Yesterday, April 28, marked the 6th year that farmer-activist Jonas Burgos disappeared.
The Burgos family observed the day with renewed hope after new information surfaced early this month which strengthen the accusation that the military was behind the abduction of Jonas.
The information, which apparently came from the files of the military, included a picture of Jonas looking dazed with a large bandana around his neck, which was probably used to blindfold him.
Kung hindi niya pinirmahan yun, magiging batas rin naman ang bill by default. Ngunit maganda na pinirmahan niya. May tatak na personal siya doon sa batas.
Mag-isang buwan na ang bill na yan sa Malacañang, isang malaking bagay rin na nakarating dun dahil katagal-tagal na yan na i-file. Anim na Congresses na ang nakalipas at ngayon lang naka-usad at nai-pasa sa House of Representatives at sa Senado.
Families of those who just “disappeared” from the face of the earth, most of them for their political beliefs, were fervently hoping for an early Christmas gift for the President. But alas, there was no such gift from the President.
Fernando “Butch” Fortuna, a taxi driver, tearfully appealed to the President to help find his son Daryl who was forcibly taken, with an female companion , Jinky Garcia, and Ronron Landingin, one evening in Masinloc, Zambales by men suspected to be members of the 24th Infantry Batallion of the Philippine ArmyB-PA while he was in an outreach activity in connection with his thesis. At that time, Daryl was a graduating student of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Burgos statement:
“My son, Jonas, is still missing as so many others are. He was forcibly abducted during the Gloria Arroyo administration, and until now we have yet to get a categorical statement from authorities on the fate of my son. And my family had admittedly become vocal in our plea that military produce my Jonas.
“To call this propaganda and to label it leftist is the height of insensitivity to a mother who continues to search for his missing son. I stand before the Lord, who is truth Himself, in witness of this truth.
“Now, when you are looking for a missing loved one, is it justified to label you as leftist? Unless the definition has been changed, I would not subscribe to what has been officially said by Malacanang. To seek justice and to right a wrong done to families who have been victims of enforced disappearances, will that be considered a leftist act?
“We did it!”, enthused one rallyist.
Yes, another demonstration of the power of a vigilant public. A total of 15 petitions were filed with the Supreme Court questioning the legality of some provisions of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, particularly the part on online libel.
The 120-day TRO gives us respite and should allow us to celebrate Christmas with lesser stress. That should give us time to recharge when the battle resumes. The SC will hold oral arguments on the controversial law on January 15, 2013.
Napanood kasi ng mga inmates sa Q.C jail ang balita nang pagmaltrato ni Marzan sa kanyang katulong na si Bonita Baran.
Sabi ng mga guwardiya sa QC jail na huwag daw matakot si Marzan dahil hindi raw nila pinapayagan ang plantsa sa kulungan.
Sayang.
Ano kaya ang dapat na parusa sa mag-asawang Reynold at Annaliza Marzan sa ginawa nila kay Baran? Nabulag si Baran sa sobrang pananakit ni Anna Liza.
The picture was the inauguration of a three-storey, 27-classroom building of the Zamboanga City High School. The guest of honor was Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro. The host was Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat.
Julie said officials of the Department of Education-Western Mindanao were present. So were the city councilors and barangay officials.
The picture showed the Master of Ceremonies, who was later identified as Joseph Wee, standing behind the podium. Behind him was a student holding a desk electric fan. He was made a stand of the electric fan!
Amidst stories of Filipinos being lured by syndicates to a life of misery and degradation, here’s a silver lining:
Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad has granted the request of the Department of Justice for P100 million for the 2013 operations of the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.
There were fears earlier that the DBM would only give IACAT P40 million which is even P10 million less.
Justice Undersecretary Jovy Salazar, who is in-charge of IACAT, said “The IACAT 2013 budget approval is a recognition and acknowledgment of the importance of what we do for the most vulnerable members of our society. We are truly grateful and up to the challenge.”
Jonas’ mother, Edita, wife of press freedom fighter Jose Burgos, Jr. (founder of Malaya) issued the following statement yesterday:
“April 28, 2012 marks the fifth year of the disappearance of my son, Jonas Burgos. Jonas’ family commemorates this day by looking back at the five years of search. We recall how we have exhausted every possible peaceful means available to us within the limitations of resources and information.
“We have encountered numerous attempts at individual and institutional cover up and confronted these with more determination to uncover the truth. The denials, the stone-walling, the labeling, all the lies and even the indifference have only encouraged us to pray some more and to look at others with the eyes of a Christian heart. Undeterred, our search must go on.
“At every turn of the uphill path of the search, something and someone would somehow turn out to be His Providence supplying what was needed for the moment. The particular grace would always be on time… just enough, and would, in spite of the pain and seeming helplessness… fuel a renewed vigor to search for the lost son, the lost brother, the lost husband, the lost father.
Photos by Mario Ignacio, VERA Files
Nandiyan si retired Capt. Oscar Taleon, ang presidente at Chief Executive Officer ng Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy (AKAP-Pinoy), na nabulag noong panahon ng martial law (1977) nang napasabak siya sa rally sa underpass sa Quiapo kung saan may nagbuhos ng gasolina na lumiyab. Nasa Intelligence Service siya ng Armed Forces of the Philippines noon.