Bayan Muna congratulates the US People and Pres. Barack Obama

Bayan Muna congratulates Sen. Barack Obama on his election as 44th president of the United States of America.

We especially congratulate the people of the United States for overcoming age-old bigotry and racial prejudices in electing their country's first African-American president.

Sen. Obama's victory signals a rejection of George W. Bush's rabid pursuance of neoliberal economics, unilateralism in foreign policies and naked military aggression that are a bane to the whole world. Such a victory opens up hope that somehow, US foreign policy might change for the better.

The challenge now is for Pres. Obama to fulfill his promise of real change, in particular the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and other places where they have conducted unilateral military action, and the dismantling of notorious detention camps in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and more constructive policies with regards to Iran, Syria, North Korea and other states labeled by Bush as the "Axis of Evil." He should stop the US government's policy of labeling and persecuting national liberation groups as "terrorists."

We would be pleasantly surprised if Pres. Obama's mantra of change would entail a review of US policy on the Philippines, particularly the removal of US troops and facilities from Philippine soil, the abrogation of unequal and onerous economic and political agreements like the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, as well as a fundamental revision of RP-US relations based on the principles of mutual benefit and respect.###

House Resolution No. 777 Urging the Philippine Government to make an official position calling for the release of the Cuban Five

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 777

Introduced by Rep. SATUR C. OCAMPO

RESOLUTION
STRONGLY URGING THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF GERARDO HERNANDEZ, RAMON LABAÑINO, ANTONIO GUERRERO, FERNANDO GONZALEZ, AND RENE GONZALEZ, POPULARLY KNOWN AS THE CUBAN FIVE, WHO HAVE BEEN HELD ILLEGALY IN UNITED STATES PRISON SINCE SEPTEMBER 12, 1998 AND HAVE BEEN DENIED VISITS FRON THE FAMILIES DESPITE SIMILAR WIDESPREAD INTERNATIONAL APPEALS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES AND PARLIAMENTS

WHEREAS, the Cuban people have been victims of terror attacks by the Miami exile groups, many of whom came from the wealthy class that left Cuba after the overthrow of the Fulgencio Batista regime in 1959. These Miami exile groups have conducted bombings, assassinations and other sabotage, killing hundreds of innocent Cuban civilians. Groups like Alpha 66, Omega 7, Brothers to the Rescue, and Cuban American National Foundation have terrorized the Cuban people for years with impunity;

WHEREAS, in 1990, Cuba made the careful and necessary decision to send Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Renė Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando Gonzalez - who later became known as the Cuban Five - - to Miami to protect Cuba from serious threat of invasion and terrorism posed by Miami exile groups;

WHEREAS, the Cuban Five were able to establish evidence implicating specific Miami exile groups and individuals in the 1976 bombing of a commercial Cuban airliner while on flight, and the 1997 bombing of Havana’s Hotel Copacabana;

WHEREAS, in May 1988, then President Fidel Castro sent a letter to the United States President Bill Clinton, asking to indict and prosecute those who committed crimes against Cuba. A month later, the United States sent a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) team to Havana to discuss collaboration with Cuba on stopping acts of aggression emanating from Miami;

WHEREAS, Cuba waited for the FBI to start arresting the architects of these operations, but instead, on September 12, 1998, the United States Government arrested in the Cuban Five, the men who had come to Miami to monitor activities of the violent Miami exile groups. The arrest and prosecution of these men for their attempt to stop the terror was not only unjust, it exposed the treachery and hypocrisy to the United States’ claim to oppose terrorism wherever it surfaces;

WHEREAS, since the day of their arrest in Southern Florida, the Cuban Five were placed in the solitary confinement cells for 17 straight months before their cases were brought to trial. They were completely cut-off from their families and young children, and even barred from communicating with each other. They were likewise denied their right to ball;

WHEREAS, in June 2001, the five were tied in Miami Dade county and were charged with 26 counts of violating the federal laws of the United States. They were convicted of espionage on behalf of Cuba and murder involving the shooting down of the aircrafts belonging to the Miami exile groups over Cuban waters on February 24, 1996. Twenty four (24) of those charges were relatively minor and technical offenses, such use of false identifications and failure to register as foreign agents. Gerardo Hernandėz was condemned to life sentences plus 15 years. Ramon Labañino was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 18 years. Rene Gonzalez to 15 years imprisonment. Antonio Guerrero was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 10 years, and Fernando Gonzalez was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment;

