentaryong pakikibaka ang pagbabago. Walang silbing tanawing kawawa ang mga tao na gustong lumahok dito, hindi sila kawawa kung naga-gago ang mga kaalyado nila. Kundi pagkakataon ito upang idiin nila kung ano ang nararapat.
Hindi na ito panahon ng fragmentasyon at sinisismo. Panahon ito ng pag-asa at pagwawasto!
Today at 10:28am
Sa isang note na pinost ng aking facebook friend hinggil sa isang survey kung saan binabanggit na medyo nakaka-ungos si Villay kay Aquino, may nag-comment. Hindi ko na papangalanan rito ang aking fb friend at ang nag-comment sa kanya. Maari nila akong padalhan ng mensahe kung gusto nilang pangalanan ko sila. Pero sa ngayon, hindi muna dahil wala namang pahintulot mula sa kanila. Hindi lang naman kasi sariling opinyon ito ng nag-comment kundi napaka-dominante ng ganitong disposisyon at sensibilidad, lalo na sa mga usaping pang-eleksyon. Kung kaya't ipo-post ko rito ang comment at ang naging tugon ko sa thread na iyon dahil gusto ko ring makita kung ano ang tingin ng iba hinggil sa mga usapin na mababanggit sa baba. Salamat.
Ang nag-comment:
Napanood nyo ba sa tv patrol yung speech ni manny villar kagabi? Marami siya sinabai pero wala naman siya nasabi... at ang nakakahindik pa, NABAHAG ANG BUNTOT NYA NANG I-COCROSS EXAMINE NA SIYA, PARANG PUSANG ITINABOY NA NAGTATAKBO PALAYO DAHIL SA TAKOT MATANONG... HAAYYY... KAWAWA NAMAN ANG MGA SUPPORTERS NYA, YAN BA ...ANG SUSUPORTAHAN NYO? BIGLA NA LANG KAYO IIWANAN SA GITNA NG LABAN? TSK TSK TSK..
Ang sagot ko:
I don't see the usefulness in romanticizing our presidentiables. Only those who limit the national body to the social contract between 'the leader' and the general will of the people will be so disappointed (bordering on a weird display of emotion)with the dispositions of current presidentiables. The national elections is a populist and a pragmatic affair. Mass movements participate on account of pragmatic principles which tactically bridge the gap between popular-democratic demands with the strategic goals of the mass movement.
Ang weird ay yung paglahok sa eleksyon, knowing fully well the neo-colonial context of government, at sa gitna ng laban biglang may mga indications na sinasanto pala natin ang mga so-called leaders na yan. Even in lockean liberal democracies like ours, it is imperative to emphasize the role of mass movements. Various progressive groups have clinched alliances with particular presidentiables, the fact that they have done so does not mean that their political stakes have been subsumed under the general logic of elite democracy (and its corrupt ways). Hindi naiwan sa ere ang mga supporters ni Villar, in the same way na hindi rin naiiwanan sa ere ang mga supporters ni Noynoy habang pininindigan niya na ang pamilya nila ang nagdala ng demokrasya sa bansa at walang bahid ito sa naganap sa massacre sa Hacienda Luisita.
Yung tinutukoy mong pag-iwan sa ere ay ang gap between the interest of progressive groups and these presidentiables who are part of the ruling elite long before alliances were clinched. Precisely, that gap, that contradiction is one that has to be obliterated in the long run through the struggle for good governance. And how do we begin to do that? We as part of the mass movement for social transformation participate with critical engagement in thought and in practice. Walang santo rito, walang perpekto. What is perfectible is the power of the people. And as a mass movement which participates in the parliamentary struggle at a very crucial time of deadly crisis, we can only push for what is politically and morally correct. Meaning, we can demand from our tactical allies who are part of the ruling elite to correct their ways. It is rather sad that you have to condescend in that manner, as in "kawawa naman ang supporters ni blah."
You know, Christopher, it is neither empowering nor useful in any way.
Maraming mga grassroots organizers ang tumatanaw na ang eleksyon ay panahon din para makapagmobilisa ng mamamayan hindi lang para bumoto kundi para magkaroon ng stakes sa social transformation. Kailangan ng mga rekurso para magawa yan, kaya kailangan bumuo ng alyansa.
Hindi nagtatapos at dapat malimitahan ng eleksyon at parliamentaryong pakikibaka ang pagbabago. Walang silbing tanawing kawawa ang mga tao na gustong lumahok dito, hindi sila kawawa kung naga-gago ang mga kaalyado nila. Kundi pagkakataon ito upang idiin nila kung ano ang nararapat.
Hindi na ito panahon ng fragmentasyon at sinisismo. Panahon ito ng pag-asa at pagwawasto!
Monday, February 01, 2010
Tanda ng Panunupil, Tugon ng Paniningil
Pahayag: Hinggil sa Hindi Pagkilala at Panunupil Kay Student Regent Bañez
ANAKBAYAN –UP Diliman*
League of Filipino Students – UP Diliman*
February 1, 2010 9:34 AM
Sa harap ng lumalalang krisis sa edukasyon, muling lumilitaw ang pangil ng panunupil ng administrasyon sa loob ng unibersidad.
Nilisan ng apat na rehente ang pinakahuling pulong ng Board of Regents ngayong Enero, bilang protesta sa pagnanais nila Pangulong Emerlinda Roman at iba pang kasapakat niya na bawiin ang mga nabuong desisyon sa pulong nila noong nakaraang buwan.
Tampok dito ang usapin ng paghirang sa direktor ng Philippine General Hospital. Disyembre pa sinisikap harangin nila Roman ang pagpapaupo kay Dr. Jose Gonzales, na siyang hinalal ng BOR bilang bagong direktor ng PGH. Hindi pa kikilalanin si Gonzales kung hindi nagprotesta ang mga kawani ng PGH kasama ng ilang rehente.
Sa kabila nito, ipinagpipilitan pa rin nila Roman na mahirang muli ang dati nang direktor ng PGH na si Dr. Carmelo Alfiler, na may basbas ng Malakanyang at panig sa pribatisasyon ng PGH. Minamaniobra ng administrasyon ang pagpapatalsik kay Student Regent Charisse ”Chaba” Bañez upang mabawasan ang sagka sa nasabing plano, at iba pang anti-estudyanteng palisiyang maaaring mapasa sa nalalabing dalawang buwan ng kanyang termino.
Walang batayan ang muling pag-ungkat sa usapin ng katayuan ng SR bilang mag-aaral sapagkat pinahintulutan na nilang bumoto si Chaba noong Disyembre hinggil sa usapin ng PGH. Gamit ang labanang teknikal, pinalalabas nila Roman na walang karapatang maging kinatawan ng mga estudyante ang SR. Subalit kung tutuusin, napakadaling ayusin ang pagkuha ng residency na iginigiit ng panig ng administrasyon, kung hindi lamang nauuwi sa pulitika ang labanan.
Sa puntong ito, malinaw na may interes na pinangangalagaan ang administrasyon sa pagpapaalis sa SR. Payagan man siyang maupo sa BOR sa kondisyon ng pagkuha ng residency o leave of absence, tiyak na hahadlangan ito ng administrasyon ng UPLB, lalo at nakabangga ni Chaba si UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco dahil sa kanyang kritikal na pagbatikos sa laganap na represyon sa UPLB.
Simula pa lamang ng pagkakaluklok niya bilang SR, inulan na ng kaso’t protesta si Chaba mula sa Chancellor ng UPLB, kabilang ang kaso laban sa konseho ng UPLB dahil sa di raw pagpapasa ng financial statement. Ginawaran ng suspensyon si Chaba at ilang piling kasapi ng UPLB-USC gayong naipasa nila ang financial statement bago matapos ang kanilang termino. Ngayon, nagsisilbi itong tuntungan upang hindi payagan ni Velasco na makakuha ng residency ang SR sa UPLB.
Patuloy na hinaharang ang pagtatapos ng SR dahil sa gawa-gawang mga kasong isinasampa laban sa kanya, at taliwas sa pahayag ng administrasyon, nananatiling estudyante ng UP si Chaba hanggang kasalukuyan, bagaman hindi siya nakakuha ng residency sa itinakdang oras.
Higit sa pamumulitika, ginagamit lamang na tuntungan ang naging kahinaan ni Chaba upang tuluyang alisan ng boses sa loob ng BOR ang mga estudyante.
Sa kasaysayan ng unibersidad, inaabuso ng adminsitrasyon ang kapangyarihan ng BOR upang magpasa ng mga palisiyang kontra-estudyante gaya ng pagtataas ng matrikula noong 2006. Pagtunggali naman dito ang dahilan kung bakit ipinaglaban ng mga iskolar ng bayan ang pagkakaroon ng kinatawan sa loob ng BOR ng iba’t ibang sektor ng pamantasan, kabilang ang mga estudyante, kawani’t kaguruan.
Ang SR ang nagsisilbing daluyan ng isinusulong nating Student Demands tulad ng mas maayos na serbisyo’t pasilidad at iba pa. Nasa estratehikong posisyon din ang SR para alamin ang mga palisiyang nais ipasa ng administrasyon na maaaring makasama sa interes ng mga estudyante. Gayundin upang tutulan ang napipintong pagtataas ng laboratory fees tulad ng sa Civil Engineering, EEE, at pagtaas ng matrikula sa mga kursong gradwado. Mahalaga rin ang paninindigan ng ating SR sa mga pambansang panawagan ng mga mamamayan.
Ngayon, higit lalong kailangan ang presensiya ng SR sa loob ng BOR, lalo at papatapos na ang termino ni Roman sa pagka-Pangulo habang nagkukumahog pa rin itong maipasa ang mga programa ng komersyalisasyon sa UP.
Nagpapatuloy ang laban ng mga iskolar ng bayan para sa ating mga student demands na matagal na nating ipinapanawagan. Matining ang pangangailangan upang tiyaking hindi mawala ang kaisa-isang tinig ng mga mag-aaral sa loob ng BOR na siyang nagsusulong ng ating mga interes at maniningil sa administrasyon para sa ating demokratikong karapatan.
Batikusin ang maniobra ni Roman at mga kasapakat sa BOR!
Pangulong Roman, taksil sa pamantasan!
Ipagalaban ang ating mga student demands!
Ipagtanggol ang Opisina ng Rehente ng mga Mag-aaral!
Manindigan para sa ating Karapatan at Kagalingan!
Wakasan ang komersyalisasyon at pribatisasyon ng UP!
Makiisa sa Systemwide-Coordina ted Programa ng Pagkundena sa mga hakbangin ng BOR at laban sa patuloy na komersyalisasyon at panunupil sa pamantasan. Martes, Pebrero 2, 11:30 ng umaga sa Bulwagang Palma.
-----------------
*Ang ANAKBAYAN at LFS ay kasapi ng Student Alliance for the Advancement of Demoratic Rights in UP (STAND UP) at ng Kabataan Partylist.
ANAKBAYAN –UP Diliman*
League of Filipino Students – UP Diliman*
February 1, 2010 9:34 AM
Sa harap ng lumalalang krisis sa edukasyon, muling lumilitaw ang pangil ng panunupil ng administrasyon sa loob ng unibersidad.
Nilisan ng apat na rehente ang pinakahuling pulong ng Board of Regents ngayong Enero, bilang protesta sa pagnanais nila Pangulong Emerlinda Roman at iba pang kasapakat niya na bawiin ang mga nabuong desisyon sa pulong nila noong nakaraang buwan.
Tampok dito ang usapin ng paghirang sa direktor ng Philippine General Hospital. Disyembre pa sinisikap harangin nila Roman ang pagpapaupo kay Dr. Jose Gonzales, na siyang hinalal ng BOR bilang bagong direktor ng PGH. Hindi pa kikilalanin si Gonzales kung hindi nagprotesta ang mga kawani ng PGH kasama ng ilang rehente.
Sa kabila nito, ipinagpipilitan pa rin nila Roman na mahirang muli ang dati nang direktor ng PGH na si Dr. Carmelo Alfiler, na may basbas ng Malakanyang at panig sa pribatisasyon ng PGH. Minamaniobra ng administrasyon ang pagpapatalsik kay Student Regent Charisse ”Chaba” Bañez upang mabawasan ang sagka sa nasabing plano, at iba pang anti-estudyanteng palisiyang maaaring mapasa sa nalalabing dalawang buwan ng kanyang termino.
Walang batayan ang muling pag-ungkat sa usapin ng katayuan ng SR bilang mag-aaral sapagkat pinahintulutan na nilang bumoto si Chaba noong Disyembre hinggil sa usapin ng PGH. Gamit ang labanang teknikal, pinalalabas nila Roman na walang karapatang maging kinatawan ng mga estudyante ang SR. Subalit kung tutuusin, napakadaling ayusin ang pagkuha ng residency na iginigiit ng panig ng administrasyon, kung hindi lamang nauuwi sa pulitika ang labanan.
