Category: Justice

Prayers amid dismay for justice for victims of Ampatuan massacre

Published by Ellen on November 23, 2014

Five years ago, a crime so heinous was perpetrated by persons in authority, in a remote village in Maguindanao in Southwestern Mindanao.

Fifty-eight persons lay dead after Andal Ampatuan, Jr., mayor of Datu Unsay town and his men were through with their shooting spree. He then asked for a backhoe in the office of his father, Andal Ampatuan Sr., who was then governor of the province, to be brought to the crime scene to bury the dead bodies.

Among the dead was Genalyn Mangudadatu, wife of the political rival of the Ampatuans, Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who was supposed to file the certificate of candidacy of her husband challenging the position of the Ampatuan patriarch.

Of the 58 victims, 32 were members of media, who were supposed to cover the political event.

11 facts that render allegations of bribery vs Harry Roque ridiculous

Published by Ellen on August 10, 2014

Harry Roque with relatives of the victims. Photo by Lito Ocampo, CMFR.

The murderous Ampatuans must be enjoying the spectacle of the prosecutors in the Maguindanao massacre destroying each other.

Atty. Nena Santos, representing 25 of the of the 58 who were killed in a massacre in a secluded hill in Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009, has alleged that government and fellow private prosecutor Harry Roque, of having been bribed by the Ampatuans to lose the case.

Santos represents Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, husband of victim Genalyn Mangudadatu and political rival of the Ampatuan family.

It will be recalled that Genalyn, accompanied by family members, political associates and members of media were abducted while on their way to file the candidacy of Mangudadatu for governor against Andal Ampatuan Jr, son of the then incumbent, Andal Ampatuan Sr. They were brought to a secluded hill and killed by Andal Jr and his henchmen. Of the 58 killed, 34 were media workers, earning for the Philippines the reputation of one of the most dangerous places for journalists.

How many more media deaths to move the government?

Published by Ellen on June 12, 2014

Nilo Baculio Sr. with Atty Romel Bagares of CenterLaw and NUJP's Sonny Fernandez. — Nilo Baculio Sr. with Atty Romel Bagares of CenterLaw and NUJP’s Sonny Fernandez.

The death of Mindoro broadcast journalist Nilo Baculio Sr. should bear not only on the conscience of the Court of Appeals judge who dismissed his petition for protection as “unsubstantiated” but also on this government especially President Aquino by being cavalier about media killings in the country.

Last Monday, June 9, 2014, the 67-year old Baculio, who hosted the program “Isumbong Mo kay Ka Nilo” over radio station dwIM in Calapan City, was gunned down by two unidentified men riding in a motorcycle.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, who monitors the state of media in the country including media killings said: “Baculio was the 165th journalist murdered in the country, the 33rd under the watch of President Benigno Aquino III and the fourth this year.”

Lawyer Harry Roque, who represented Baculio in procuring from the Supreme Court the first ever Writ of Amparo in favor of a journalist in 2008 but was refused by the CA ,said “There is blood in the hands of the CA Justices who refused Nilo Baculio protection.”

Nakakaduda na ang kilos ng pamahalaan sa kaso ni Napoles

Published by Ellen on April 26, 2014

Hindi naman siguro tanga si Justice Secretary Leila de Lima para hindi niya maisip kung bakit pilit na gusto makipagkita sa kanya si Janet Napoles at gusto kumanta.

Maraming pagkakataon si Napoles na magsabi ng buong katotohanan tungkol sa panloloko at pagnakaw ng bilyun-bilyon na pera sa taumbayan ngunit hindi niya ginawa. Nang dumalo siya sa hearing ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committtee, wala siyang sinabi. Puro wala siyang alam samantalang nanumpa siya na magsabi na buong katotohanan. “Nothing but the truth,” sabi sa kanyang oath.

Iba na raw ang kuwento ni Napoles nang binisita ni De Lima sa Ospital ng Makati. Nagdawit pa raw siya ng maraming senador at congressman. Merong may nagsabi na 19 na senador daw ang sa kanyang affidavit, meron namang nagsabing 12.

Ngunit hindi raw nila pinag-usapan ang pagiging state witness ni Napoles.

Sinong tanga ang maniniwala na kakanta si Napoles na walang kapalit? Konsyensya daw.

Fight vs online libel goes to the UNCHR

Published by Ellen on April 24, 2014

Lawyer Harry Roque files motion for reconsideration vs Cybercrime law.

Last Tuesday, while in Baguio City for their summer session, the Supreme Court denied all the Motions for Reconsideration on Online Libel which it upheld in its Feb. 18, 2014 decision.

It will be recalled that in its Feb. 18 decision, the High Court struck down as illegal the authority given to the Department of Justice) to restrict or block access to any online post which it deemed violating the law without any court order.