WHEREAS, on November 2002, the lawyers for the Cuban Five filed a motion for a new trial that fully documents the impossibility of holding a fair trial in Miami. The motion was denied, so the petitioners include their motion as an additional argument in appeal presented before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta in May 2003;

WHEREAS, on August 9, 2005, a panel of three judges mandated by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals said no verdict against them has any worth and ordered a new trial. The U.S. Government petitioned for the entire Court of twelve judges to review the panel decision. On August 9, 2006, two judges of the same Court reversed the decision on finding that no prejudiced had been in the selection of the trial jury. On June 4, 2008, three-judge panel of the court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ratified the guilty verdicts against the Cuban Five, but annulled the sentences of Renė Gonzalez and Gerardo Hernandėz. The case of three others will be sent for a new sentence to the Florida Court;

WHEREAS, on May 27, 2005, the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is issued its conclusion that the conditions of their confinement including the long period in solitary confinement cells, the limitation of defense access to the potential evidence, and the conditions and location of the Miami trial, are of such gravity that they confer the deprivation of the liberty of the Cuban Five which contravened Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which United States a signatory;

WHEREAS, Amnesty International has decried the denial of visas of Adriana Perėz and Olga Salanueva, wives of Gerardo Hernandėz and Renė Gonzalez respectively to enter the U.S. and visit their husbands in prison. For other families, the United States Government has continued to delay the granting of entry permits. This means that the average number of visas granted per family member is one per year;

WHEREAS, the European Parliament Union, Latin American Parliament, Africa-Caribbean - European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Parliamentary Conference of the Americas, Central American Parliament, Great Britain, Ireland, Russia, Argentina, Belgium, Venezuela, Bolivia, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Sweden, Panama and Italy have called for liberation of the five Cubans imprisoned. The appeal has been joined and supported by the prestigious association of lawyers and jury experts in the United States and abroad such as the National Jury Project, National Lawyers Guild, and International Association of Democratic Lawyers with members in 90 countries which has consultative status at the United Nations;

WHEREAS, the Cuban Five have been in custody for almost ten years. These five men have been held in maximum security prisons and have been held incommunicado in isolated cells for long periods of time. Two of them have been denied the right to receive family visits;

WHEREAS, the United States Government must honor the finding of the United Nations Body, by releasing these prisoners or providing them with a new trial. This arbitrary detention is extremely cruel and cannot be allowed to continue;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Philippine Government make an official position calling for the release of Gerardo Hernandėz, Ramon Labañino, Rene González, Antonio Guerrero, and Fernando González, popularly known as the Cuban Five who have been held illegally in the United States prisons since September 12, 1998 and have been denied visits from their families despite similar widespread international appeals from various countries and parliaments.

RESOLVED FINALLY, that the efforts be made for the entry of the Cuban Five’s spouses and their families to the United States territory in order to visit their loved ones.

Adopted,

Counter SONA Speech of Rep. Satur C. Ocampo Delivered at the House of Representatives

GMA's Government Must Take Blame For Crisis

30 July 2008


Mr. Speaker,

I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege on behalf of my colleagues from the progressive party list bloc to give our views on the President's State of the Nation Address delivered last Monday in time for the opening of our second session.

We in the progressive party list bloc feel it is our obligation to at least give an alternative and truthful view of reality, from the point of view of the underrepresented and marginalized majority that we represent both by commitment and by mandate through popular election.

In the face of the President's lies and distortions, we hope this attempt at presenting the truth will be taken constructively by our colleagues in the Majority.
Ginoong Speaker, noong Lunes, sinimulan ni Gng. Arroyo ang kanyang talumpati sa pamamagitan ng paghuhugas kamay sa matinding kahirapang nararanasan ng ating mamamayan. Ibinaling niya ang sisi sa buong daigdig – sa paggalaw umano ng presyo ng langis at bigas sa international market at paghina ng ekonomiya ng US.