Sa puntong ito, malinaw na may interes na pinangangalagaan ang administrasyon sa pagpapaalis sa SR. Payagan man siyang maupo sa BOR sa kondisyon ng pagkuha ng residency o leave of absence, tiyak na hahadlangan ito ng administrasyon ng UPLB, lalo at nakabangga ni Chaba si UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco dahil sa kanyang kritikal na pagbatikos sa laganap na represyon sa UPLB.
Simula pa lamang ng pagkakaluklok niya bilang SR, inulan na ng kaso’t protesta si Chaba mula sa Chancellor ng UPLB, kabilang ang kaso laban sa konseho ng UPLB dahil sa di raw pagpapasa ng financial statement. Ginawaran ng suspensyon si Chaba at ilang piling kasapi ng UPLB-USC gayong naipasa nila ang financial statement bago matapos ang kanilang termino. Ngayon, nagsisilbi itong tuntungan upang hindi payagan ni Velasco na makakuha ng residency ang SR sa UPLB.
Patuloy na hinaharang ang pagtatapos ng SR dahil sa gawa-gawang mga kasong isinasampa laban sa kanya, at taliwas sa pahayag ng administrasyon, nananatiling estudyante ng UP si Chaba hanggang kasalukuyan, bagaman hindi siya nakakuha ng residency sa itinakdang oras.
Higit sa pamumulitika, ginagamit lamang na tuntungan ang naging kahinaan ni Chaba upang tuluyang alisan ng boses sa loob ng BOR ang mga estudyante.
Sa kasaysayan ng unibersidad, inaabuso ng adminsitrasyon ang kapangyarihan ng BOR upang magpasa ng mga palisiyang kontra-estudyante gaya ng pagtataas ng matrikula noong 2006. Pagtunggali naman dito ang dahilan kung bakit ipinaglaban ng mga iskolar ng bayan ang pagkakaroon ng kinatawan sa loob ng BOR ng iba’t ibang sektor ng pamantasan, kabilang ang mga estudyante, kawani’t kaguruan.
Ang SR ang nagsisilbing daluyan ng isinusulong nating Student Demands tulad ng mas maayos na serbisyo’t pasilidad at iba pa. Nasa estratehikong posisyon din ang SR para alamin ang mga palisiyang nais ipasa ng administrasyon na maaaring makasama sa interes ng mga estudyante. Gayundin upang tutulan ang napipintong pagtataas ng laboratory fees tulad ng sa Civil Engineering, EEE, at pagtaas ng matrikula sa mga kursong gradwado. Mahalaga rin ang paninindigan ng ating SR sa mga pambansang panawagan ng mga mamamayan.
Ngayon, higit lalong kailangan ang presensiya ng SR sa loob ng BOR, lalo at papatapos na ang termino ni Roman sa pagka-Pangulo habang nagkukumahog pa rin itong maipasa ang mga programa ng komersyalisasyon sa UP.
Nagpapatuloy ang laban ng mga iskolar ng bayan para sa ating mga student demands na matagal na nating ipinapanawagan. Matining ang pangangailangan upang tiyaking hindi mawala ang kaisa-isang tinig ng mga mag-aaral sa loob ng BOR na siyang nagsusulong ng ating mga interes at maniningil sa administrasyon para sa ating demokratikong karapatan.
Batikusin ang maniobra ni Roman at mga kasapakat sa BOR!
Pangulong Roman, taksil sa pamantasan!
Ipagalaban ang ating mga student demands!
Ipagtanggol ang Opisina ng Rehente ng mga Mag-aaral!
Manindigan para sa ating Karapatan at Kagalingan!
Wakasan ang komersyalisasyon at pribatisasyon ng UP!
Makiisa sa Systemwide-Coordina ted Programa ng Pagkundena sa mga hakbangin ng BOR at laban sa patuloy na komersyalisasyon at panunupil sa pamantasan. Martes, Pebrero 2, 11:30 ng umaga sa Bulwagang Palma.
-----------------
*Ang ANAKBAYAN at LFS ay kasapi ng Student Alliance for the Advancement of Demoratic Rights in UP (STAND UP) at ng Kabataan Partylist.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
What happened during the January 29, 2010 UP BOR meeting?
by: Judy M. Taguiwalo
Faculty Regent
January 31, 2010
January 29 was the first BOR meeting for 2010. And the start of my second year as Faculty Regent.
The weeks prior to the meeting were hectic as I prepared my report on my 2009 stint as Faculty Regent and received appeals from faculty, staff and students from all constituent universities of UP, with UP Baguio and the Open U as the only exceptions.
When I arrived at Quezon Hall at around 8:30 that morning (the BOR meeting was set at 9 am) scores of students, faculty, REPS and staff from Diliman, PGH, Manila and Los Banos were already there. They circulated a statement entitled “A University in Crisis” (see below).
The BOR meeting started with CHED Chair Angeles presiding. President Roman, Malacanang- appointed Regents Sarmiento, Chua, and Gonzales, Alumni Regent Pascual, Staff Regent Cabrera, Student Regent Banez and myself were present.
The agenda of the meeting was approved with the inclusion of the UP Cebu High School issue in other matters. The minutes of the December 18 BOR meeting was also approved.
Regent Sarmiento protests the December 18 election of new PGH Director
The first item placed on the agenda for discussion was the protest of Regent Sarmiento dated January 29, 2010. Regent Sarmiento protested the election of Jose Gonzales as PGH Director on the grounds that “The Student Regent is not only under suspension but is in fact not a student as defined by the University. Ms. Banez tried to register for the second semester but (sic) was only on November 17, 2009 that she tried to register…… “
The “Final Prayer” prayer of Regent Sarmiento’s written protest was:
“….the election of Dr. Jose Gonzales as Director of the Philippine General Hospital is hereby declared null and void on the following grounds: that an unqualified person claiming to be the Student Regent, although she is not even a student, Charisse Banez was allowed to vote for Dr. Gonzales giving him winning margin
“….the Board declare that the Student Regent be deemed to have ceased, the Student Regent not being a student
“…and items taken up by the Board at the 1252nd meeting on December 18, 2009 including the appointment of the University officials under B of the agenda, without considering, as a vote that of the Student Regent because she is no longer a student of the UPLB, she being thus is no longer a regent, she being no longer a student, all remain approved.”
The Alumni Regent, Staff Regent and I voiced our position that the issue of the Student Regent voting last December 18, 2009 was resolved when the Board voted on the motion of President Roman. In that meeting, the UP President presented the December 15 letter of the Chancellor of UPLB (received by her office on December 17) informing her of the non-student status of the Student Regent on account of her failure to register for the second semester of Academic Year 2009-2010. The UP President also presented the December 17 memorandum of Vice President for Legal Affairs Theodore Te on the status of the Student Regent. The memorandum stated that “considering the information given by the UPLB...that the incumbent SR is not enrolled during the second semester, even for the purposes of residency”…then, “this would be a ground to declare the position vacant”. When asked, VP Te confirmed that under the UP Charter, the BOR has the power to prescribe rules for it own governance.
Discussions ensued in an executive session and at some point the SR was asked to step out while the rest of the Regents deliberated on her status. Then President Roman moved that the SR be allowed to sit in the meeting as an observer. I and several other Regents objected to the motion as it was the first time that the Student Regent was informed of the letter of the UPLB Chancellor and the December 17, 2009 memorandum of Vice President Te. I said that the Student Regent has not been given the chance to consult with a legal adviser regarding her status and due process requires that she be given the opportunity to do so. The Staff Regent said that this was an alarming precedent as a charge could be raised against any of the Regents on the actual day of a meeting set to decide on contentious issues and that Regent would be disenfranchised without the chance to prepare for his/her answers. The Alumni Regent also objected stating that even if the allegations raised against the SR were true, the hold over rule, meaning the incumbent continues to sit until a replacement is named and qualified, would allow her to remain as a voting member of the board.
The SR was called in and Chairman Angeles informed her that the Board would take a vote on whether she would assume an observer status or continue as a voting member of the Board. Right before President Roman’s motion was put to a vote; it was clarified that a YES vote would mean that the SR sits on the Board as an observer until the issue about her enrolment is settled and a NO vote, that she continues as a voting member until the same issue is resolved. The SR was allowed to vote on the motion she continues to be a regular voting member of the Board unless the Board decides to make her an observer as proposed in the motion. In a secret voting, with all of the nine (9) Regents present casting their votes, four voted YES and five voted NO. The motion was not carried so the Student Regent continued to sit as a voting member of the Board at the December 18 meeting.
Regent Sarmiento participated in the voting on the SR’s status and did not question the propriety or jurisdiction of the BOR deciding on the fate of the SR’s participation in the December 18 meeting. Neither did he object when the SR was asked to return to the meeting and participated in the voting on the motion of President Roman. Regent Sarmiento subsequently also participated in the voting for the new PGH Director where Dr. Jose Gonzales was elected by a vote of six (6) while then incumbent PGH Director Dr. Alfiler (who had already served a total of two consecutive terms) garnered five (5) votes. [1] It was only after the remaining items in the agenda were voted upon and when the meeting was about to be adjourned that Regent Sarmiento expressed verbally his intent to protest the election of the new PGH Director.
January 29 protest of Regent Sarmiento: Latest attempt to prevent Dr. Jose Gonzales from assuming the position of PGH Director
We, the Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent, were not against discussing the current status of the Student Regent prior to deliberating on the matters on the agenda for the January 29, 20101 meeting. But we found it highly irregular that the question on the status of the Student Regent during the December 18 meeting, which had already been decided was being revisited for the purpose of nullifying the election of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director.
The irregularity of the protest on the status of the Student Regent by Regent Sarmiento tying it with the election of the PGH Director, who was not the choice of President Roman, Regent Sarmiento, Regent Gonzales and Regent Chua, is better understood by what occurred after the December 18 meeting. The term of outgoing PGH Director Alfiler was to end on December 31, 2009. There was no issuance of the appointment of university officials right after the BOR meeting on December 18, when previous BOR decisions on appointments were announced on the same day as the BOR meetings (e.g. October 21 OSU Memorandum on Appointment of University Officials and November 23 OSU Memorandum on Appointment of University Officials). When I inquired about this failure to issue a similar memorandum on the December 18 decisions of the BOR on the appointment of University Officials, the Secretary of the University said that because it was the last working day of the year, the issuance would be made on January 4, 2010. This clarification was not consistent with the fact that the December 18 decision of the BOR on the appointment of UP Artists was posted on the UP official website on December 18 itself.
The memorandum on the appointments of new university officials made during the December 18 meeting came out only on January 4. Early on that day, Dr. Gonzales was informed by the UP Manila Chancellor that he (Dr. Gonzales)would take his oath of office at 2:00 pm of January 4. But prior to the scheduled oath-taking, the UP Manila Chancellor sent a message to Dr. Gonzales that his oath was reset for January 5 as President Roman wanted to meet with them in Diliman that afternoon. There was neither an oath taking on January 5 because on that day President Roman issued Memorandum No. PERR-2010-001, appointing Chancellor Ramon L. Arcadio as Officer-in-Charge of PGH. The Sectoral Regents immediately issued a statement dated January 6 protesting the deliberate refusal of President Roman to install Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as PGH Director, duly elected by the Board of Regents. There was an emergency meeting held at the Manila Hotel in the afternoon of January 6 attended by Chairman Angeles, President Roman, Chancellor Arcadio and Dr. Gonzales. At noon time of January 7 at the height of the protests of PGH personnel, medical students and staff against the refusal to install Dr. Gonzales as Director, the formal notification of appointment of Dr. Gonzales dated December 18, 2009 was sent to the UP Manila Chancellor. At two in the afternoon of that day, Dr. Gonzales took his oath before the Chancellor with other university officials and staff of PGH in attendance.
One cannot but surmise, given these series of events, that some very powerful people are intent on preventing the installation of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director. The protest of Regent Sarmiento was clearly aimed at nullifying the election of the PGH Director but it has been overtaken by events. The fact is Dr. Gonzales has taken his oath of office for a fixed term of three years and has actually discharged his duties for more than three weeks. He cannot be removed or suspended except for cause as provided by law. Moreover, an appointment once made and completed, is not subject to reconsideration or revocation.