But it upheld the constitutionality of the online libel that increased the penalty twelvefold. From a minimum punishment of six months imprisonment under the Revised Penal Code, the Cybercrime Prevention Law increased it to six years. The maximum punishment was doubled from six to twelve years in prison.

The incredible Dennis Cunanan

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2014

Dennis Cunanan, the deputy director general of Technology Resource Center (TRC), said of the some P600 million PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) or pork barrel that passed through his office and ended up in the pockets of three senators and Janet Napoles, he didn’t get a single centavo.

Incredible! As incredible as Cunanan, a college undergraduate, getting appointed by Gloria Arroyo as executive director of the Commission on Higher Education.

Thanks Karina Constantino-David for reminding the public of that attempt by Cunanan to put one over the Filipino people.

NBI files plunder raps vs Enrile, Revilla, Estrada, Napoles

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2013

By VERA Files THE National Bureau of Investigation filed on Monday afternoon plunder and malversation of public funds charges against Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.,…

Evelio Javier’s sons oppose pardon for convicted lawyer

Published by Ellen on March 21, 2013

Evelio B. Javier, former governor of Antique, died while performing a task for the restoration of democracy on Feb. 11, 1986.

He was assassinated while keeping watch over the canvassing of votes in the snap presidential election between the well-entrenched dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino, widow of the assassinated senator Benigno Aquino, Jr and mother of the current president, Benigno Aquino III.

Justice was not fully served with the acquittal of the suspected brains of the murder but it was a consolation for the Javier family that some of the accomplices in the crime were convicted.

One of those convicted was lawyer Avelino T. Javellana, who has applied for executive clemency.

Why is Aquino not helping Jun Lozada

Published by Ellen on February 7, 2013

Lozada’s friends wonder if Aquino’s attitude could have something to do with Lozada not consenting to his request in February 2008 for him (Aquino, who was then senator) to fetch the former in Hongkong, where he was told by then Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to hide so he could not testify in the Senate investigation of the NBN/ZTE deal.

It would have been a chance for Aquino, who had a lackluster record as senator, to shine.

Jun Lozada, Cory Aquino and the nuns — President Cory Aquino spearheaded the “Mass for Truth and Accountability” in support of Jun Lozada in 2008.

While waiting for the arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to be served to Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, the government’s star witness in the NBN/ZTE plunder case against Gloria Arroyo, members of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines wrote Police Chief Alan Purisima requesting, among others,to make sure that “no untoward incident” would happen.

The nuns must be thinking of last month’s incident in Batangas when Fernando Morales , allegedly linked with Vic Siman who was among those killed in the Atimonan massacre, was killed while policemen were serving his arrest warrant for illegal possession of firearms.

Morales was in his underwear and was dragged out of his house at 1:30 a.m.

The arrest warrant for Lozada had nothing to do with NBN/ZTE. It’s for his alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly awarding the leasehold right of a 6,599 hectare land to his brother Jose Orlando Lozada when he was still president of the Philippine Forest Corporation, a government-owned corporation.

The incredible abduction of Rolito Go

Published by Ellen on August 15, 2012

Maguan Family’s statement,Aug. 16:

The family does not believe the claims of convicted killer Rolito Go that he was abducted, then suddenly released. It is very much like a zarzuela that was very poorly-written. This mockery of justice should not be condoned by the authorities.

See full statement in comments.

Update: Rolito Go surfaces, now in police custody
ABS-CBNnews.com

Convicted killer Rolito Go is now in police custody after he went missing from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City Tuesday night.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Nicanor Bartolome said Go and his nephew, Clemence Yu, are already in the custody of the PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group in Camp Crame.

Go told police that he and his nephew were supposedly released by their alleged kidnappers in Tanauan, Batangas.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/08/15/12/rolito-go-surfaces-now-police-custody

Statement from the Maguan Family

We are deeply saddened and grieved by the latest news that convicted killer Rolito Go disappeared from the New Bilibid Prison last night and successfully escaped prison. This is his second escape.

Rolito Go was convicted for shooting and killing our brother Eldon in 1991. Eldon, the third in our family, was a 25-year old engineering student from De La Salle University. He was seated in his car when Rolito Go, in an attempt to alter the traffic, broke a one-way portion of Wilson St., San Juan and mercilessly shot Eldon in the head in a road rage fit. Our brother, who just bought pizza, was killed. News of Go’s escape has brought back the family’s grief and trauma over Eldon’s unjust death.

Contrary to statements that Go was believed to have been abducted, our sources say he is presently with his daughter, who is an intern at the Chinese General Hospital. The family finds it difficult to believe that Go can be kidnapped or abducted and even held for ransom while he was safely inside the Bureau of Prisons in Muntinlupa.