The President was trying to be clever by blaming everything but herself, her government, and her policies for the miserable state of the Filipino people. Worse, she even had the gall to claim that if not for her "foresight, grit and political will," the situation would have been worse. In the end, she turned reality on its head by repackaging the unjust and oppressive VAT into an ultimate panacea.
Clearly, the President is so used to lying that she can't help it.

Ano ba ang katotohanan, Ginoong Speaker? What is the real state of the nation?
The fact is that even before the dramatic increases in world oil and food prices, the poverty rate in the Philippines was already rising, family incomes were falling and the gap between the rich and poor was widening. Mula pa 2003, dumarami na ang bilang ng ating mahihirap, bumabagsak ang kita ng karaniwang pamilya, at lumalaki ang pagitan ng mahirap at mayaman.

Ayon sa pinakahuling Family and Income Expenditure Survey (FIES), bumaba ang kita ng halos siyam sa bawat sampung pamilyang Pilipino. Kontrolado ng pinakamayamang 20% ng pamilya ang mahigit kalahati (52%) ng kabuuang kita habang ang yaman ng pinakamayamang 20 Pilipino ay katumbas ang sa 10.4 milyon nating kababayan.

According to research think tank IBON Foundation, the number of people jobless or otherwise looking for more work because they were earning so little from their current jobs increase by 2.2 million in 2007 from 2001. The number of unemployed increased by over 400,000 and of underemployed by 1.8 million. The 630,000 jobs supposed to be created each year are not enough to make up for the annual increase in labor force of some 690,000.

Alam ng ating mamamayan na walang saysay ang pinagyayabang na paglago ng ekonomiya noong 2007. It was during this period that the share of agriculture to GDP reached a historic low of 18.4%. In 2007, the share of manufacturing to GDP had deteriorated to its lowest level since 1956. Dahil higit pang humina ang agrikultura at pagmamanupaktura, mahigit 10 milyon ang walang trabaho o naghahanap pa ng dagdag na trabaho.

Dumarami rin ang bilang ng mga batang hindi nakakapag-aral, pati mga ina at sanggol na hindi naseserbisyuhan ng ating mga ospital at health center.

The point I'm making, Mr. Speaker, is that despite glowing GDP and GNP figures, poverty is increasing, incomes are dwindling, prices are skyrocketing, and joblessness is increasing. For Mrs. Arroyo to casually blame this phenomena of jobless, inequitable growth on external shocks is to evade responsibility and accountability for her flawed economic policies.

VAT

Mrs. Arroyo's much loved value added tax is a prime example of such unjust and oppressive economic policies. In 2006, the already miserable situation of our people was further exacerbated by the expansion and increase of the VAT to include oil, power, medicines, instant noodles and a host of other products and services. Overnight, government coffers were overflowing from the increased taxes imposed on our ordinary, mostly poor, consumers.

Today, the cruelty of the VAT is manifested in the VAT on oil. Not only does VAT make oil prices higher by P6 to P7 per liter, it also rakes in an annual bonanza of P18.8 billion to P30 billion in windfall tax revenues. These are surplus collections and therefore not covered by the General Appropriations Act. Through the VAT on oil, the government is actually cashing in on the people's misery.

Ang sabi ni Mrs Arroyo, pumayag na tayo sa VAT dahil meron naming limang bilyong "Katas ng VAT" na ipinamumudmod sa mahihirap. Unang-una, talaga bang sa mahihirap ito napupunta at hindi sa bulsa lamang ng kanyang mga opisyal? Pangalawa, limang bilyon lang ang ipinamimigay pero mahigit P18 hanggang P30 bilyon ang sobrang kinokolekta. Saan napupunta ang iba?

But that is just as far as the VAT on oil is concerned. How about the other windfall VAT revenues resulting from the general increase in prices of goods and services, considering that inflation is at 11.4%, the highest in 14 years? No wonder that the DOF, in several hearings of the House Ways and Means Committee, has refused to provide Congress with pertinent data on VAT collections and disbursements. Ayaw nilang malaman kung gaano talaga kalaki ang kotong sa VAT.