When a Regent moved for a vote supporting Regent Sarmiento’s protest against the Student Regent’s participation in the December 18, 2009 meeting and nullifying the appointment of Dr. Gonzales, the Staff Regent, Alumni Regent, Student Regent and I protested. But there was no more room for discussion as one of the Regents insisted on putting an end to more talk and to proceed to the voting. I asked for a break and conferred with the other Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent. We discussed the consequences of participation in the unlawful removal of an elected University official, without cause and without due process, as proposed by Regent Sarmiento, and the subsequent election of another PGH director in spite of the fact that the post is not vacant. I decided that I could not countenance being part of a process which was clearly aimed at reversing the decision on the choice of the PGH Director made last December and which could be considered illegal. It left me physically ill. I opted to leave the meeting.
The Staff Regent, Student Regent and Alumni Regent after a while also left leaving the meeting without a quorum.
We are open to deliberating on the status of the Student Regent but it should not be used to overturn a decision not palatable to the powers that be
Let me reiterate: we, the Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent, were open to a discussion of the current status of the Student Regent prior to deliberating on the matters on the agenda for the January 29 meeting. But what we found highly irregular was that the question on the status of the Student Regent involved the nullification of decisions of December 18, in particular the selection of the PGH Director, undermining the integrity of decision-making processes in our institution.
Our university faces a range of burning issues which we as Regents, through our collective wisdom, must deliberate and decide on. But we must do so with the highest respect for due process and respect for decisions, especially on appointments, arrived at by the Board even in the rare case that the decision goes against the wishes of the highest executive official within or outside UP.
________________________________________
[1] Senator Mar Roxas and Rep. Cynthia Villar voted through signed letters sent to Chairman Angeles and President Roman, respectively.
Faculty Regent
January 31, 2010
January 29 was the first BOR meeting for 2010. And the start of my second year as Faculty Regent.
The weeks prior to the meeting were hectic as I prepared my report on my 2009 stint as Faculty Regent and received appeals from faculty, staff and students from all constituent universities of UP, with UP Baguio and the Open U as the only exceptions.
When I arrived at Quezon Hall at around 8:30 that morning (the BOR meeting was set at 9 am) scores of students, faculty, REPS and staff from Diliman, PGH, Manila and Los Banos were already there. They circulated a statement entitled “A University in Crisis” (see below).
The BOR meeting started with CHED Chair Angeles presiding. President Roman, Malacanang- appointed Regents Sarmiento, Chua, and Gonzales, Alumni Regent Pascual, Staff Regent Cabrera, Student Regent Banez and myself were present.
The agenda of the meeting was approved with the inclusion of the UP Cebu High School issue in other matters. The minutes of the December 18 BOR meeting was also approved.
Regent Sarmiento protests the December 18 election of new PGH Director
The first item placed on the agenda for discussion was the protest of Regent Sarmiento dated January 29, 2010. Regent Sarmiento protested the election of Jose Gonzales as PGH Director on the grounds that “The Student Regent is not only under suspension but is in fact not a student as defined by the University. Ms. Banez tried to register for the second semester but (sic) was only on November 17, 2009 that she tried to register…… “
The “Final Prayer” prayer of Regent Sarmiento’s written protest was:
“….the election of Dr. Jose Gonzales as Director of the Philippine General Hospital is hereby declared null and void on the following grounds: that an unqualified person claiming to be the Student Regent, although she is not even a student, Charisse Banez was allowed to vote for Dr. Gonzales giving him winning margin
“….the Board declare that the Student Regent be deemed to have ceased, the Student Regent not being a student
“…and items taken up by the Board at the 1252nd meeting on December 18, 2009 including the appointment of the University officials under B of the agenda, without considering, as a vote that of the Student Regent because she is no longer a student of the UPLB, she being thus is no longer a regent, she being no longer a student, all remain approved.”
The Alumni Regent, Staff Regent and I voiced our position that the issue of the Student Regent voting last December 18, 2009 was resolved when the Board voted on the motion of President Roman. In that meeting, the UP President presented the December 15 letter of the Chancellor of UPLB (received by her office on December 17) informing her of the non-student status of the Student Regent on account of her failure to register for the second semester of Academic Year 2009-2010. The UP President also presented the December 17 memorandum of Vice President for Legal Affairs Theodore Te on the status of the Student Regent. The memorandum stated that “considering the information given by the UPLB...that the incumbent SR is not enrolled during the second semester, even for the purposes of residency”…then, “this would be a ground to declare the position vacant”. When asked, VP Te confirmed that under the UP Charter, the BOR has the power to prescribe rules for it own governance.
Discussions ensued in an executive session and at some point the SR was asked to step out while the rest of the Regents deliberated on her status. Then President Roman moved that the SR be allowed to sit in the meeting as an observer. I and several other Regents objected to the motion as it was the first time that the Student Regent was informed of the letter of the UPLB Chancellor and the December 17, 2009 memorandum of Vice President Te. I said that the Student Regent has not been given the chance to consult with a legal adviser regarding her status and due process requires that she be given the opportunity to do so. The Staff Regent said that this was an alarming precedent as a charge could be raised against any of the Regents on the actual day of a meeting set to decide on contentious issues and that Regent would be disenfranchised without the chance to prepare for his/her answers. The Alumni Regent also objected stating that even if the allegations raised against the SR were true, the hold over rule, meaning the incumbent continues to sit until a replacement is named and qualified, would allow her to remain as a voting member of the board.
The SR was called in and Chairman Angeles informed her that the Board would take a vote on whether she would assume an observer status or continue as a voting member of the Board. Right before President Roman’s motion was put to a vote; it was clarified that a YES vote would mean that the SR sits on the Board as an observer until the issue about her enrolment is settled and a NO vote, that she continues as a voting member until the same issue is resolved. The SR was allowed to vote on the motion she continues to be a regular voting member of the Board unless the Board decides to make her an observer as proposed in the motion. In a secret voting, with all of the nine (9) Regents present casting their votes, four voted YES and five voted NO. The motion was not carried so the Student Regent continued to sit as a voting member of the Board at the December 18 meeting.
Regent Sarmiento participated in the voting on the SR’s status and did not question the propriety or jurisdiction of the BOR deciding on the fate of the SR’s participation in the December 18 meeting. Neither did he object when the SR was asked to return to the meeting and participated in the voting on the motion of President Roman. Regent Sarmiento subsequently also participated in the voting for the new PGH Director where Dr. Jose Gonzales was elected by a vote of six (6) while then incumbent PGH Director Dr. Alfiler (who had already served a total of two consecutive terms) garnered five (5) votes. [1] It was only after the remaining items in the agenda were voted upon and when the meeting was about to be adjourned that Regent Sarmiento expressed verbally his intent to protest the election of the new PGH Director.
January 29 protest of Regent Sarmiento: Latest attempt to prevent Dr. Jose Gonzales from assuming the position of PGH Director
We, the Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent, were not against discussing the current status of the Student Regent prior to deliberating on the matters on the agenda for the January 29, 20101 meeting. But we found it highly irregular that the question on the status of the Student Regent during the December 18 meeting, which had already been decided was being revisited for the purpose of nullifying the election of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director.
The irregularity of the protest on the status of the Student Regent by Regent Sarmiento tying it with the election of the PGH Director, who was not the choice of President Roman, Regent Sarmiento, Regent Gonzales and Regent Chua, is better understood by what occurred after the December 18 meeting. The term of outgoing PGH Director Alfiler was to end on December 31, 2009. There was no issuance of the appointment of university officials right after the BOR meeting on December 18, when previous BOR decisions on appointments were announced on the same day as the BOR meetings (e.g. October 21 OSU Memorandum on Appointment of University Officials and November 23 OSU Memorandum on Appointment of University Officials). When I inquired about this failure to issue a similar memorandum on the December 18 decisions of the BOR on the appointment of University Officials, the Secretary of the University said that because it was the last working day of the year, the issuance would be made on January 4, 2010. This clarification was not consistent with the fact that the December 18 decision of the BOR on the appointment of UP Artists was posted on the UP official website on December 18 itself.
The memorandum on the appointments of new university officials made during the December 18 meeting came out only on January 4. Early on that day, Dr. Gonzales was informed by the UP Manila Chancellor that he (Dr. Gonzales)would take his oath of office at 2:00 pm of January 4. But prior to the scheduled oath-taking, the UP Manila Chancellor sent a message to Dr. Gonzales that his oath was reset for January 5 as President Roman wanted to meet with them in Diliman that afternoon. There was neither an oath taking on January 5 because on that day President Roman issued Memorandum No. PERR-2010-001, appointing Chancellor Ramon L. Arcadio as Officer-in-Charge of PGH. The Sectoral Regents immediately issued a statement dated January 6 protesting the deliberate refusal of President Roman to install Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as PGH Director, duly elected by the Board of Regents. There was an emergency meeting held at the Manila Hotel in the afternoon of January 6 attended by Chairman Angeles, President Roman, Chancellor Arcadio and Dr. Gonzales. At noon time of January 7 at the height of the protests of PGH personnel, medical students and staff against the refusal to install Dr. Gonzales as Director, the formal notification of appointment of Dr. Gonzales dated December 18, 2009 was sent to the UP Manila Chancellor. At two in the afternoon of that day, Dr. Gonzales took his oath before the Chancellor with other university officials and staff of PGH in attendance.
One cannot but surmise, given these series of events, that some very powerful people are intent on preventing the installation of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director. The protest of Regent Sarmiento was clearly aimed at nullifying the election of the PGH Director but it has been overtaken by events. The fact is Dr. Gonzales has taken his oath of office for a fixed term of three years and has actually discharged his duties for more than three weeks. He cannot be removed or suspended except for cause as provided by law. Moreover, an appointment once made and completed, is not subject to reconsideration or revocation.
When a Regent moved for a vote supporting Regent Sarmiento’s protest against the Student Regent’s participation in the December 18, 2009 meeting and nullifying the appointment of Dr. Gonzales, the Staff Regent, Alumni Regent, Student Regent and I protested. But there was no more room for discussion as one of the Regents insisted on putting an end to more talk and to proceed to the voting. I asked for a break and conferred with the other Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent. We discussed the consequences of participation in the unlawful removal of an elected University official, without cause and without due process, as proposed by Regent Sarmiento, and the subsequent election of another PGH director in spite of the fact that the post is not vacant. I decided that I could not countenance being part of a process which was clearly aimed at reversing the decision on the choice of the PGH Director made last December and which could be considered illegal. It left me physically ill. I opted to leave the meeting.
The Staff Regent, Student Regent and Alumni Regent after a while also left leaving the meeting without a quorum.
We are open to deliberating on the status of the Student Regent but it should not be used to overturn a decision not palatable to the powers that be
Let me reiterate: we, the Sectoral Regents and the Alumni Regent, were open to a discussion of the current status of the Student Regent prior to deliberating on the matters on the agenda for the January 29 meeting. But what we found highly irregular was that the question on the status of the Student Regent involved the nullification of decisions of December 18, in particular the selection of the PGH Director, undermining the integrity of decision-making processes in our institution.
Our university faces a range of burning issues which we as Regents, through our collective wisdom, must deliberate and decide on. But we must do so with the highest respect for due process and respect for decisions, especially on appointments, arrived at by the Board even in the rare case that the decision goes against the wishes of the highest executive official within or outside UP.
________________________________________
[1] Senator Mar Roxas and Rep. Cynthia Villar voted through signed letters sent to Chairman Angeles and President Roman, respectively.
Friday, January 29, 2010
THE UNIVERSITY IN CRISIS
An Open Letter to the Board of Regents
Concerned UP Faculty, Students, REPS and Staff
January 29, 2010
A crisis is well underway when people who make up an institution are responsibly aware of shared values that facilitate the attainment of their common goals and recognize that the same values are threatened.
The Large Lecture Class Scheme (LLCS) which converts the regular class size of every General Education subject from 30-40 to 150-200 in UP Los Banos will be effective by the first semester of AY 2010-2010 according to a memorandum released by Chancellor Luis Velasco on January 4, 2009. This decision was arrived at without substantive and participative consultation with students and faculty. The LLCS has ushered in the largest, most relentless opposition in UPLBs recent history.
In January 14, 2009, Dean Enrique Avila of UP Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) announced the suspension of the UP Visayas Cebu High School (UPVCHS) admission test in consonance with his proposal to phase out the secondary institution. The reason for this drastic move is UPVCC's bid for becoming an autonomous constituent unit of UP, hence the need to re-channel resources.
Both cases reveal the setbacks of commercialization espoused by the Roman Administration and the violation of the principles of democratic governance which the University is supposed to uphold. When proposals are turned to decisions made behind closed doors, and when the same decisions bear the effect of the abolition of educational institutions in the case of UPVCC and the contractualization of labor or even job loss for the untenured faculty; and the steady decline of general education on account of large class size in the case of UPLB, any university aiming for survival must rethink its dogmatic commitment to rationalization schemes.
