Pinoy Buzz: Sanlakas

ASEAN Summit: 'Resist US-led unholy trinity'— militant groups

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of activists belonging to militant groups SANLAKAS, Bukluran ng Manggawang Pilipino (BMP), Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) and Piglas Kababaihan braved the tight security blockade from Metro Manila to Clark, Pampanga, where the ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings are taking place until November 14, 2017.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5khR3YyMRHMu-OHVNwNHh2-IYZ_a5nl07P1Cwry2w-_OFMeYFuHALADldPFvpfh7uc1MNgecHqUbCZCa3g_rA6DzcWJPsNgjPMBjDn28xVjLZxs35cU_sY8MICTh90khAT0FGC_T6ugnf/s1600/trump-effigy-burnt-asean-summit-2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Militant groups burn the effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump" border="0" class="img" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="989" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5khR3YyMRHMu-OHVNwNHh2-IYZ_a5nl07P1Cwry2w-_OFMeYFuHALADldPFvpfh7uc1MNgecHqUbCZCa3g_rA6DzcWJPsNgjPMBjDn28xVjLZxs35cU_sY8MICTh90khAT0FGC_T6ugnf/s1600/trump-effigy-burnt-asean-summit-2017.JPG" title="Militant groups burn the effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Militant groups burn the effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo Credit: ENnewsfront</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The groups have organized a caravan from Quezon City to Clark to denounce the continued US intervention in the region as manifested in its arms-dealing among ally countries, including the Philippines, to further its War of Terror.<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>“Trump in the picture means trouble for countries in Southeast Asia.”, said BMP National President Leody de Guzman. “The US is painting North Korea as the bogeyman in the region and China being an emerging miltary threat to justify enhanced security arrangements that would necessitate continued US troop presence and movements in ASEAN. Far from securing peace, this would escalate existing tensions in the region as US rhetoric lean toward military solutions. ASEAN Governments adhering to to US interests is kowtowing to US hegemony.,” </i>continued De Guzman<i>.</i></blockquote><br />US President Donald Trump went on a 5-nation tour with the Philippines as his last stop. His Asian tour highlighted trade and security matters.<br /><div id="unruly-unit"></div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>“Trump is not welcome in the Philippines! War-mongering is not in the interest of the peoples of a developing country like ours who wage daily wars against the evils of jobless growth, low wages, precarious work, poverty, hunger, envrionmental pillage, climate change, and many more,”</i>said SANLAKAS Secretary-General Aaron Pedrosa<i>.</i></blockquote><br />“Ordinary Filipinos already have to contend with the lack of representation of their democratic interests in ASEAN processes, with the ASEAN's legacy of 50 years being a farce for failing to be meaningful to the lives of the masses, they are now confronted with the unholy trinity between a fascist President, on the one hand, and the unfolding collusion between US and Japan, on the other, with the latter forcing its military and economic will on the Philippines in a frenzy to contain the growing influence of China. We will not allow ourselves to be peons to any foreign interests. As the US continues to impose its imperialist agenda, our task is to resist!,” Pedrosa concluded.<br /><br /><b>— The Summit Express</b></div>

ASEAN Summit: 'Resist US-led unholy trinity'— militant groups

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of activists belonging to militant groups SANLAKAS, Bukluran ng Manggawang Pilipino (BMP), Partido Lakas ng M...