Indeed, where does the VAT go? The fact is that the biggest beneficiaries of VAT are not our people but our creditors who will be paid 62% of all government revenues this year. During the deliberations on the tax measures in 2005, we were informed by the Department of Finance that as much as 80% of additional revenues from the new taxes would go to our creditors. No wonder a year after the imposition of VAT, we were paying loans in advance to the detriment of the budgets for health, housing, education and other social services. No wonder the credit rating agencies are ecstatic that we are taxing our people to death just to pay our debts.
Kinumpirma ni Gng. Arroyo na pambayad ng utang ang VAT.

Sa kanyang SONA sinabi niya: "Napakahalaga ng VAT…una nabawasan ang ating mga utang…"
Again, it is a clever ruse of Mrs. Arroyo to justify an oppressive, windfall-earning tax by saying that she's returning it to the poor anyway. In the first place, the poor would be better off without the government collecting kotong on their taxes. Removing the VAT on electricity would immediately and perpetually reduce the bills of lifeline rate customers by at least P66.79 a month forever, definitely more than a one-time dole out of P500. This will cost the government a mere P12.4 billion, a pittance compared to the more than P140 billion in annual uncollected duties on imported goods.

Removing the VAT on oil, on the other hand, would immediately prevent another round of fare hikes and possibly even lead to a rollback in jeepney and bus fares. That may be nothing to the rich but definitely something substantial for the poor.

Kung talagang nag-aalala si Mrs. Arroyo sa mga mahihirap na maybahay, sa mga manggagawa at magsasaka, dapat ay tanggalin na niya ang VAT sa langis at kuryente.
Katulad ng pagdepensa niya sa VAT, pinagpililitan din ni Mrs. Arroyo ang patakarang deregulasyon sa industriya ng langis. Perhaps the most glaring example of the failure of neoliberal economic policy can be seen in the oil industry. Sampung taon na mula nang ma-deregulate ang industriya ng langis at ibenta ang Petron sa mga dayuhan. Mula noon, hindi man lang natupad ang pangako ng murang gasolina o pagbuwag ng kartel ng dayuhang oil companies.

Today, the government is reduced to pleading for mercy from the oil companies who continue to rake in superprofits from their cartel operations in the country. In fact, the DOE cannot even explain to us the oil cartel's pricing mechanism. Their claims of under-recoveries are considered Gospel truth. Under deregulation, government has become inutile in the face of the oil companies rapacious greed.

Kung talagang nag-aalala si Mrs. Arroyo sa mahihirap, ibabasura niya ang deregulasyon sa langis, kokontrolin ang presyo, ibabalik ang Petron sa pagmamay-ari ng publiko, at sisimulan ang sentralisadong pag-angkat ng ating pangangailangan sa langis at produktong petrolyo.

In her SONA, the President made much ado about her thrust towards self-sufficiency in rice, as if this were really her policy. The fact is that the Arroyo government had long abandoned the policy of self-sufficiency in rice and agriculture. We have not been self-sufficient in rice not because of the limits of our topography but due to the limits of our government's imagination and political will.

It is an outrage, for example, that a substantial portion of the NFA's resources are used to subsidize farmers from other countries where we import rice from. While farmers in other countries get full support in terms of technology, production inputs, credit and infrastructure, our lowly rice farmers are basically left to fend for their own. Wala na ngang suporta, kinokotongan pa ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno ang fertilizer at seed funds at iba pang pondong pang magsasaka.

Central to the issue of agriculture is the issue of agrarian reform.

Mrs. Arroyo is pushing for the extension of an agrarian reform program that has proven to be insufficient at best, a sham at worst. In her SONA, Mrs. Arroyo noted, "There are those who say agrarian reform is a success – if only because anything is better than nothing." Now she would even make it worse by allowing CARP lands to be used as collateral, a measure that would further transform CARP beneficiaries into not into agribusinesses as she claims, poor and indebted peasants.

Mr. Speaker, the bankruptcy of the government's economic policies is reflected in its penchant for quick-fixes, palliative measures and dole outs. All government wants to do is to create safety nets because they don't have the guts to change their disastrous free market economic policies.

Mrs. Arroyo refuses to accept the flaws in her economic policy and so is limited to scrambling for dole outs to quell the people's dissatisfaction. Such is the so-called new social welfare program unveiled by her last Monday. These dole outs are especially attractive to Mrs. Arroyo and her candidates for the 2010 elections who are desperately trying to score brownie points in the face of their dwindling popularity ratings.