A series of huge and furious protests earlier this month were undertaken by hospital staff, students and concerned faculty from the Philippine General Hospital, UP-Manila and UP-Diliman to condemn the refusal of President Emerlinda Roman to install Jose C. Gonzales PGH Director. The vigorous protests based on sound arguments and just ground resulted in the swearing in of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the PGH Director, duly elected by the Board of Regents on December 18, 2009.
UP students across the nation are outraged by what they claim as a systematic violation of their right to representation in the University's highest policy-making body. The various charges against Student Regent Charisse Banez, now under appeal, have also been used to threaten her of a denial of participation in the BOR. This situation is reflective of the Administration's proclivity to silence the voice of the studentry in crafting decisions that greatly shape the quality of education.
The long and drawn-out tenure application of Sociology Professor Sarah Raymundo, that had gone through the process of appeal and denied twice by the offices of the Chancellor and the President have elicited the most unyielding objections from local and international scholars, students and university unions. Professor Raymundo's has proven that when the university institutionalizes and proclaims its academic standards, the public stakes its claim on it. Her tenure application has exposed not only the arbitrariness of the tenure process but also the Administration's disposition on not granting permanency on activist professors. Despite the series of denials from different administrative levels, Professor Raymundo's case has not been discussed in a manner that is substantive and observant of the procedures approved by University bodies.
The cases stated above are by no means disparate. They are testimonies to the crises of good governance and democratization that plague the UP system. They raise fundamental questions, beyond political stakes, on our ability as members of an academic institution to oppose grave abuses of discretions and to assert that the ideals of a democratic institution should be actualized. It is in the spirit that we call upon the Board of Regents to heed our call to question the corporatist claims of the Roman Administration. There is no better time other than this moment of crisis to take another look at another vision of our pact to good governance and democratization.
Concerned UP Faculty, Students, REPS and Staff
January 29, 2010
A crisis is well underway when people who make up an institution are responsibly aware of shared values that facilitate the attainment of their common goals and recognize that the same values are threatened.
The issues being raised by various sectors in the different constituent units of the University of the Philippines System are sufficiently alarming for they cast considerable doubt on the UP Administration's commitment to good governance and democratization.
The Large Lecture Class Scheme (LLCS) which converts the regular class size of every General Education subject from 30-40 to 150-200 in UP Los Banos will be effective by the first semester of AY 2010-2010 according to a memorandum released by Chancellor Luis Velasco on January 4, 2009. This decision was arrived at without substantive and participative consultation with students and faculty. The LLCS has ushered in the largest, most relentless opposition in UPLBs recent history.
In January 14, 2009, Dean Enrique Avila of UP Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) announced the suspension of the UP Visayas Cebu High School (UPVCHS) admission test in consonance with his proposal to phase out the secondary institution. The reason for this drastic move is UPVCC's bid for becoming an autonomous constituent unit of UP, hence the need to re-channel resources.
Both cases reveal the setbacks of commercialization espoused by the Roman Administration and the violation of the principles of democratic governance which the University is supposed to uphold. When proposals are turned to decisions made behind closed doors, and when the same decisions bear the effect of the abolition of educational institutions in the case of UPVCC and the contractualization of labor or even job loss for the untenured faculty; and the steady decline of general education on account of large class size in the case of UPLB, any university aiming for survival must rethink its dogmatic commitment to rationalization schemes.
A series of huge and furious protests earlier this month were undertaken by hospital staff, students and concerned faculty from the Philippine General Hospital, UP-Manila and UP-Diliman to condemn the refusal of President Emerlinda Roman to install Jose C. Gonzales PGH Director. The vigorous protests based on sound arguments and just ground resulted in the swearing in of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the PGH Director, duly elected by the Board of Regents on December 18, 2009.
UP students across the nation are outraged by what they claim as a systematic violation of their right to representation in the University's highest policy-making body. The various charges against Student Regent Charisse Banez, now under appeal, have also been used to threaten her of a denial of participation in the BOR. This situation is reflective of the Administration's proclivity to silence the voice of the studentry in crafting decisions that greatly shape the quality of education.
The long and drawn-out tenure application of Sociology Professor Sarah Raymundo, that had gone through the process of appeal and denied twice by the offices of the Chancellor and the President have elicited the most unyielding objections from local and international scholars, students and university unions. Professor Raymundo's has proven that when the university institutionalizes and proclaims its academic standards, the public stakes its claim on it. Her tenure application has exposed not only the arbitrariness of the tenure process but also the Administration's disposition on not granting permanency on activist professors. Despite the series of denials from different administrative levels, Professor Raymundo's case has not been discussed in a manner that is substantive and observant of the procedures approved by University bodies.
The cases stated above are by no means disparate. They are testimonies to the crises of good governance and democratization that plague the UP system. They raise fundamental questions, beyond political stakes, on our ability as members of an academic institution to oppose grave abuses of discretions and to assert that the ideals of a democratic institution should be actualized. It is in the spirit that we call upon the Board of Regents to heed our call to question the corporatist claims of the Roman Administration. There is no better time other than this moment of crisis to take another look at another vision of our pact to good governance and democratization.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Asserting Democratic Governance in UP: The PGH Director's Case
by: Prof Judy Taguiwalo
Faculty Regent
In the December 18 BOR meeting, Dr. Jose C. Gonzales was elected the new Director of the Philippine General Hospital. He received 6 votes while outgoing PGH Director Dr. Carmelo Alfiler (who has already served two terms) received 5 votes.
On January 4, the University Secretary issued the announcement of new BOR appointments which included Dr. Gonzales' designation as PGH Director. UP Manila Chancellor Ramon Arcadio then informed Dr. Gonzales and the appointed Dean of the College of Dentistry that they wouldl be sworn into office on the afternoon of January 4.
Another text message from the Chancellor soon followed informing Dr. Gonzales that "President Roman is calling for an urgent meet tomoro, Jan 4. Ur oath taking is postponsed for Tue, Jan. 5 at 2 pm."
Around noontime on January 5, President Roman issued a memo, her first memo for 2010 with the subject "Appointment of Officer-in Charge of the Philippine General" supposedly on the basis of a letter of protest from Regent Sarmiento.
The UP Sectoral Regents, composed of the Faculty, Student and Staff Regent immediately issued the following statement:
Protest Against Deliberate Refusal of President Emerlinda R. Roman to Install Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the PGH Director, Duly Elected by the Board of Regents January 6, 2010
We, the Regents representing the faculty, staff and students of the University, call upon all concerned members of the University of the Philippines community, particularly those from the Philippine General Hospital, to express their united condemnation of President Emerlinda R. Roman’s illegal, undemocratic and unfair refusal to install Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the PGH Director who was duly elected by the Board of Regents last December 18, 2009. We call upon everyone to protest this blatant violation of the University’s standards of good governance.
We wish to remind President Roman that the Board of Regents at its December 18, 2009 meeting duly elected Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as director of the Philippine General Hospital. The Office of the Secretary of the University in its January 4, 2010 notification of the decisions of the BOR on appointments of UP officials included the appointment of Dr. Gonzales as PGH director.
Despite these facts, President Emerlinda R. Roman issued Memorandum No. PERR-2010-001, dated January 5, 2010, appointing Chancellor Ramon L. Arcadio as Officer-in-Charge of PGH. This memorandum cannot supercede a BOR decision and is therefore in direct defiance of the BOR. President Roman cannot fill up a position that is not vacant. We shall be taking steps to hold President Roman legally liable for possible violation of the University Charter that she is obligated by her oath of office to uphold
We acknowledge that one Regent has expressed his intention to protest the election of Dr. Gonzales. The presence of such protest, however, cannot overturn the decision already made by the BOR. By refusing to implement a duly approved decision of the BOR, President Roman has prejudged by herself alone an issue that should also be decided by the BOR as a body at its regular meeting. She has no legal or practical justification to withhold implementation of a BOR decision as the term of the previous PGH Director has already expired
We regard President Roman’s January 5 memorandum refusing to implement a BOR decision to appoint Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director as a very dangerous precedent. Here is one individual member of the Board, by the mere issuance of a memorandum, exercising a power that effectively frustrates the implementation of a duly authorized decision by the BOR.
should not allow such autocratic actions to be exercised without resistance. We call for the immediate withdrawal of said memorandum and for the recognition of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the duly elected PGH Director starting January 1, 2010.
Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo (SGD)
Staff Regent Clodualdo “Buboy” Cabrera (SGD)
Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez (SGD)
The All UP Workers Union, Manila Chapter lead a protest action in front of the PGH Main Lobby on June 7 during lunch break. The union called on the university officials to honor the Dec. 18 BOR decision appointing Dr. Gonzales and attacked the various steps taken to frustrate the implementation of the decision.
Before the end of the protest action,the protesters received a copy of the "notification of approval of temporary appointment" of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director signed by the Secretary of the University Dr. Lourdes Abadingo dated December 18 and received by the UP Manila Chancellor only on January 7. That same afternoon, Dr. Gonzales took his oath of office in front of Chancellor Arcadio.
All's well that ends well?
No, it isn't as the University Secretary in a January 7 letter addressed to Dr. Gonzales informed him that Regent Sarmiento has submitted a December 23, 2009 letter of protest related to the PGH Director and that letter will be discussed in the January 29 BOR meeting.
The saga of the PGH Directorship continues.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Ipatupad ang Desisyon ng BOR (ika-18 ng Disyembre 2009): Ibigay na ang Buong Poder ng Bagong PGH Direktor
Ang All UP Workers Union Manila ay lubos na nababahala sa kasalukuyang pangyayari kaugnay sa pagpili ng bagong PGH Direktor.
Ika-18 ng Disyembre 2009 nagdesisyon na ang UP Board of Regents na ang PGH Direktor simula ng ika-1 ng Enero 2010 hanggang ika-31 ng Disyembre 2012 ay si Dr. Jose C. Gonzales subalit ito lamang ika-4 ng Enero 2010 dumating ang notice of appointment. Ngayon naman, ang formal na appointment at normal na oathtaking ay nais pang ipagpaliban ng Administrasyong Roman at hindi pa ibinibigay ang buong poder sa bagong PGH Direktor tulad ng pagtukoy at paghirang ng kanyang mga Deputy Direktor para maggampan ng buong husay at maipatupad ang nais nilang programa’t proyekto para sa ibayong pagsisislbi ng PGH sa mamamayan.
Pagkatapos ng EDSA Rebulosyon, muli ay nandito tayo sa sitwasyong pinakikialaman ng matinding pulitika ang pagpili ng PGH Direktor pati na ang normal nitong paggampan ng trabaho. Bakit nangyayari ito? Ito ba ang sagot ng Administrasyong Roman dahil hindi napili ang kanilang gusto na manatili sa pwesto ang isinusuka na nating dating PGH Direktor?
Kung gayon walang pinag-iba ang bulok na Pamahalaan ni GMA sa Administrasyong Roman – mga kurap at sakim sa kapangyarihan at puro pulitikahan.
Nakakatawang, nakakasuka na noong panahon ng negosasyon ng ating bagong Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) ay matinding isinusulong ng Administration Panel ang mga probisyong “PARA DAW SA PROFESSIONALIZATION NG RANK-AND-FILE EMPLOYEES” subalit ang mismong pamunuaan pala ng UP at ng UP Manila ang hindi propesyonal sa kanilang trabaho, at hindi kayang magpatupad ng simpleng utos ng nakakataas sa kanila.
Tayo ay nananawagan sa ating mga kawani, at mga mamamayan – kumilos at manindigan. Singilin ang Administrasyong Roman ng UP at Administrayong Arcadio ng UP Manila sa kanilang pagiging sala-ula sa pwesto. Kung palalampasin natin ang ganitong mga pagkakataon, mamimihasa sila katulad ng ating Pambansang Pamahalaan at magigising na lang tayo ng isang umaga na lahat na ng proseso sa unibersidad ay binago na nila para sa kani-kanilang kapritso at sinira na ang imahe at ubod ng ating mahal na mga institusyon - ang UP at ang PGH. Isang bangungot na mag-uudyok sa ating, tanungin ang ating mga sarili kung makabuluhan pa ba ang ating pagsisilbi sa bayan.
Huwag nating hayaang mangyari ito sa atin, tayong mga kawani ng UP at ng PGH ay may mahalagang papel para protektahan natin ang ating mga mahal na institusyong, nagbibigay pugay sa bayan sa patuloy nitong busilak na pagsisilbi sa bayan.
Ilantad ang pagiging doble-kara ng Roman at Arcadio Administration! Labanan ang mga manipulasyong ginagawa ng Roman at Arcadio Administration sa garapalang pambabastos sa mga proseso ng Unibersidad!
