Human Rights – Page 5 – ellen tordesillas

Pained voices from Mindanao

Published by Ellen on June 4, 2017

Evacuation center. Photo by Erwin Mascariñas

There’s so much pain and suffering in their voices and they all have a common message: End the airstrikes in Marawi , lift Martial Law in Mindanao and resume peace talks.

In a gathering of persons and groups from Mindanao last Thursday, stories about panic, fear, hunger and fatigue since the declaration of martial Law by President Duterte last May 23 were shared.

Norkaya Mohamad said in normal times, it takes only 45 minutes from Marawi to Iligan City. When they fled Marawi last week, it took them eight agonizing hours.

ICC will be the next battleground

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2017

Rep. Gary Alejano during the House Justice Committee hearing on the impeachment complaint against Pres. Duterte. Photo from Philippine Star.

It was not surprising that the Malacañang-friendly congressmen killed without much fuss the impeachment complaint against President Duterte filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano Monday.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, also a member of the Magdalo group (which started as a group of young military officers advocating for reforms in the military), lamented the quick dismissal of the impeachment rap saying that the members of the House Justice committee didn’t even study the content of the complaint when they decided that although it was sufficient in form, it was not sufficient in substance.

But Trillanes, one of the few who dare oppose Duterte, said it’s not the end of the quest for a better government for the Filipino people.

In fact, the dismissal of impeachment complaint would even bolster the communication filed by lawyer Jude Sabio against Duterte before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Pakiusap kay Wanda Teo: Kausapin mo ang Pangulo

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2017

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo:Maling paki-usap

Parang naawa din naman ako kay Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo.

Hindi ka naman pwedeng magalit dahil mabait naman siyang naki-usap sa media. Despalinghado lang ang paki-usap.

Noong isang linggo sa Bangkok naki-usap si Teo sa media na i-tone down o bawasan ang pag-report tungkol sa extra-judicial killings o ang mga walang pakundangang pagpatay kahit hindi dumaan sa proseso ng batas ang mga napatay.

Yun din ang paki-usap niya kay Vice President Leni Robredo na nagbigay ng mensade sa pamamagitan ng video sa isang miting ng United Nations sa Vienna na kinukundena ang patayan kunektado sa giyera ni Pangulong Duterte laban sa droga.

Impeachment vs Duterte ‘in the larger scheme of things’

Published by Ellen on March 17, 2017

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano files the first impeachment complaint against Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

There are things that you do knowing that its chance of success is not high but you do it because you know it’s the right thing.

Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano filed Thursday an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte. It’s the first against the President who was elected with 16 million votes and enjoys high trust and satisfaction rating nine months into his presidency.

The complaint alleged committed culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

Malacañang shaken by Lascañas exposé

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2017

However Malacanang tries to discredit SPO3 Arturo Lascañas explosive exposé about President Duterte’s direct role in the Davao Death Squad, it’s obvious that the President and his men are shaken.

Davao Death Squad:the thing that binds President Duterte and SP03 Arturo Lascañas.

Take a look how they have acted silly trying to counter it.

The grand bungle was committed by Press Secretary Martin Andanar when he floated the rumor that reporters were paid $1,000 each to cover the press conference of Lascañas held at the Senate last Feb. 20.

The allegation was so incredible, it was hilarious.

Culture of death under Duterte presidency

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2017

“There was death on Ash Wednesday”

I like this lead by RG Cruz of ABS-CBN in his report about the approval of the death penalty bill by the House of Representatives.

RG wrote that “The House of Representatives has approved House Bill 4727, or the proposed Death Penalty Law, on 2nd reading in a viva voce vote.

Who’s the murderer? Who’s the coddler?

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2017

The ‘perya barker”act, in the words of Sen. Grace Poe, of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre at the government-organized Luneta rally last Saturday triggered responses from different personalities which make for amusing exchanges.

Afternoon of Feb. 25 at Luneta , Aguirre, feeling triumphant with the arrest and incarceration of Sen. Leila de Lima on illegal drug charges, he agitated the crowd , “Sino ang gusto n’yo isunod? (Who do you want next?)”
The crowd shouted back, “Trillanes! “Trillanes!”

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre

No such thing as ‘limpio’in a dirty job

Published by Ellen on February 23, 2017

Five days after the explosive revelations of SPO3 Arthur Lascanas of the murders he committed upon orders of then Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, President Duterte has not responded.

In the narration of SP03 Arthur Lascañas of the “jobs” he had done as member of the Davao Death Squad, he recalled the instruction of then Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in a murder operation against the financier of a kidnapping: “Sige, limpio lang.”

Lascañas explained.” Bisaya parlance po ito. Ang ibig pong sabihin “Sige malinis lang.”

Another term that Lascañas said Duterte used complementary to the “limpio lang” instruction was “erase lahat.”

Transcript of the press conference of former policeman,SPO4 Arthur Lascañas at the Senate

Published by Ellen on February 21, 2017

SP03 Arthur Lascañas at his press conference at the Senate, Feb. 20. Photo by Voltaire Domingo,NPPA from ABS-CBN online.

February 20, 2017

Ako po si Arturo Barikit Lascañas, 56 years old, isa pong retiradong pulis na miyembro ng Davao City Police Office. Ako po ay pinanganak at tubong Davao City. Dito sa gagawin kong isang public confession, ito po ay pagsunod ko po sa kagustuhan ng Diyos, at labis na takot sa Diyos, pagmamahal sa bansa natin at sa sarili ko pong konsensiya. Dahil po dito, dito po nagwakas ang blind obedience and loyalty ko sa isang tao – kay Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte, na ngayon po ay Presidente ng bansa natin.

Dito po, una ko pong tatalakayin ang mga sinasabi ni Edgar Matobato. Totoo po ang existence ng Davao Death Squad o DDS. Si Edgar po ay isa sa miyembro namin, at isa po ako sa pasimuno nito. Ang pag-umpisa po ng Davao Death Squad, before po ito nag-umpisa, sa una pong pag-upo ni Mayor Duterte bilang Mayor ng Davao City ay nag-umpisa na po kami na tinatawag ng ‘salvaging’ ng mga tao. Ito po ay mga suspect na gumagawa ng krimen sa Davao about illegal drugs. Naimplementa na po namin ang personal po na utos ni Mayor Rody Duterte sa amin.

Lack of public outrage emboldens Duterte to float writ suspension

Published by Ellen on November 13, 2016

"Ayaw ko..ayaw ko...but.." Duterte floats suspension of writ of habeas corpus. — “Ayaw ko..ayaw ko…but..” Duterte floats suspension of writ of habeas corpus.

Two things came to our mind when we read about President Duterte’s threat of suspending the writ of habeas corpus if lawlessness in Mindanao worsens.

Number one, his “Kill, Kill” strategy in eradicating the illegal drug problem is not solving the problem despite 4,000 killed.

Number two, the public has been desensitized by all these killings. Duterte knows the public won’t might if he takes his violation of human rights a notch higher.

In a speech at the launching of the Pilipinong May Puso Foundation in Davao City on Friday, he made his usual narration of the gravity of the illegal drug problem in the country. This time, he added the “rebellion” in Mindanao (“Grabe ang bakbakan…”).

“At kung magkalat itong still lawlessness, I might be forced to..” he paused saying it is not something he likes; “Ayaw ko, ayaw ko. Warning ko lang sa kanila ‘yan, ayaw ko kasi hindi maganda.”

Category: Human Rights