Kidapawan Massacre: A sequel to Yolanda?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - A multi-sectoral coalition denounced President Aquino and heads of concerned cabinet departments and agencies not only their failure to address the issues raised by peasants and Lumads but also for the violent dispersal in Kidapawan City last Thursday.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06f25J2WlvDZDSbV9GSkZqMgeRZXy67JgKBVwegEjI_eQduoGqD425QT8QRekDQ0dfqdiTFrxJnoxLMkCCS7LHJTPjji1H7V6Nqcy2pFP5aBo-qkDV1WJ6dCzkPYI2ONylYIFU3I1uSai/s1600/kidapawan-dispersal.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06f25J2WlvDZDSbV9GSkZqMgeRZXy67JgKBVwegEjI_eQduoGqD425QT8QRekDQ0dfqdiTFrxJnoxLMkCCS7LHJTPjji1H7V6Nqcy2pFP5aBo-qkDV1WJ6dCzkPYI2ONylYIFU3I1uSai/s640/kidapawan-dispersal.jpg" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The result of violent dispersal vs. law enforcement in Kidapawan. <br />Photo Credit: Kidapawan City Government Facebook page</td></tr></tbody></table>The police dispersal claimed three lives so far from the ranks of the farmers and dozens more injured and unaccounted for by their families after protesting the lack of government support in face of the impacts of the El Nino phenomenon.<br /><br /><center><div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/posts/1709528435956446" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/posts/1709528435956446">Violent Dispersal vs. Law enforcementNaging madugo ang nangyaring dispersal ng mga pulis laban sa mga raliyesta matapos...<br />Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/" rel="nofollow">Kidapawan City</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/posts/1709528435956446" rel="nofollow">Thursday, March 31, 2016</a></blockquote></div></div></center><br />Sanlakas said in an e-mailed statement that the much-delayed statements of condemnation from Malacanang spokespersons and it Liberal Party bets and pledges of sanctions for those accountable on the ground is “rubbing salt into the wounds inflicted on the hapless bodies of the starving farmers”.<br /><br />“The President and national government officials are washing their hands and pinning the blame on the local government.  It is the responsibility of government at all levels – but the national government especially - to address the impacts of El Nino and the state of climate-induced calamity. ” said Lidy Nacpil, Sanlakas chairperson.<br /><br />The group deplored the inadequate preparations made by the government despite the fact that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had foreseen its impacts as early as March 2015.<br /><br />“The incompetence, insensitivity and gross neglect of responsibility on the part of the Aquino administration is condemnable,” Nacpil said.<br /><br />Meanwhile Roldan Gonzales, chair of Sanlakas Mindanao called on the government to declare all 68 provinces affected by El Nino in a “state of calamity” to avert any more violence that may ensue between starving farmers and security forces.<br /><br /><center><div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/videos/1709669575942332/"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/videos/1709669575942332/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/videos/1709669575942332/" rel="nofollow"></a><br />RALLYISTA VS KAPULISAN(c) LykFM Teleradyo<br />Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kidapawancityncot/" rel="nofollow">Kidapawan City</a> on Friday, April 1, 2016</blockquote></div></div></center><br />He asserted that the government should not wait for the El Nino impacts to be fully felt before declaring a ‘state of calamity.’ “The government has to cushion impacts by ordering a price freeze on basic commodities, expedite the release of financial aid, provide immediate employment, and ensure proper management of water resources among others”.<br /><br />As of January 2016, PAGASA studies established that El Niño phenomenon will likely cause meteorological drought to as much as 85 percent of the Philippines by April this year, affecting 68 provinces. Of the 68 provinces, Mindanao will suffer the most with 22 provinces to experience drought up to June or July 2016<br /><br />“The protests in Kidapawan will soon spread to other places in Mindanao. Our members in Mindanao are talking about hunger and worsening water crisis in Bukidnon, the Lanao and Davao provinces,” he warned.<br /><br />Roldan, who also is an active leader in the campaign for climate justice and in the struggles of Mindanao communities against the impacts of mining, says that the water crisis is the combined impacts of El Nino as well as massive mining activities in Mindanao.<br /><br />He also cautioned against the use of social services by state relief agencies to promote administration candidates.<br /><br />“The farmers maybe hungry and desperate but they are wise enough to distinguish public service from political patronage, the Ozamis City native said.</div>

Kidapawan Massacre: A sequel to Yolanda?

MANILA, Philippines - A multi-sectoral coalition denounced President Aquino and heads of concerned cabinet departments and agencies not only...