Tama na! Sobra Na! Panahon na para itangan natin sa ating mga kamay ang katotohanan at hustisya! Manindigan sa katotohanan! Ipatupad ang desisyon ng BOR! Ngayon na!
Sumama sa kilos protesta sa Huwebes ika-7 ng Enero 2009, 12:00 – 1:00 ng hapon sa PGH Flagpole Area
Ika-5 ng Enero 2010
Ika-18 ng Disyembre 2009 nagdesisyon na ang UP Board of Regents na ang PGH Direktor simula ng ika-1 ng Enero 2010 hanggang ika-31 ng Disyembre 2012 ay si Dr. Jose C. Gonzales subalit ito lamang ika-4 ng Enero 2010 dumating ang notice of appointment. Ngayon naman, ang formal na appointment at normal na oathtaking ay nais pang ipagpaliban ng Administrasyong Roman at hindi pa ibinibigay ang buong poder sa bagong PGH Direktor tulad ng pagtukoy at paghirang ng kanyang mga Deputy Direktor para maggampan ng buong husay at maipatupad ang nais nilang programa’t proyekto para sa ibayong pagsisislbi ng PGH sa mamamayan.
Pagkatapos ng EDSA Rebulosyon, muli ay nandito tayo sa sitwasyong pinakikialaman ng matinding pulitika ang pagpili ng PGH Direktor pati na ang normal nitong paggampan ng trabaho. Bakit nangyayari ito? Ito ba ang sagot ng Administrasyong Roman dahil hindi napili ang kanilang gusto na manatili sa pwesto ang isinusuka na nating dating PGH Direktor?
Kung gayon walang pinag-iba ang bulok na Pamahalaan ni GMA sa Administrasyong Roman – mga kurap at sakim sa kapangyarihan at puro pulitikahan.
Nakakatawang, nakakasuka na noong panahon ng negosasyon ng ating bagong Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) ay matinding isinusulong ng Administration Panel ang mga probisyong “PARA DAW SA PROFESSIONALIZATION NG RANK-AND-FILE EMPLOYEES” subalit ang mismong pamunuaan pala ng UP at ng UP Manila ang hindi propesyonal sa kanilang trabaho, at hindi kayang magpatupad ng simpleng utos ng nakakataas sa kanila.
Tayo ay nananawagan sa ating mga kawani, at mga mamamayan – kumilos at manindigan. Singilin ang Administrasyong Roman ng UP at Administrayong Arcadio ng UP Manila sa kanilang pagiging sala-ula sa pwesto. Kung palalampasin natin ang ganitong mga pagkakataon, mamimihasa sila katulad ng ating Pambansang Pamahalaan at magigising na lang tayo ng isang umaga na lahat na ng proseso sa unibersidad ay binago na nila para sa kani-kanilang kapritso at sinira na ang imahe at ubod ng ating mahal na mga institusyon - ang UP at ang PGH. Isang bangungot na mag-uudyok sa ating, tanungin ang ating mga sarili kung makabuluhan pa ba ang ating pagsisilbi sa bayan.
Huwag nating hayaang mangyari ito sa atin, tayong mga kawani ng UP at ng PGH ay may mahalagang papel para protektahan natin ang ating mga mahal na institusyong, nagbibigay pugay sa bayan sa patuloy nitong busilak na pagsisilbi sa bayan.
Ilantad ang pagiging doble-kara ng Roman at Arcadio Administration! Labanan ang mga manipulasyong ginagawa ng Roman at Arcadio Administration sa garapalang pambabastos sa mga proseso ng Unibersidad!
Tama na! Sobra Na! Panahon na para itangan natin sa ating mga kamay ang katotohanan at hustisya! Manindigan sa katotohanan! Ipatupad ang desisyon ng BOR! Ngayon na!
Sumama sa kilos protesta sa Huwebes ika-7 ng Enero 2009, 12:00 – 1:00 ng hapon sa PGH Flagpole Area
Ika-5 ng Enero 2010
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Saturday, January 02, 2010
The State of the Filipino Nation on the Road to 2010 Elections and Beyond
by: Cocoy
Philippine Online Chronicles
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Philippine Online Chronicles
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Kamtin ang Tagumpay, Harapin ang Hamon ng Bagong Taon
Ang taong 2009 ay isang malaking tagumpay sa ating lahat lalo na sa All UP Workers Union Manila!
Sa taong ito ating nakamit ang lahat halos na benepisyong nakasaad sa ating Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) na pinirmahan sa pagitan ng Unibersidad at ng Unyon noong ika-12 ng Disyembre 2009. Kabilang sa naipatupad sa taong ito ang 3-days CNA Sick Leave at 2-days Nursing Mother’s Leave. Ngayong taon din, sa pangunguna ng HRDO at HRDD ng UP Manila at PGH, ayon sa pagkakasunod, napagana ang lahat at nakita ang bentahe ng Unit APC-PERC hanggang sa Cluster/Division Level. Tayo lamang sa buong UP System ang may epektibong APC-PERC hanggang sa Cluster/Division Level dahil na rin sa ating paggigiit ng higit na “participatory governance.” Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Grievance & Negotiation Committee ng Unyon at ng Opisina ng Vice Chancellor for Administration, naitatag ang UP Manila Grievance Pool na siyang tagapagtaguyod ng UP Grievance Machinery. Dito lang din sa UP Manila mayroong gumaganang grievance machinery na batay sa inaprobahan ng Civil Service Commission para sa unibersidad Tayo din sa UP Manila/PGH ang nagtala ng pinakamaraming boto para sa kaunahang pagpili ng Staff Regent, kahit pa ang ating dinalang kandidato ay mula sa UP Diliman na ngayon ay Regente nang si Buboy Cabrera – ang Pambansang Pangulo ng unyon sa taong 1998-2008.
At sa pagtapos ng taong 2009, sa aktibong pakikilahok ng unyon sa pagpili ng PGH Direktor sa kampanyang nitong “no to third term to the incumbent” muling naitala sa kasaysayang ang napili ng UP Board of Regents ay ang hindi inindorso ng UP Administration.
Ang lahat ng mga ito ay ating nakamtan dahil sa mahigpit nating pagtangan sa mga batayang prinsipyo ng militante, progresibo at makabayang unyonismo. Pag-uunyong mulat, ayon sa pag-aaral at karanasan, mula sa kasapian at mga kawani tungo sa mga kasapian at mga kawani. At dito natin lubos at higit na pinagpupugayan ang mahigpit na partisipasyon ng mga kasapian ng unyon at kapwa manggagawa ng PGH at UP Manila.
Sa pagpasok ng taong 2010, mas malaki ang hamon sa ating magpalawak – higit na pagmumulat, pag-oorganisa at pagpapakilos para sa kapakanan ng mga kawani, ng ospital at ng unibersidad, at higit sa lahat, ang ibayong paglilingkod sa ating bayan.
Ang ibayong paglilingkod sa bayan at hindi negosyo ay hamon din natin sa bagong Direktor ng PGH. Marahil, isang salik ang hindi pag-endorso ng UP Administration, subalit hindi sila ang dapat pagsilbihan kungdi ang bayan. At kailanaman ang pusong tunay na naglilingkod sa bayan ay lubos at tunay ding kinikilala ng Sambayanan. Sa pakikipagtulungan ng mga kawani ng ospital, ng unyon, ng mga taong nagmamahal sa ating institusyon at sa bayan - tayong lahat ay may magagawa para higit na makapagsilbi sa Sambayanang Pilipino.
Mabuhay ang ating unyon! Mabuhay ang mga kawani ng Ospital at ng Unibersidad na tunay na naglilingngkod sa Sambayanan. Mabuhay ang mga kawani sa Pamahalaan na sa harap ng pambubusabos ng mga matataas na opisyal sa pangunguna ng de facto na Pangulo na si Gloria Arroyo ay patuloy tayong nagsisilbi ng tunay at tapat sa Sambayanan. Mabuhay ang Sambayanang Pilipino! Haharapin natin ang hamon ng bagong taong 2010 na puno ng pag-asa, tapang at tiwala sa sarili!
Sa taong ito ating nakamit ang lahat halos na benepisyong nakasaad sa ating Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) na pinirmahan sa pagitan ng Unibersidad at ng Unyon noong ika-12 ng Disyembre 2009. Kabilang sa naipatupad sa taong ito ang 3-days CNA Sick Leave at 2-days Nursing Mother’s Leave. Ngayong taon din, sa pangunguna ng HRDO at HRDD ng UP Manila at PGH, ayon sa pagkakasunod, napagana ang lahat at nakita ang bentahe ng Unit APC-PERC hanggang sa Cluster/Division Level. Tayo lamang sa buong UP System ang may epektibong APC-PERC hanggang sa Cluster/Division Level dahil na rin sa ating paggigiit ng higit na “participatory governance.” Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Grievance & Negotiation Committee ng Unyon at ng Opisina ng Vice Chancellor for Administration, naitatag ang UP Manila Grievance Pool na siyang tagapagtaguyod ng UP Grievance Machinery. Dito lang din sa UP Manila mayroong gumaganang grievance machinery na batay sa inaprobahan ng Civil Service Commission para sa unibersidad Tayo din sa UP Manila/PGH ang nagtala ng pinakamaraming boto para sa kaunahang pagpili ng Staff Regent, kahit pa ang ating dinalang kandidato ay mula sa UP Diliman na ngayon ay Regente nang si Buboy Cabrera – ang Pambansang Pangulo ng unyon sa taong 1998-2008.
At sa pagtapos ng taong 2009, sa aktibong pakikilahok ng unyon sa pagpili ng PGH Direktor sa kampanyang nitong “no to third term to the incumbent” muling naitala sa kasaysayang ang napili ng UP Board of Regents ay ang hindi inindorso ng UP Administration.
Ang lahat ng mga ito ay ating nakamtan dahil sa mahigpit nating pagtangan sa mga batayang prinsipyo ng militante, progresibo at makabayang unyonismo. Pag-uunyong mulat, ayon sa pag-aaral at karanasan, mula sa kasapian at mga kawani tungo sa mga kasapian at mga kawani. At dito natin lubos at higit na pinagpupugayan ang mahigpit na partisipasyon ng mga kasapian ng unyon at kapwa manggagawa ng PGH at UP Manila.
Sa pagpasok ng taong 2010, mas malaki ang hamon sa ating magpalawak – higit na pagmumulat, pag-oorganisa at pagpapakilos para sa kapakanan ng mga kawani, ng ospital at ng unibersidad, at higit sa lahat, ang ibayong paglilingkod sa ating bayan.
Ang ibayong paglilingkod sa bayan at hindi negosyo ay hamon din natin sa bagong Direktor ng PGH. Marahil, isang salik ang hindi pag-endorso ng UP Administration, subalit hindi sila ang dapat pagsilbihan kungdi ang bayan. At kailanaman ang pusong tunay na naglilingkod sa bayan ay lubos at tunay ding kinikilala ng Sambayanan. Sa pakikipagtulungan ng mga kawani ng ospital, ng unyon, ng mga taong nagmamahal sa ating institusyon at sa bayan - tayong lahat ay may magagawa para higit na makapagsilbi sa Sambayanang Pilipino.
Mabuhay ang ating unyon! Mabuhay ang mga kawani ng Ospital at ng Unibersidad na tunay na naglilingngkod sa Sambayanan. Mabuhay ang mga kawani sa Pamahalaan na sa harap ng pambubusabos ng mga matataas na opisyal sa pangunguna ng de facto na Pangulo na si Gloria Arroyo ay patuloy tayong nagsisilbi ng tunay at tapat sa Sambayanan. Mabuhay ang Sambayanang Pilipino! Haharapin natin ang hamon ng bagong taong 2010 na puno ng pag-asa, tapang at tiwala sa sarili!
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Placing Maguindanao under state of Martial law, OFW group says “No to Martial law”; joins "Gloria resign" call
For Immediate Release
5 December 2009
Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ organizations in the Middle East today said the impending declaration of martial law placing Maguindanao under military rule is uncalled for.
“The noise that Mrs. Arroyo will place Maguindanao province under military rule upon declaration of martial law starting on Sunday, if it is true, is un-called for and a very risky decision to be made by Mrs. Arroyo, unless there could be hidden agenda that necessitates its declaration of martial rule in Maguindanao,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.
Monterona opined there could be no legal basis on declaring martial law and placing Maguindanao province under military rule.
“The Constitutional requirements declaring martial law or placing the Philippines or part thereof under military rule is very clear and specific; the 1987 Constitution states martial law could only be imposed “In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said though there are part of Maguindanao province considered fragile in terms of the peace and order situation such as in Sharif Aguak, Ampatuan Municipality, and adjacent places; however it does not warrant declaration of martial law.
