By ROMEL REGALADO BAGARES KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato.–What is now known here as the Ampatuan massacre has wiped out the staff of the five-year-old pioneering…
Making life worth living.
Month: November 2009
Managot daw ang may kagagawan, sabi ng Malacañang sa nangyari sa Maguindanao kung saan mga 40 na tao ang pinatay dahil sa pulitika.
Pinagpapatay ng mga isang daan daw na armadong lalaki ang asawa, kapatid, kamaganak, mga tag-suporta ni Vice mayor Esmael Magungudatu ng bayan ng Buluan na mag-file ng certificate of candidacy sa bayan ng Ampatuan sa Maguindanao.
Ang mga babae daw ay ginahasa bago pinagpapatay. Kasama sa pinatay ay ang mga 13 na mamamahayag na magku-cover sana pag-file na certificate of candidacy.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and members of the international community have condemned Monday’s massacre in Maguindanao, which left at least 46 civilians, including a…
The election-related massacre of at least a dozen journalists in Maguindanao province on Monday is among the deadliest single events recorded for the press worldwide.…
Sorrsogon Rep. Salvador “Sonny” Escudero said when he talked with his senator-son Chiz the first hour of Tuesday, he (Chiz) was not yet decided on his political plans.
As he was going out of the church yesterday morning, “6:47 a.m., to be exact”, he got a text from Chiz: “Tatay, I will not run.”
Congressman Escudero said he is happy with his son’s decision. He believes that the political system in the country is not yet ready for an independent candidate for president.
“He is taking the honorable path and I’m proud of him,” he said.
Malaya
President Arroyo yesterday placed the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency following Monday’s massacre of around 40 family members of the Mangudadatu clan, their supporters and media men by around 100 armed men believed to be supporters of the Ampatuan clan in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province.
The state of emergency gives military and police wide powers of arrest and detention.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Proclamation Order No. 1946 was issued upon the recommendation of the Cabinet security cluster during the National Economic and Development Authority-National Anti-Poverty Commission Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Statement of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
It was a very sad day for our country yesterday. Forty people were reportedly abducted and killed in broad daylight allegedly by the security men of political warlords in Maguindanao with the possible involvement of some local law enforcement units.
The news may come as a shock for some but the truth is the brutal massacre merely highlighted what has been going on in many parts of our country all these years. This is ‘political warlordism’ at its worst! To make matters worse, the AFP/PNP are either accomplices, silents partners or helpless onlookers in these occurrences either by choice or through pressure from superiors. Often, the AFP/PNP area commanders are pressured or bribed by local politicians into issuing firearms for the latter ostensibly for security purposes but actually ends up being used for kidnapping, robbery, harassment/coercion, tribal wars and, in this case, a massacre of political foes. In an incident in 2001, then Col. Narcise, a newly assigned brigade commander in Basilan, recalled the government issued firearms of then Gov. Wahab Akbar but after a few days Col. Narcise was directed by then DND Sec. Reyes to return the said firearms to Akbar. The late Governor was a political ally of GMA and a personal friend of Reyes. Afterwards, Col. Narcise was unceremoniously relieved from his post by Reyes at the request of Akbar. Similar situations are happening in Maguindanao and other strife torn areas throughout the country.
That said, I will be filing a resolution on Monday calling for a Senate investigation on the Maguindanao massacre to find out the circumstances that led to this gruesome crime with a particular focus on the possible involvement/negligence of the AFP/PNP. Also, it intends to extract how many firearms have actually been issued by the AFP/PNP to all local officials not only in Maguindanao but all over the country with the end in view of recalling such firearms. Earlier, I have also filed a Gun Control Bill that intends to curb the proliferation of loose firearms. The bottom line is: WE HAVE TO GET THESE GUNS!
Now, this is just the first step. Ultimately, only an aggressive political/governance reform and development agenda can restore peace, progress and democracy in these areas. Let’s just hope Noynoy (or whoever will be the next president) has one.
“The state of emergency shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President,” Remonde said.
I’ve always said that for me, it’s the presidency but not at all cost. Not at the cost of losing my soul, not at the cost of losing myself, not at the cost by being eaten up by the system and the process and certainly not at the cost of not being able to do the things that I was and set out to do.
This morning Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced his decision not to run for any elective position in the 2010 elections. Following is his speech delivered in a press conference at
Club Filipino.
Sinabi ni Efren Peñaflorida, and CNN hero of the year, na hinding-hindi niya papasukin ang pulitika.
Talagang hero talaga.
Yan na yan ang payo ng marami maraming Pilipinong natutuwa sa karangalan na nakuha ni Efren: ang huwag pumasok sa pulitka o magpagamit sa mga pulitiko.
Ang layo niya kay Manny Paquiao na thrilled na thrilled kasama ang mga trapo.
Bodies of 21 of 44 kidnap victims, including the wife and relatives of Buluan town’s vice mayor, were recovered by government troops in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province Monday afternoon.
The killings are the first reported poll-related violence. The May 2010 elections are still 6 months away. Most of the victims are women.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. confirmed to ANC that 13 female and 8 male bodies were found by members of the 601st Infrantry Brigade of the AFP around 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Etta Rosales, former partylist representative and now chair emeritus of Akbayan, has written another open letter (two weeks ago it was addressed to Liberal party presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on the Hacienda Luisita issue) , this time to Nacionalista presidential candidate Manuel Villar, comrade in the fight against the Marcos dictatorship Satur Ocampo, and Marcos son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr, representative of Ilocos Norte (2nd district).
Etta was writing this letter as chair of “Claimants 1081”, a group of victims of Marcos’ martial rule under Presidential Decree 1081.
Here’s Etta’s letter: