Philippines - Campesinos on the street - Corruption in the Palace

by oooops Sat Jun 11, 2005 12:07

How many of you would send your kids at 15 to sleep 3 in a bunk, and work 14 to 16 hours a day without ventilation sticking components in televisions or heads on barbie dolls thinking it was sustainable and just economic progress?

Wouldn't you just prefer some land?
BASTA = DINERO GRATIS
wherever you look.
they are poor and have no voice.
give them voice.

by - Wed Jun 15, 2005 21:47

Philippine lawmakers agreed on Wednesday to investigate accusations that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo tried to cheat in last year's elections, raising pressure on her to break her silence on the issue.

The government said earlier it had filed sedition charges against a former intelligence official who said he had tapes of a wiretapped conversation with an election official in which Arroyo appears to condone manipulating the results of the polls.

The government has said the recording was doctored as a plot by the opposition, but lower house lawmakers called on Arroyo and the election official, Virgilio Garcillano, to give evidence at an inquiry set for next week.

"It's high time that we get statements from the president and Garcillano," said Roilo Golez, a congressman and a former national security adviser to Arroyo.

"They should answer the allegations."

Arroyo, whose popularity has slumped to record lows, is also facing charges that family members took payoffs from illegal gambling.

((read all at link -----

by - Thu Jun 16, 2005 15:38

The Philippine military lifted a seven-day security alert on Thursday, saying the threat of plots to oust President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had faded.

But Arroyo was still under pressure to break her silence about wiretapped recordings that the opposition says proves she tried to cheat in last year's national elections. A group of retired generals called on the president to resign over the allegations, which came hot on the heels of accusations her family members took payoffs from illegal gambling.

"For the sake of national survival, we are appealing to the president to resign to pave the way for real change under our constitution," said Ramon Montano, a retired general and a former political ally of Arroyo.

"We are asking every Filipino to join us in our appeal."

Arroyo is now the lowest in opinion polls on any president since Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown.

She wants to stay in power till 2010 (her complete 6 year term). Inquiry into the phone tape begins next week.

by - Mon Jun 20, 2005 15:03

Leftist activists, church-backed groups and opposition leaders said on Monday they would clog the Philippine capital with thousands of protesters later this week to raise pressure on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to break her silence on poll fraud allegations.

Arroyo, whose ratings are at record lows, has declined to say whether it is her voice on recordings of a telephone conversation which the opposition says bolsters its claims she cheated her way to victory in last year's elections.

In Hong Kong, Arroyo addressed the topic for the first time in two weeks, saying she "will make the appropriate statements on the issues at the appropriate time."

The scandal, which follows allegations Arroyo's family members took illegal gambling payoffs, has sparked rumors of coup attempts and mass protests that have unnerved investors and helped to send the peso to a five-month low against the dollar.

"Her continuing silence is igniting protest all over the country," Roman Catholic priest Joe Dizon told reporters, adding that protesters would hear Catholic mass before marching to a park in Manila for a rally on Friday.

About 30 Filipino migrant workers protested in Hong Kong on Monday, criticizing Arroyo for failing to answer the accusations.

"We have the right to know! She deserves to be ousted," said Eman Villanueva of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong, which organized the protest.

Arroyo's spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, has invoked national security concerns to defend Arroyo's silence and has also said she will not testify at congressional inquiries into the recording that are due to start on Tuesday.

Political parties opposed to Arroyo have also promised to join the protest.

"We will come out in huge numbers to compel Arroyo to speak up," said Renato Reyes, a leader of Leftist group Bayan.

On Tuesday, lawmakers from the lower chamber of Congress are due to begin inquiries into the recording, which the government says was doctored as a plot by the opposition. A separate investigation into an illegal numbers game called "jueteng," including allegations her husband, son, and brother-in-law benefited from the game, is due to resume on Friday in the Senate.

Background article on educational issues
http://publish.lihpao.com/Education/2005/06/15/05a06142/

The Phillipines was before Iraq the most dangerous state for journalists, and is now rated as the 2nd most dangerous state, it also figures at the top of the list of persecution of internet activists, but let us remind you so does China, Nigeria, most of Africa... President Arroyo did start belatedly an investigative council in May to address these problems.

one of those places.

by .:. Wed Jun 22, 2005 13:32

Very few people take interest in places like those.
& of all the places like those, few could boast prominent characters with such names, Cardinal Sin, Imelda Marcos, (who returned with rosary beads in hand to mourn Sin's parting). But it adds to the far-reaching effect of campaign awareness to monitor the health conditions of "people with funny names".
The obituary of Sin is at the link (with perhaps the incongrous illustration of a pagan mathematician murdered by early christians).

by ·.· Wed Jun 22, 2005 14:10

"seven suspected members of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group for the kidnapping and murder of farmers on the southern island of Basilan in 2001 have been given death sentances. Six of the convicted men were present when the court in Basilan read portions of the 60-page verdict sentencing the militants to die by lethal injection. The court also ordered them to pay the families of their victims 200,000 pesos ($3,600) each. The other convicted man remains at large. "I am happy we have applied the full force of the law," said state prosecutor Ricardo Cabaron. "The agony of the victims' families was finally relieved."

This shows the principles of retribution rather than reinsertion which guide 3rd world justice systems, which itself makes dialogue and end to conflicts be they political, ethnic or religious so difficult to even begin. If you read the whole article again, you will see that the muslim minority is only about 5%. The armed group Abu Sayyaf has no clear (in a european sense of finance, recruitment, organisation) with Al Qaeda, yet is on the USA list of terrorist organisations, and coz its muslim, well, you know how it goes...

by & Mon Jun 27, 2005 13:21

Thus a government spokesperson dismissed the alliance of Leftists, NGOs, Church, and citizens who are calling for elections and "transparency" on the corruption allegations which have brought several strikes, and protests to the streets of Manila in the last weeks.