Speaking about satisfactory ratings, Mrs. Arroyo was conspicuously silent on the systematic plunder of the national coffers under her administration. Since 2005, it has been the policy of the Arroyo government to cover up every anomaly involving the President and her family. Until now there is no closure to the IMPSA deal, the Jancom contract, the Diosdado Macapagal Avenue overprice, the fertilizer fund scam, the Hello Garci tapes, the Venable contract, the NBN-ZTE deal and similar questionable transactions involving the highest leaders of the land.

This policy of cover up has led to the undermining of systems of transparency and accountability that are supposed to be the bedrock of good governance. In particular, the Executive's actions have led to the bastardization of the impeachment process and the sabotaging of Congress' function of legislative oversight.

She was also conspicuously silent on the issue of human rights and peace. In the face of the people's protests against the government's flawed economic and political policies, Mrs. Arroyo has resorted to the systematic violations of the people's civil and political rights in order to quell dissent and ensure her survival in office.

The killings and enforced disappearances have not stopped. Since Mrs. Arroyo's presidency in January 2001 to June this year, the human rights organization Karapatan has documented 910 victims of extrajudicial killings, 193 victims of enforced disappearances, and 331 cases of frustrated killings. For the first six months of 2008, Karapatan has documented 20 cases of extrajudicial killings, one case of enforced disappearance, 41 cases of illegal detention and 67 cases of illegal arrest. The surveillance, harassment and physical attacks against progressive organizations and their members have likewise not stopped.

Hardly any of the perpetrators have been investigated, arrested or tried, leading to a culture of impunity among state security forces and state-backed para-military groups.

Again, this is a question of policy, particularly the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya which, since 2001, has targeted activists and political dissenters as enemies of the state.

Mr. Speaker, the true state of the nation is quite the opposite of what Mrs. Arroyo envisioned last Monday.

Gloria Arroyo cannot evade blame for this dire state of the nation by pointing to external causes as the culprits. What cannot be denied or hidden by contrived statistics is that the Philippine economy's growth has been gravely stunted. It has remained basically backward, with neither a modern agricultural base nor an industrial backbone to speak of, all because the Arroyo regime, like her predecessors, has adamantly stuck to the anti people neo-liberal globalization prescriptions of the IMF-WB-WTO triad – liberalization, deregulation and privatization.

By her canine devotion to both these multilateral instruments of global capitalist plunder and to the discredited George W. Bush administration, Mrs. Arroyo has encouraged the marginalization of our farmers, the demise of many industries, the assaults of labor unions.

By her policies she has deprived the economy and her government of any defensive shield and flexibility to withstand the destructive impacts of the frequently recurring crisis of global capital.

The fact is that there are more poor, hungry and jobless Filipinos than ever before. The fact is that it is government's neoliberal economic policies that have magnified the negative impacts of external shocks on the local economy. The fact is that unabated graft and corruption has made matters even worse. The fact is that human rights continue to be trampled and peace remains a pipe dream.

And the fact is that the government and the President is to blame for the hardships that have befallen our people.

This is the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in. The earlier we recognize this the better it will be for efforts to address our people's yearning for democracy and reform.

Thank you. #

Peoples SONA Speech of Rep. Satur C.Ocampo

PEOPLES SONA SPEECH
By: Satur C. Ocampo

In her seventh SONA last year, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo boasted that the Philippine economy had never performed better than under her watch. She claimed that over seven years the gross domestic product (GDP) had consistently improved, and that the Philippines was on the verge of take off to becoming an industrialized country. She then tried to regale Congress and the people with visions of foster growth through her ambitious, unrealistic "growth area" development plans that offer huge chunks of the national territory for exploitation by foreign investors.

Recall that 12 years earlier, then President Fidel V. Ramos had boasted of the same claimed GDP growth, and prospect for the Philippines becoming a "newly industrialized" country or NIC. Recall also that the 1997 Asian financial crisis sent those claims and prospect coming down.

In her eighth SONA today, Gloria M. Arroyo can no longer make the same boast. As it happened in 1997, the severe economic crisis, spiked by the US financial meltdown and soaring prices of oil products and food, has shot down the GDP, with the immediate impact of impoverishing a greater number of Filipino families.