“The fragile peace and order situation in some parts of Maguindanao is an expected off-shot due to the Ampatuan massacre that puts the country into the international spotlight, and if this should be made to be the basis of Mrs. Arroyo’s martial law declaration, then we should question the legal basis of its imposition,” Monterona added.
However, Monterona opined what necessitates the Arroyo regime for imposing martial law in Maguindanao could be seen as desperate attempt to cover and to contain the massive electoral fraud allegedly it has committed, courtesy of the Ampatuans, who might 'spill the beans' of collaborated electoral fraud they and the Arroyos committed.
The Ampatuans are Mrs. Arroyo’s close political allies who have delivered votes for her and the entire administrations ticket on May 2007 elections zeroing even the popular actor opposition Presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in some municipalities of Maguindanao.
“As per reports by the media, with arms and ammunitions dug nearby the Ampatuan house are election paraphernalia that might reveal something related to the alleged massive election fraud,” Monterona averred.
Monterona explained this led Migrante to join the calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation as she will be running for a Congressional seat while at the same time a sitting President which undoubtedly she will take advantage of her presidential power and prerogatives using the government’s machinery to advance her own candidacy and entire administration’s ticket; “This is Mrs. Arroyo’s first move to stay in power and push changing the 1987 Constitution in line to the wishes of her US imperialist master,” the OFW-leader continued.
“OFWs abroad and their families in the homeland will not allow the illegal and immoral declaration of martial law left unquestioned, uncontested, and un-protested even though it will only covers the Maguindanao province as it is intended only to cover and to contain the massive electoral fraud the Arroyo administration committed, courtesy of the Ampatuans, to prevent the damage it will bring once it becomes open to the public,” Monterona ended. # # #
For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle-East Regional Coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012
5 December 2009
Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ organizations in the Middle East today said the impending declaration of martial law placing Maguindanao under military rule is uncalled for.
“The noise that Mrs. Arroyo will place Maguindanao province under military rule upon declaration of martial law starting on Sunday, if it is true, is un-called for and a very risky decision to be made by Mrs. Arroyo, unless there could be hidden agenda that necessitates its declaration of martial rule in Maguindanao,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.
Monterona opined there could be no legal basis on declaring martial law and placing Maguindanao province under military rule.
“The Constitutional requirements declaring martial law or placing the Philippines or part thereof under military rule is very clear and specific; the 1987 Constitution states martial law could only be imposed “In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said though there are part of Maguindanao province considered fragile in terms of the peace and order situation such as in Sharif Aguak, Ampatuan Municipality, and adjacent places; however it does not warrant declaration of martial law.
“The fragile peace and order situation in some parts of Maguindanao is an expected off-shot due to the Ampatuan massacre that puts the country into the international spotlight, and if this should be made to be the basis of Mrs. Arroyo’s martial law declaration, then we should question the legal basis of its imposition,” Monterona added.
However, Monterona opined what necessitates the Arroyo regime for imposing martial law in Maguindanao could be seen as desperate attempt to cover and to contain the massive electoral fraud allegedly it has committed, courtesy of the Ampatuans, who might 'spill the beans' of collaborated electoral fraud they and the Arroyos committed.
The Ampatuans are Mrs. Arroyo’s close political allies who have delivered votes for her and the entire administrations ticket on May 2007 elections zeroing even the popular actor opposition Presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in some municipalities of Maguindanao.
“As per reports by the media, with arms and ammunitions dug nearby the Ampatuan house are election paraphernalia that might reveal something related to the alleged massive election fraud,” Monterona averred.
Monterona explained this led Migrante to join the calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation as she will be running for a Congressional seat while at the same time a sitting President which undoubtedly she will take advantage of her presidential power and prerogatives using the government’s machinery to advance her own candidacy and entire administration’s ticket; “This is Mrs. Arroyo’s first move to stay in power and push changing the 1987 Constitution in line to the wishes of her US imperialist master,” the OFW-leader continued.
“OFWs abroad and their families in the homeland will not allow the illegal and immoral declaration of martial law left unquestioned, uncontested, and un-protested even though it will only covers the Maguindanao province as it is intended only to cover and to contain the massive electoral fraud the Arroyo administration committed, courtesy of the Ampatuans, to prevent the damage it will bring once it becomes open to the public,” Monterona ended. # # #
For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle-East Regional Coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012
Friday, December 04, 2009
Clinging to Reins of Power
Streetwise
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo
Her term ending in June 2010, de facto president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo finally filed her candidacy as congresswoman in the second district of Pampanga, her hometown, ending all speculation that she would seek the post. The prevarication and manipulation that preceded it, the orchestrated “clamor” for her to run and the barrage of legal, religious and political justifications for a sitting president, with all the unfair and undue advantage of her office, to seek a congressional seat – all clearly point to a vile scheme to keep the Arroyo-Ermita-Gonzales clique in power beyond 2010.
The members of the Arroyo cabal have managed to escape accountability by stretching, distorting and mangling to previously unimaginable lengths not only the laws of the land but every single norm of decency, propriety and morality. They have displayed to all and sundry - at the expense of the Filipino people - what one can do with a decaying social and political system to gain, expand and preserve power, wealth and privilege.
The Arroyo clique has been close to a decade in power. It has gotten away with stealing the 2004 presidential elections; with declaring emergency rule and cracking down on the protest movement demanding Arroyo’s ouster; and with scams to amass mind-boggling wealth together with the gagging of witnesses by invoking “executive privilege” (a trick upheld by a Supreme Court packed with Arroyo appointees).
It has masterminded, through Oplan Bantay Laya, the summary executions of critics and unarmed dissidents and displaced tens of thousands of civilians in the name of countering “terrorism” and “insurgency”. It has deliberately sustained warlordism and the concomitant reign of lawless terror in the countryside in order to “multiply” the capacity of the military, police and paramilitary forces in waging a US-directed “dirty war” against the restive populace. The recent massacre perpetrated by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao is only the latest and so far worst atrocity brought about by the Arroyo culture of state-sponsored violence and impunity.
It has driven the economy and the people’s livelihood to the ground by blindly following the neoliberal “globalization” policy framework. It has persisted in implementing the debt-driven, export-oriented and foreign investment-led economic model that has consistently failed to bring about genuine development but instead worsened the grinding poverty, want and misery of the people.
Not least of its sins is that, in exchange for continued United States backing for its illegitimate rule, it allows the world’s Superpower to establish an unwarranted, illegal and downright interventionist military presence on Philippine soil. In so doing, the Arroyo regimes has undermined the rights and welfare of Filipinos in their own country especially victims of military operations and crimes committed by US forces.
The clamor to put an end to the Arroyo regime is clearly overwhelming. Most have pinned their hopes in the coming elections, believing there is no way Arroyo and her gang can hold on to the presidency beyond June 2010.
This is deja vu circa 1971-72, when the Marcos presidency was about to reach the end of its constitutional term. Ferdinand Marcos orchestrated a series of incidents, from the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971 to the fake ambush on then Defense Secretary Enrile on the eve of the declaration of martial law, to justify the perpetuation of his rule as martial law dictator.
Recent history and current circumstances tell us that whether or not elections take place, the Arroyo clique will still be in a position to retain power. Mrs. Arroyo may appear to have "graciously stepped down" from the presidency by running for a congressional seat, but she still has sufficient de facto control and political clout to catapult herself back in power.
The administration machinery, with all the ill-gotten wealth and the military and police establishments behind it, will certainly be utilized once more to realize the electoral "victory" of Arroyo followers at all levels (congress and local government). With such notorious characters as Garci, Bolante, Abalos off the hook and living now in even greater comfort, how many more scams and millions of votes can this machinery produce for these coming "elections"?
Moreover, the Arroyo clique has the ability, resources and the strong motivation to disrupt the electoral process itself, declare a failure of elections en toto or selectively, and resort to emergency rule anytime it estimates that this is necessary to ensure its hold on power.
The apparent complacency and cavalier attitude of the COMELEC towards addressing the gargantuan and critical problems in implementing the Automated Elections System is not at all reassuring. The entire system appears to be designed to fail and is indeed headed for failure.
We cannot allow the Arroyo gang to succeed with its evil design to remain in power. We cannot wait until after the elections to unmask, resist and defeat such a horrendous plot that portends to be even worse than the palace coup that imposed fascist rule under the Marcos dictatorship.
The broad array of anti-Arroyo forces and personages must awaken to the real and malevolent threat that the Arroyo clique presents to any semblance of a democratic electoral exercise in 2010 while recognizing the basic defects in the ruling system that breeds such evil.
Despite the substantial differences and the divergent campaigns being waged by the opposition candidates for national and local offices, a way must be found to unite once more and face the menace of an Arroyo regime entrenching itself in Malacañang for years to come.
Opposing the Arroyo gang's bid to perpetuate itself in power is the necessary first step to bringing about genuine reforms in our society.#
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo
Her term ending in June 2010, de facto president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo finally filed her candidacy as congresswoman in the second district of Pampanga, her hometown, ending all speculation that she would seek the post. The prevarication and manipulation that preceded it, the orchestrated “clamor” for her to run and the barrage of legal, religious and political justifications for a sitting president, with all the unfair and undue advantage of her office, to seek a congressional seat – all clearly point to a vile scheme to keep the Arroyo-Ermita-Gonzales clique in power beyond 2010.
The members of the Arroyo cabal have managed to escape accountability by stretching, distorting and mangling to previously unimaginable lengths not only the laws of the land but every single norm of decency, propriety and morality. They have displayed to all and sundry - at the expense of the Filipino people - what one can do with a decaying social and political system to gain, expand and preserve power, wealth and privilege.
The Arroyo clique has been close to a decade in power. It has gotten away with stealing the 2004 presidential elections; with declaring emergency rule and cracking down on the protest movement demanding Arroyo’s ouster; and with scams to amass mind-boggling wealth together with the gagging of witnesses by invoking “executive privilege” (a trick upheld by a Supreme Court packed with Arroyo appointees).
It has masterminded, through Oplan Bantay Laya, the summary executions of critics and unarmed dissidents and displaced tens of thousands of civilians in the name of countering “terrorism” and “insurgency”. It has deliberately sustained warlordism and the concomitant reign of lawless terror in the countryside in order to “multiply” the capacity of the military, police and paramilitary forces in waging a US-directed “dirty war” against the restive populace. The recent massacre perpetrated by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao is only the latest and so far worst atrocity brought about by the Arroyo culture of state-sponsored violence and impunity.
It has driven the economy and the people’s livelihood to the ground by blindly following the neoliberal “globalization” policy framework. It has persisted in implementing the debt-driven, export-oriented and foreign investment-led economic model that has consistently failed to bring about genuine development but instead worsened the grinding poverty, want and misery of the people.
Not least of its sins is that, in exchange for continued United States backing for its illegitimate rule, it allows the world’s Superpower to establish an unwarranted, illegal and downright interventionist military presence on Philippine soil. In so doing, the Arroyo regimes has undermined the rights and welfare of Filipinos in their own country especially victims of military operations and crimes committed by US forces.
The clamor to put an end to the Arroyo regime is clearly overwhelming. Most have pinned their hopes in the coming elections, believing there is no way Arroyo and her gang can hold on to the presidency beyond June 2010.
This is deja vu circa 1971-72, when the Marcos presidency was about to reach the end of its constitutional term. Ferdinand Marcos orchestrated a series of incidents, from the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971 to the fake ambush on then Defense Secretary Enrile on the eve of the declaration of martial law, to justify the perpetuation of his rule as martial law dictator.
Recent history and current circumstances tell us that whether or not elections take place, the Arroyo clique will still be in a position to retain power. Mrs. Arroyo may appear to have "graciously stepped down" from the presidency by running for a congressional seat, but she still has sufficient de facto control and political clout to catapult herself back in power.
The administration machinery, with all the ill-gotten wealth and the military and police establishments behind it, will certainly be utilized once more to realize the electoral "victory" of Arroyo followers at all levels (congress and local government). With such notorious characters as Garci, Bolante, Abalos off the hook and living now in even greater comfort, how many more scams and millions of votes can this machinery produce for these coming "elections"?
Moreover, the Arroyo clique has the ability, resources and the strong motivation to disrupt the electoral process itself, declare a failure of elections en toto or selectively, and resort to emergency rule anytime it estimates that this is necessary to ensure its hold on power.
The apparent complacency and cavalier attitude of the COMELEC towards addressing the gargantuan and critical problems in implementing the Automated Elections System is not at all reassuring. The entire system appears to be designed to fail and is indeed headed for failure.