Arroyo is to make a speech "on tv" today which is expected by her loyal supporters to "sort it all out".
She may allay concerns on an increase in VAT scheduled for July 1, which coupled with very high oil prices shall compound poverty and further discourage international investment. The Philippines is a case study of G8 decision making lying in no single G8 member's sphere of influence, but rather being competed for by many.

[Environment Secretary Michael Defensor, one of Arroyo's most trusted cabinet members, said she may have decided to talk about the scandals in Monday's speech after getting a flood of advice from church leaders, the business community and citizens.

"It will be acceptable to the people, I am sure," he said. "But we expect the opposition to go on with their protests. They may even invent new soap operas to entertain our people."]

We have seen in many other states, at both higher and lower levels of human development and democracy that when an incumbent government dismisses large scale protests, they have begun their route "out of power".

However financial analysts in one of the spheres of economic influence, Hong Kong, have downscaled the "people power threat" pointing out that even if Arroyo is the least popular president since Marcos was overthrown, there are few signs of the anger which led the late Cardinal Sin (obituary above) to shield rebel workers from the previously ousted president Joseph Estrada in 2001.

The speech was broadcast at 12h00 GMT.

by &- Mon Jun 27, 2005 13:35

"I was anxious to protect my votes and during that time had conversations with many people, including a Comelec (commission on elections) official. My intent was not to influence the outcome of the election and it did not," she said in a televised speech, breaking three weeks of silence over the recordings.

"I recognize that making any such call was a lapse in judgment. I am sorry. I also regret taking so long to speak before you on this matter."

There is no law to stop candidates from talking to election officials. But the opposition says the recordings, which seem to show Arroyo calling on election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano for a bigger margin of victory, broke the ethical limits.

Arroyo's spokesman had previously said the recordings had been doctored.

by & Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:52

Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has said her husband, accused of influence-peddling, is to move abroad.

The move is seen as an attempt to silence calls for Mrs Arroyo, who also faces accusations of election fraud, to step down.

Mrs Arroyo did not say how long Jose Miguel, widely known as Mike, would remain abroad, or where he would go....................... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4632679.stm

by & Fri Jul 01, 2005 13:38

Today VAT is increased in the Philippines further compounding the tax burden on the poorest as they (like all of us) face higher transport costs on food due to the cost of Oil.
the BBC report 5000
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4640131.stm
Reuters reported 8000 (mirrored at swiss info)
and that the Presidential compound is surrounded by 4000 soldiers armed with truncheons but notably less "heavy handed" than the protest reported at the start of this thread in the article above.
In the latest "containment" measure, the minister of agriculture Mr Arthur Yap resigned yesterday to contest tax evasion charges, his resignation will be seen along side the move of the President's husband to an iunknown foreign destination.

All reports are clear that the mobilisations are not yet approaching the numbers or strength of those which brought down the former leaders Joseph Estrada and Ferdinand Marcos.


The successor to democracy icon Cardinal Jaime Sin who died last week, C/F article "the day sin died"
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=70369
Archbishop of Manila Gaudencio Rosales said forgiveness of leaders and officials demanded more than an apology.
"Those who seek forgiveness should be ready to be called to accountability," said Rosales,
Rosales added that "the grave charges" should be handled through constitutional means and without violence. Yet for the moment the leaders of the RC church as those of the army have not directly joined the protest groups or called for Arroro's resignation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4640131.stm
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5913871&cKey=1120207842000

"Gloria Gloria Resign!" they shout a week after Sin died, its the V.A.T. you know

by & again Fri Jul 01, 2005 16:42

Arroyo is appealing the decision, the appeal hearing has been set for July 26. The day before Arroyo is scheduled to make her "state of the nation" address.

by & now. Wed Jul 13, 2005 15:44

The reported attendance at the financial district of manila is in a new order of decimal. It is now being measured in "tens of thousands" rather than "thousands".
The last days since the supreme court froze the VAT increase saw more opposition supporters emerge,
more cracks within Arroyo's government emerge,
and the pacific region reaction to the G8 begin to hit home. The view from Hong Kong is that protests would need to be sustained to have an effect, because the sort of people who write that shite think you measure protest in the number of people on the street.

The sustained protests therefore can traced by you "our volunteer indymedia analyst" in the comfort of your own little home or local internet café, and thus keep you out of mischief trying to publish divisive comments in ultra-orthodox religious discussion sites or heaven forbid, claiming responsibility for any jellyfish.
in this easy to read thread above
and then put "philippines" through the search engine.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5938817&cKey=1121257232000

by iosaf Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:26

I stopped updating the troubles of the Philippines, because I don't really understand what's going on. I have yet to meet someone who'll take the trouble of explaining it to me. which is an admittal of failure, as there is a community of around 15,000 philipinos in Barcelona where I live. Just haven't got talking to them. They boast the highest percentage of converts to christian minority doomsday cults such as the J.witnesses. Perhaps thats an excuse. But there in the news today as a "coup d'etat" has been brewing according to the government who we remember is not much loved.
And today the kids have no elementary school as yesterday. Which is quite odd, normally coups and emergency situations hit home at the "no TV level" or the "tanks on the streets" level. Giving the kids days off arithmetic is quite novel. It is curious that for an irish indymedia, with one presumes a large diasporia presence in Australia we don't seem to get contributions on political affairs in Asia, the most interesting and best written stuff on whats going on in Asia and Oceania comes from Ed lee who i believe lives in Ireland.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/24/content_42...6.htm
http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=2&story_i...67173
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=30750
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=news01_feb24_2006
http://news.inq7.net/top/index.php?index=1&story_id=67274
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/23/philipp...coup/