Gloria Arroyo cannot evade blame for this dire state of the nation by pointing to external causes as the culprits. What cannot be denied or hidden by contrived statistics is that the Philippine economy's growth has been gravely stunted. It has remained basically backward, with neither a modern agricultural base nor an industrial backbone to speak of, all because the Arroyo regime, like her predecessors, has adamantly stuck to the anti people neo-liberal globalization prescriptions of the IMF-WB-WTO triad – liberalization, deregulation and privatization.

By her canine devotion to both these multilateral instruments of global capitalist plunder and to the discredited George W. Bush administration, Mrs. Arroyo has deprived the economy and her government of any defensive shield and flexibility to withstand the destructive impacts of the frequently recurring crisis of global capital.

For these failed policies and programs, for her puppetry to the US, and for her betrayal of the national interest, aside from her other crimes against the people --- Gloria M. Arroyo must step down NOW, or else, we the people will bring her regime down, the sooner the better. ##

Stop The Killings Network - CANADA: The Statement of Deepak Obhrai at the House of Commons

The statement of Deepak Obhrai at the House of Commons (Canadian Parliament) on behalf of the Government.

Obhrai in his position as Parliamentary Secretary is the counterpart of the Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs (or deputy to Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson)

Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Calgary East, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Philippines faces serious human rights challenges, notably the ongoing extrajudicial killings and the apparent culture of impunity. Canada raised these concerns on April 11 during the Human Rights Council's universal periodic review of the Philippines.

Canada also encouraged the Philippines to ensure that its security forces are aware of human rights and their responsibility to protect human rights defenders.

Canada is encouraged that the Philippines has expressed its commitment to end extrajudicial killings through undertaking initiatives such as Task Force Usig, the Melo commission, and the visit of UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston. We also commend the laudable role of the Supreme Court in the preservation of human rights and in the pursuit of justice.

We encourage the Philippines to work at implementing the recommendations and to make progress on convictions. Canada supports the Philippines in implementing measures to promote and protect the human rights of all Filipinos.#

Rep. Satur Ocampo´s Eulogy for Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran

Eulogy for Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo
House of Representatives
My 29, 2008

Ka Osang, ang inyong mga anak, mga apo at iba pang mga kamag-anak. Ginoong Speaker, mga kasamang mambabatas dito sa Kongreso at sa Senado, mga kaibigan.

Sa nagdaang walong araw, mula ng gumulantang sa madla ang di inaasahang pagpanaw ni Kinatawang Crispin Beltran ng partidong Anakpawis bunga ng sakuna sa kanyang bahay, walang patid ang agos ng mga taong nakiramay ng personal sa kanyang pamilya at mga kasamahan.

Hindi rin mabilang ang mga taong nagpahayag, sa iba’t ibang kaparaanan, ng kanilang pagdadalamhati, pagpupugay at pagpapasalamat kay Ka Bel. Mula sa iba’t – ibang sulok ng Pilipinas, mula sa iba’t –ibang bansa sa buong daigdig, pinagpugayan si Ka Bel bilang lider manggagawa, bilang lider ng kilusang masa, bilang guro’t kasangga sa pakikibaka. Pinuri siya bilang parlyamentarista o mambabatas at bilang kaibigan, kasama at huwarang tao. Pinapatunayan lamang ng ganitong pambihirang pangyayari na sa higit na limang dekada ng buhay ni Ka Crispin Beltran, napakaraming tao sa iba’t-ibang antas ng katayuan sa lipunan, ngunit lalo’t higit sa hanay ng mga mahihirap, ang kanyang naapektuhan, naimpluwensyahan, napaliwanagan, natuwa’t napatawa at natulungan niyang maging higit na makabuluhang mamamayan.

Sa pagkalathala ng larawan sa mga pahayagan at sa telebisyon ng kanyang payak na tirahan sa Muzon, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan at ng pangyayaring nasawi siya sa pagkahulog habang sinisikap na kumpunihin ang bubong ng kanyang bahay, lalong dumami ang mga taong naapektuhan at matinding naimpluwensyahan ni Ka Crispin Beltran.