We cannot allow the Arroyo gang to succeed with its evil design to remain in power. We cannot wait until after the elections to unmask, resist and defeat such a horrendous plot that portends to be even worse than the palace coup that imposed fascist rule under the Marcos dictatorship.
The broad array of anti-Arroyo forces and personages must awaken to the real and malevolent threat that the Arroyo clique presents to any semblance of a democratic electoral exercise in 2010 while recognizing the basic defects in the ruling system that breeds such evil.
Despite the substantial differences and the divergent campaigns being waged by the opposition candidates for national and local offices, a way must be found to unite once more and face the menace of an Arroyo regime entrenching itself in Malacañang for years to come.
Opposing the Arroyo gang's bid to perpetuate itself in power is the necessary first step to bringing about genuine reforms in our society.#
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Arroyo Administration’s Policy of Extra-judicial Killings, Patronage Politics Paved the Way for Maguindanao massacre
Pagbabago! People's Movement for Change
PRESS STATEMENT / 26 November 2009
Reference: Ms Bibeth Orteza (Pagbabago! spokesperson) Mobile 0917.7913132
The Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change joins the nation in denouncing in the strongest possible terms the brutal massacre in the province of Maguindanao. We denounce even further the apparent lack of swift action and serious effort on the part of Malacañang and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after the perpetrators of the worst election-related violence in the country’s history.
We demand justice for the victims and their families and this means not only arresting those directly responsible for the mass slaughter of unarmed civilians. For us, justice entails making liable all those responsible for creating the climate of impunity that has allowed the gross violation of human rights to persist and for local warlords like the Ampatuan clan to do as they please without fear of retribution from the law. For this, we hold the Arroyo administration accountable as well for the gruesome killing of at least 52 people including women, journalists, and lawyers in Maguindanao.
The Arroyo administration is the biggest warlord in this country, employing the AFP and the PNP as its own private army. Its policy and practice of extra-judicial killings and political repression of perceived enemies using the State’s security forces, machinery, and resources and then covering them up has obviously emboldened the Ampatuans to kill at whim their own political foes in Maguindanao as they had against relatives and supporters of the rival Mangudadatus, the lawyers and media people with them, and even motorists who happened to tail the convoy.
For a long time, the Arroyo administration has lavished the Ampatuans with favors such as allowing it to maintain a huge private army, including AFP-led CAFGUs which the warlord clan used to expand and further entrench its political dynasty in the region. We note that it was Arroyo’s Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that initiated in 2006 the arming of so-called civilian volunteers in Mindanao purportedly for protection against Moro separatist rebels. This was used to legitimize the private armies of favored warlords such as the Ampatuans. These are the same armed civilian volunteers, reportedly with local police officers and armymen, who carried out the Maguindanao massacre. According to the Mangundadatos, the PNP had turned down their request for police escort in going to the COMELEC offices on that day.
This is the same private army that the Ampatuans used to terrorize the people during national elections and assure victory in the province for the Arroyo administration.
It is not a secret that the Arroyo administration owes a big political debt to the Ampatuans. This clan ensured Mrs. Arroyo wouldl get the margin she asked for against rival Fernando Poe Jr. in the fraudulent 2004 presidential elections. This clan also delivered an unbelievable 12-0 victory for the administration’s Team Unity senatorial ticket in the 2007 polls. Undoubtedly, the administration will once again utilize to the hilt the Ampatuans to give its presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro the boost he badly needs in next year’s presidential elections.
No amount of distancing and hand washing can absolve the Arroyo administration from culpability for allowing the Maguindano massacre to happen. We are further enraged that the immediate response of Malacañang has been minisculecompared to what the incensed public demands and what justice dictates, which is for the state security forces to immediately take custody of the Ampatuan family member directly implicated in the massacre for questioning, disarm the Ampatuan private army, and relieve from their posts all AFP and PNP officials responsible for securing peace and order in the area. The declaration of a state of emergency in the province does not address the basic problem that until now, despite positive identification of who the killers are, not a single arrest or even questioning by the police has been made. What we have seen so far despite strong words of condemnation not only in the Philippines but from the international community as well is a government handling with kid gloves a reliable political ally.
We call on all Filipino people who value life, justice, democracy, and accountability of public officials to pressure the Arroyo administration to act swiftly and bring justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre and their families. We call on the people to once and for all end the climate of impunity for human rights violators and mass murderers that has pervaded in the country under the Arroyo administration. #
PRESS STATEMENT / 26 November 2009
Reference: Ms Bibeth Orteza (Pagbabago! spokesperson) Mobile 0917.7913132
The Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change joins the nation in denouncing in the strongest possible terms the brutal massacre in the province of Maguindanao. We denounce even further the apparent lack of swift action and serious effort on the part of Malacañang and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after the perpetrators of the worst election-related violence in the country’s history.
We demand justice for the victims and their families and this means not only arresting those directly responsible for the mass slaughter of unarmed civilians. For us, justice entails making liable all those responsible for creating the climate of impunity that has allowed the gross violation of human rights to persist and for local warlords like the Ampatuan clan to do as they please without fear of retribution from the law. For this, we hold the Arroyo administration accountable as well for the gruesome killing of at least 52 people including women, journalists, and lawyers in Maguindanao.
The Arroyo administration is the biggest warlord in this country, employing the AFP and the PNP as its own private army. Its policy and practice of extra-judicial killings and political repression of perceived enemies using the State’s security forces, machinery, and resources and then covering them up has obviously emboldened the Ampatuans to kill at whim their own political foes in Maguindanao as they had against relatives and supporters of the rival Mangudadatus, the lawyers and media people with them, and even motorists who happened to tail the convoy.
For a long time, the Arroyo administration has lavished the Ampatuans with favors such as allowing it to maintain a huge private army, including AFP-led CAFGUs which the warlord clan used to expand and further entrench its political dynasty in the region. We note that it was Arroyo’s Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that initiated in 2006 the arming of so-called civilian volunteers in Mindanao purportedly for protection against Moro separatist rebels. This was used to legitimize the private armies of favored warlords such as the Ampatuans. These are the same armed civilian volunteers, reportedly with local police officers and armymen, who carried out the Maguindanao massacre. According to the Mangundadatos, the PNP had turned down their request for police escort in going to the COMELEC offices on that day.
This is the same private army that the Ampatuans used to terrorize the people during national elections and assure victory in the province for the Arroyo administration.
It is not a secret that the Arroyo administration owes a big political debt to the Ampatuans. This clan ensured Mrs. Arroyo wouldl get the margin she asked for against rival Fernando Poe Jr. in the fraudulent 2004 presidential elections. This clan also delivered an unbelievable 12-0 victory for the administration’s Team Unity senatorial ticket in the 2007 polls. Undoubtedly, the administration will once again utilize to the hilt the Ampatuans to give its presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro the boost he badly needs in next year’s presidential elections.
No amount of distancing and hand washing can absolve the Arroyo administration from culpability for allowing the Maguindano massacre to happen. We are further enraged that the immediate response of Malacañang has been minisculecompared to what the incensed public demands and what justice dictates, which is for the state security forces to immediately take custody of the Ampatuan family member directly implicated in the massacre for questioning, disarm the Ampatuan private army, and relieve from their posts all AFP and PNP officials responsible for securing peace and order in the area. The declaration of a state of emergency in the province does not address the basic problem that until now, despite positive identification of who the killers are, not a single arrest or even questioning by the police has been made. What we have seen so far despite strong words of condemnation not only in the Philippines but from the international community as well is a government handling with kid gloves a reliable political ally.
We call on all Filipino people who value life, justice, democracy, and accountability of public officials to pressure the Arroyo administration to act swiftly and bring justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre and their families. We call on the people to once and for all end the climate of impunity for human rights violators and mass murderers that has pervaded in the country under the Arroyo administration. #
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
'Apocalyptic Corruption'
The Philippine Star - Editorial
Updated November 11, 2009 12:00 AM
From 2001 to 2009, the government collected a total of P60.5 billion, paid by motorists as road users’ tax in the registration of vehicles. Under the law that created the tax, the money, administered by the Road Board, is supposed to be used exclusively for road maintenance and improvement of road drainage, the installation of traffic lights and road safety devices, and for air pollution control.
As the colossal flooding during storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng” showed, the improvement of road drainage has been a joke. And driving around Metro Manila will quickly illustrate the lackadaisical enforcement of laws regulating vehicular emissions.
How was the P60.5 billion spent? The Commission on Audit reported that P332.64 million of the road tax, earmarked for the OYSTER or Out-of-School Youth Serving Towards Economic Recovery program, was transferred to the Philippine National Police. Why? Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago wants to know, and so does the public.
Santiago, who spearheaded a Senate probe into the use of the road tax, noted that the PNP is under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, whose head Ronaldo Puno happens to be the brother of former Road Board executive director Rodolfo Puno. Santiago also noted that in 2007, an election year, there was an “unusually large amount of allotments obligated” involving the road tax. She said the case involved “apocalyptic corruption.”
The apparent fund juggling could have been facilitated by the fact that the tax is not remitted by the collecting agency, the Land Transportation Office, to the National Treasury but deposited in special accounts under the supervision of the Road Board, whose ex officio chair is the secretary of public works and highways. On Monday night the Senate unanimously approved the filing of plunder and graft cases against Rodolfo Puno, Danilo Valero of the board and Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who recently resigned from the public works department.
Beyond pursuing the prosecution of anyone who might have misused the multibillion-peso fund, lawmakers should also consider changing the system of handling the tax, in a way that would promote transparency and prevent its misuse. Such oversight mechanisms are needed as the tax continues to be collected and the temptation to misuse the funds increases as the 2010 elections approach.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Letter/Appeal to the BOR Re: FMAB
Letter received by the Office of the Secretary of the University as dated, regarding the appeal of the union to review the BOR's approval to the Lease Contract between the University and the Daniel Mercado Medical Center on the proposed PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB)in the light of the conditions and procedures prescribed by RA 9500 (UP Charter of 2008) on "disposition of the University's assets."
November 6, 2009
CHAIRMAN EMMANUEL Y. ANGELES; AND,
THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
University of the Philippines
Dear Messrs/Mesdames:
Greetings from the All UP Workers Union – the recognized union for the Administrative Sector of the University!
This is an urgent request to the Honorable Members of the Board of Regents (BOR) to immediately remedy a serious oversight relative to the recent confirmation by the BOR of the Contract of Lease of the UP-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB) with the Daniel Mercado Medical Center in view of certain requirements set forth by Republic Act 9500 or “The University of the Philippines Charter of 2008” as follows:
“SEC 23. Safeguards on Asset Disposition. – The preservation of the value of the assets of the national university shall be of primordial consideration.
XXX
Notwithstanding the provision of this Act or any law to the contrary, the lease of more than five (5) years of the assets of the national university and any transactions referred to in Section 22 shall be subject to the following conditions and procedures:
a) xxx
b) The transactions shall be based on a multi-year comprehensive development plan, crafted and developed by qualified urban planning professionals having at least five (5) years experience, with prior consultations with and concurrence of third-party experts and duly approved by a majority vote of all the members of the Board;
c) xxx
d) In the case of two (2) failed biddings and negotiated transactions, if undertaken, the Board, when considering the approval of any such transaction, shall secure a fairness opinion report from an independent third-party body. This body shall have five (5) members, three (3) of which shall be nominated by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Investment Houses Association of the Philippines (IHAP), Trust Officers Association of the Philippines, or the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX). Xxx
XXX
XXX
(e) If the contract or transaction involves an amount more than Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00), it shall be approved by three-fourths (3/4) of all the members of the Board: Provided, That the splitting of contracts, which is by breaking up a contract into smaller quantities or amounts or dividing contract implementation into artificial or arbitrary phases or subcontracts for the purpose of circumventing this provision, shall not be allowed. (Emphasis ours)
We believed that the Honorable Members of the BOR was ill-advised when rushed for the confirmation of the aforementioned Contract of Lease without considering these particular provisions of the new UP charter that took effect on June 2008.
To recall, the present contract was brought to the attention of the BOR only during its 1240th meeting on January 28, 2009 or six months after the effectivity of the new UP Charter. After signing the same on June 18, 2009, was brought for confirmation on its June 2009 meeting. While, the confirmation was only given on its August 2009 regular meeting, nothing in the minutes of the BOR meeting, showed that there exist discussions on the ramifications of the new UP Charter to the said contract, neither also when it was discussed again on its October 2009 meeting.