Partylist denies alleged P70-million ‘unholy alliance’ vs. Marcos

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - A multi-sectoral partylist coalition issued a statement Tuesday denying all accusations on alleged “unholy alliance” with vice presidential candidate Chiz Escudero in exchange for seventy million pesos to derail the candidacy of his rival Senator Bongbong Marcos for the 2016 national elections.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3Vikgd4ZqbxAEagG5RTovjujTjjS_EKY-Wpa6sJhdEBqd2J0_x01gThQYtMPlKTnV24dxKI29tp055WL-YroXans5Fpb7QLmVkRcZD_NME3sPKYhrdTVH7-Y4RBuY0CFxqX6V3jsT7lw/s1600/chiz-bongbong-sanlakas.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sanlakas on Chiz and Bongbong" border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3Vikgd4ZqbxAEagG5RTovjujTjjS_EKY-Wpa6sJhdEBqd2J0_x01gThQYtMPlKTnV24dxKI29tp055WL-YroXans5Fpb7QLmVkRcZD_NME3sPKYhrdTVH7-Y4RBuY0CFxqX6V3jsT7lw/s640/chiz-bongbong-sanlakas.jpg" title="Sanlakas on Chiz and Bongbong" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On alleged “unholy alliance” with Escudero, partylist denies alleged pay-off, says article is pure baloney.</td></tr></tbody></table>“Sanlakas does not need any prodding, much less need to get paid, for us to take a clear and unequivocal stand against the electoral bid of another Marcos in office,” said Manjette Lopez, president of Sanlakas.<br /><br />Lopez, herself a victim of martial law, twice arrested and detained explained. “We join hands with the on-going Never Again Campaign and the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacanang (CARMMA) in calling for the rejection of Bongbong Marcos’ candidacy in the coming elections.  We demand justice not only for human rights violations, but also the economic injustice inflicted by the plunder of billions of dollars by the Marcos family and cronies.”<br /><br />On February 28, <a href="http://www.manilatimes.net/p70-million-unholy-alliance-vs-marcos/247479/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manila Times</a> published a story claiming that a reliable source nicknamed as “Heart,” said Escudero’s decision to approve release of the P70 million to the two leftist groups who are enemies of traditional politicians. It was described as a “desperate move” by those who knew about the agreement directly or indirectly.<br /><br />“The allegations in the article of a certain Nelson Badilla are absolutely fabricated.  Sanlakas has no relation with a certain Charlie Avila, the alleged conduit to Senator Escudero. This is pure baloney. We do not need a conduit for we have worked directly with Sen. Escudero in the past on such issues as the fight against contractualization, increase in wages, tax reform vs VAT, and the like.”  <br /><br />“The article is malicious and smacks of red-baiting, very reminiscent of Martial Law tactics when seeking to malign its enemies.” Lopez added. She asserted that the article was intended to hurt Escudero more, alleging an “unholy alliance” with the left, paying in a desperate attempt to undermine BongBong Marcos’ electoral bid.<br /><br />“But the flux of anti-Martial Law and anti-Marcos sentiments in quad media was overwhelming and cannot possibly be seen as contrived, even if the RAs (Makabayan) and RJs (Sanlakas) conspired to launch a campaign against Bongbong Marcos.” Lopez declared. “No amount of fictitious allegations by Marcos’ paid hacks can hide this.”<br /><br />Sanlakas and its member organization announced last week that it forged an alliance with Escudero on the basis of advancing demands which includes (1) regular employment; (2) social services such as education, public housing, universal health care, safe and efficient mass transportation; (3) land use and government support to farmers; (4) climate justice and protection to the environment; (5) pro-people budgeting and progressive taxation; (6) eradication of corruption and, (7) people’s sovereignty against foreign and corporate powers.<br /><br />“But then again, there is still a speck of truth in the article though, and that is that an Escudero victory in the 2016 polls will stop on its tracks Bongbong’s bid to get back in Malacanang.”, Lopez concluded."</div>

Partylist denies alleged P70-million ‘unholy alliance’ vs. Marcos

MANILA, Philippines - A multi-sectoral partylist coalition issued a statement Tuesday denying all accusations on alleged “unholy alliance” w...