In view therefore of what we perceived as a patent violation of aforementioned provisions of the new UP charter, particularly items (b), (d) and (e) of Section 23 thereof, we are requesting for an immediate discussion of said matter in the November 2009 meeting of the BOR in order to satisfy the following:
1. A multi-year development plan by a qualified urban planning professional with at least five (5) years experience, and prior consultations with concurrence of third-party experts as required under item (b) of Section 23 of RA 9500;
2. A fairness opinion report by an independent third-party body. This body shall have five (5) members, three (3) of which shall be nominated by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Investment Houses Association of the Philippines (IHAP), Trust Officers Association of the Philippines, or the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX as required under item (d) of Section 23 of RA 9500;
3. Approval/confirmation of the contract by ¾ of all the members of the Board of Regents as required under item (e) of Section 23 considering that the total amount of transaction for lease alone of P1,000,000 per month for the first five years of the 25-years lease period already amounted to P60,000,000 - far exceeded the P50,000,000 requirement set forth in said item (e). Further taking account of the estimated amount of the property of P40,000,000, the 10% increase or escalation of monthly rental starting on the 6th year as stated on the contract itself; and the estimated amount involved for the development of the said university property; the total transaction cost of the contract involved more than a billion pesos (P1,000,000,000) for the entire duration of the contract.
We are requesting finally for the immediate cancellation of the said contract until such time that the safeguards set forth by the UP Charter of 2008 (RA 9500) as stated in Section 23 thereof, have been meet and satisfied. We feared that the continued implementation of this contract in spite of its procedural infirmities would served as a precedent in future transactions of the University, forever tarnished the image of the University, especially the Board of Regents, and open a floodgate of legal actions all the way to the Supreme Court.
In the light of this new development, the Union is determined more than ever to institute measures to protect the interest of employees of the hospital/university that will be affected by the operation of a “private FMAB” within the PGH Compound, and; the interest of the Hospital, the University and the public - especially people’s health.
Very truly yours,
MR. BENJAMIN L. SANTOS, JR.
President, Manila Chapter
MR. JOSSEL I. EBESATE, RN
National Executive Vice President, and
Secretary, Manila Chapter
Copy furnished:
SENATOR LOREN B. LEGARDA
Chair, Senate Committee on Health
REP. SATUR O. OCAMPO
Bayan Muna Partylist
November 6, 2009
CHAIRMAN EMMANUEL Y. ANGELES; AND,
THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
University of the Philippines
Dear Messrs/Mesdames:
Greetings from the All UP Workers Union – the recognized union for the Administrative Sector of the University!
This is an urgent request to the Honorable Members of the Board of Regents (BOR) to immediately remedy a serious oversight relative to the recent confirmation by the BOR of the Contract of Lease of the UP-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB) with the Daniel Mercado Medical Center in view of certain requirements set forth by Republic Act 9500 or “The University of the Philippines Charter of 2008” as follows:
“SEC 23. Safeguards on Asset Disposition. – The preservation of the value of the assets of the national university shall be of primordial consideration.
XXX
Notwithstanding the provision of this Act or any law to the contrary, the lease of more than five (5) years of the assets of the national university and any transactions referred to in Section 22 shall be subject to the following conditions and procedures:
a) xxx
b) The transactions shall be based on a multi-year comprehensive development plan, crafted and developed by qualified urban planning professionals having at least five (5) years experience, with prior consultations with and concurrence of third-party experts and duly approved by a majority vote of all the members of the Board;
c) xxx
d) In the case of two (2) failed biddings and negotiated transactions, if undertaken, the Board, when considering the approval of any such transaction, shall secure a fairness opinion report from an independent third-party body. This body shall have five (5) members, three (3) of which shall be nominated by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Investment Houses Association of the Philippines (IHAP), Trust Officers Association of the Philippines, or the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX). Xxx
XXX
XXX
(e) If the contract or transaction involves an amount more than Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00), it shall be approved by three-fourths (3/4) of all the members of the Board: Provided, That the splitting of contracts, which is by breaking up a contract into smaller quantities or amounts or dividing contract implementation into artificial or arbitrary phases or subcontracts for the purpose of circumventing this provision, shall not be allowed. (Emphasis ours)
We believed that the Honorable Members of the BOR was ill-advised when rushed for the confirmation of the aforementioned Contract of Lease without considering these particular provisions of the new UP charter that took effect on June 2008.
To recall, the present contract was brought to the attention of the BOR only during its 1240th meeting on January 28, 2009 or six months after the effectivity of the new UP Charter. After signing the same on June 18, 2009, was brought for confirmation on its June 2009 meeting. While, the confirmation was only given on its August 2009 regular meeting, nothing in the minutes of the BOR meeting, showed that there exist discussions on the ramifications of the new UP Charter to the said contract, neither also when it was discussed again on its October 2009 meeting.
In view therefore of what we perceived as a patent violation of aforementioned provisions of the new UP charter, particularly items (b), (d) and (e) of Section 23 thereof, we are requesting for an immediate discussion of said matter in the November 2009 meeting of the BOR in order to satisfy the following:
1. A multi-year development plan by a qualified urban planning professional with at least five (5) years experience, and prior consultations with concurrence of third-party experts as required under item (b) of Section 23 of RA 9500;
2. A fairness opinion report by an independent third-party body. This body shall have five (5) members, three (3) of which shall be nominated by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Investment Houses Association of the Philippines (IHAP), Trust Officers Association of the Philippines, or the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX as required under item (d) of Section 23 of RA 9500;
3. Approval/confirmation of the contract by ¾ of all the members of the Board of Regents as required under item (e) of Section 23 considering that the total amount of transaction for lease alone of P1,000,000 per month for the first five years of the 25-years lease period already amounted to P60,000,000 - far exceeded the P50,000,000 requirement set forth in said item (e). Further taking account of the estimated amount of the property of P40,000,000, the 10% increase or escalation of monthly rental starting on the 6th year as stated on the contract itself; and the estimated amount involved for the development of the said university property; the total transaction cost of the contract involved more than a billion pesos (P1,000,000,000) for the entire duration of the contract.
We are requesting finally for the immediate cancellation of the said contract until such time that the safeguards set forth by the UP Charter of 2008 (RA 9500) as stated in Section 23 thereof, have been meet and satisfied. We feared that the continued implementation of this contract in spite of its procedural infirmities would served as a precedent in future transactions of the University, forever tarnished the image of the University, especially the Board of Regents, and open a floodgate of legal actions all the way to the Supreme Court.
In the light of this new development, the Union is determined more than ever to institute measures to protect the interest of employees of the hospital/university that will be affected by the operation of a “private FMAB” within the PGH Compound, and; the interest of the Hospital, the University and the public - especially people’s health.
Very truly yours,
MR. BENJAMIN L. SANTOS, JR.
President, Manila Chapter
MR. JOSSEL I. EBESATE, RN
National Executive Vice President, and
Secretary, Manila Chapter
Copy furnished:
SENATOR LOREN B. LEGARDA
Chair, Senate Committee on Health
REP. SATUR O. OCAMPO
Bayan Muna Partylist
Monday, September 21, 2009
Spies like us
Editorial
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:01:00 09/21/2009
Martial law took effect on Sept. 23, 1972, but the number-fetishist in Ferdinand Marcos backdated the declaration to Sept. 21, a scant 37 years ago today. The declaration both changed the course of our history—and proved to be the culmination of deep historical trends that continue to haunt the national experience.
The news last week, that an apparently obtuse student enrolled in the Armed Forces’ Naval Enlisted Personnel Intelligence Course had conducted an unsuccessful attempt to spy on National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, reminded us yet again that the Arroyo administration, in its last days in office, has calmly and deliberately given new substance to one such historical trend: the tendency of an incumbent president to consider the military as his or her own private army.
Either that, or Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Navy spokesperson, would like to define a much lower threshold for military intelligence.
Arevalo has admitted that the “target” of the “information verification” procedure of a “scenario activity” was Professor Lumbera, but not on purpose or by choice. “It was not intended for Professor Lumbera. It was just a part of a training that we have to very realistically [apply], so [the students] have to be dispatched to actual ground,” Arevalo told reporters, somewhat hopefully.
This accidental targeting of Lumbera is difficult to believe, in part because he lives inside a residential development with security guards and that therefore his house could not have been chosen at random, and in part because his house serves as headquarters for the party-list group of the leftist Alliance of Concerned Teachers which he used to head. Indeed, as the Navy spokesman helpfully explained, the “scenario” to be verified by the trainee spy involved monitoring a house that was supposed to be frequented by communist leaders.
If taken at face value, Arevalo’s denial would mean that, while the trainee spy may have been inept, his spymasters were lucky—to have pinpointed such a house, of such a prominent nationalist, merely at random.
“The student surely flunked that module. He not only failed the requirement of his scenario, he was even caught,” Arevalo added.
Again, if taken at face value, Arevalo’s non-explanatory explanation would mean that the burden of moral responsibility falls on the trainee—rather than on the training itself. But this innocent-sounding “module” is in actuality and by design a civilian-targeting program, to be carried out not by professional spies but by apprentices. How can that practice be defended, in a fully functioning democracy? (Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has ordered an investigation, but did not say what kind of offense would merit a court-martial. Only if the investigation includes not only the trainees and the trainors, but the training program itself, will an anxious public begin to find reassurance. )
But the Arroyo administration’s democratic credentials have worn thin—beginning with the apparent massive fraud it committed to ensure a victory in the May 2004 elections, and stretched to breaking point with its unmistakable support for or use of military “special operations” that have resulted in continuing harassment of leftist political organizations and led to a crisis in politically motivated killings and enforced disappearances.
The bungled spying on Lumbera, in other words, forms part of a chilling pattern. Thus, despite the sincerity of official spokesmen, the public cannot look upon the incident as a simple “inconvenience,” or (as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita treated it) a mere laughing matter; it is of the utmost seriousness—because as we have learned from sad experience, military intelligence agents take their cue directly from Malacañang: as spies from a private army.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:01:00 09/21/2009
Martial law took effect on Sept. 23, 1972, but the number-fetishist in Ferdinand Marcos backdated the declaration to Sept. 21, a scant 37 years ago today. The declaration both changed the course of our history—and proved to be the culmination of deep historical trends that continue to haunt the national experience.
The news last week, that an apparently obtuse student enrolled in the Armed Forces’ Naval Enlisted Personnel Intelligence Course had conducted an unsuccessful attempt to spy on National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, reminded us yet again that the Arroyo administration, in its last days in office, has calmly and deliberately given new substance to one such historical trend: the tendency of an incumbent president to consider the military as his or her own private army.
Either that, or Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Navy spokesperson, would like to define a much lower threshold for military intelligence.
Arevalo has admitted that the “target” of the “information verification” procedure of a “scenario activity” was Professor Lumbera, but not on purpose or by choice. “It was not intended for Professor Lumbera. It was just a part of a training that we have to very realistically [apply], so [the students] have to be dispatched to actual ground,” Arevalo told reporters, somewhat hopefully.
This accidental targeting of Lumbera is difficult to believe, in part because he lives inside a residential development with security guards and that therefore his house could not have been chosen at random, and in part because his house serves as headquarters for the party-list group of the leftist Alliance of Concerned Teachers which he used to head. Indeed, as the Navy spokesman helpfully explained, the “scenario” to be verified by the trainee spy involved monitoring a house that was supposed to be frequented by communist leaders.
If taken at face value, Arevalo’s denial would mean that, while the trainee spy may have been inept, his spymasters were lucky—to have pinpointed such a house, of such a prominent nationalist, merely at random.
“The student surely flunked that module. He not only failed the requirement of his scenario, he was even caught,” Arevalo added.
Again, if taken at face value, Arevalo’s non-explanatory explanation would mean that the burden of moral responsibility falls on the trainee—rather than on the training itself. But this innocent-sounding “module” is in actuality and by design a civilian-targeting program, to be carried out not by professional spies but by apprentices. How can that practice be defended, in a fully functioning democracy? (Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has ordered an investigation, but did not say what kind of offense would merit a court-martial. Only if the investigation includes not only the trainees and the trainors, but the training program itself, will an anxious public begin to find reassurance. )
But the Arroyo administration’s democratic credentials have worn thin—beginning with the apparent massive fraud it committed to ensure a victory in the May 2004 elections, and stretched to breaking point with its unmistakable support for or use of military “special operations” that have resulted in continuing harassment of leftist political organizations and led to a crisis in politically motivated killings and enforced disappearances.
The bungled spying on Lumbera, in other words, forms part of a chilling pattern. Thus, despite the sincerity of official spokesmen, the public cannot look upon the incident as a simple “inconvenience,” or (as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita treated it) a mere laughing matter; it is of the utmost seriousness—because as we have learned from sad experience, military intelligence agents take their cue directly from Malacañang: as spies from a private army.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