Maraming namangha at di-makapaniwala, maraming natauhan at nakonsyensya, at maraming humanga’t sumaludo kay Ka Bel. Tumambad sa kanila ang realidad na ganito pala kasimple ang pamumuhay ng isang Kongresistang manggagawa . Ganoon pala kasinop at kasipag sa kanyang bahay si Ka Bel, maging sa edad niyang 75 taon.

Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, all his life, Representative Crispin Beltran struggled furiously and lived and raised a family of 10 children simply and frugally. His having been elected to this Chamber for three terms --- to the 12th, 13th and 14th Congresses – did not change his lifestyle essentially. No matter that he rode to and from this House in a borrowed SUV or van. We shall miss Representative Crispin Beltran in this Chamber – he who always appeared well-dressed. He cut a dapper figure as he stood and walked in our midst.

Laging matikas ang bihis ni Ka Bel sa kanyang Barong Tagalog, ito man ay karaniwang jusi o may kulay na itim o pula. Oo pula ang paborito niyang kulay, ang suot niya ngayon sa kanyang pagkakahimlay.

Maging sa lansangan, sa mga martsa’t rali, matikas magbihis si Ka Bel, naka t-shirt man, kamisa de chino, kamisadentro o jacket. Matikas ngunit hindi marangyang magbihis si Crsipin Beltran.

Sa wari ko’y may pinagmanahan o may pinarisan sa pagbibihis at pag-iisip si Ka Bel. Iyon ay ang yumaong si Felixberto Olalia, Sr., ang batikang unyonista at pangunahing tagapagtatag at unang taga-pangulo ng Kilusang Mayo Uno na siyang sinundan sa pamunuan ni Ka Crispin Beltran.

Matikas magbihis si Ka Bert Olalia, di lamang dahil siya’s Kapampangan, ngunit higit dahil nais niyang ipahayag sa buong mundo na kahit mahirap ang manggagawa, marunong at maingat sa pamimihis, gaano man kasimple ang pananamit. Higit dito, ayon kay Ka Bert, may dignidad ang manggagawa: iginagalang ang sariling pagkatao at hinihiling na igalang siya ng kapwa manggagawa, ng ibang tao, at maging ng kapitalista.

Hindi ba Ka Bel, iyan din ang sinasabi mo? Ang totoo, kadalasan si Ka Bel mismo ang naglalaba ng kanyang sariling damit. Siya ang namamalantsa ng kanyang pantalon at barong.

At sinong mag-aakala na sa matikas na bihis ni Ka Bel, walang laman kundi barya ang kanyang pitaka? Mula noong maupo kami nina Representative Beltran at Representative Liza Maza bilang mga Kinatawan ng Bayan Muna Party-List sa 12th Congress, di iilang beses lumapit sa akin si Ka Bel at bumulong, “Ka Satur, may dalawang daan ka ba riyan? Pahiram muna,” sabay ng marahang tawa. Nitong 14th Congress, bunga marahil ng inflation, limang daan o libo na ang panaka-nakang hinihiram ni Ka Bel.

Sa aming tatlo sa 12th Congress, sa amin anim, ang tinaguriang “Batasan 6” noong 13th Congress, at sa aming lima ngayon sa 14th Congress, si Ka Bel ang namalaging tampok na pinakapayak ang uri at antas ng pamumuhay.

Sa aming magkakasamang progresibong kinatawang Party-List ng Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, at Gabriela Women’s Party, huwaran si Ka Bel sa pagsunod sa pamantayang itinakda ng aming mga partido -- ang maglingkod ng matapat sa bayan, at mamuhay ng simple at marangal.

Ganyan po ang maliit naming team na progresibong party-list representatives. Wala kaming malaking ari-arian, wala kaming marangyang mga bahay. Ang ginagamit naming ay segunda-manong mga sasakyang binili o hiniram. Ilang pirasong damit pambihis ang pinagsalit-salit namin at linggu-linggo ay nilalabhan. Sa pananghalian, kasalo at kahati naming kumain ang aming mga staff sa simple at kakaunting ulam.

Sa kabila nito, sa nagdaang walong taon, kami ang pinagdiskitahan ng mga palalo sa kapangyarihan. Tinangka nilang sagkaang manalo kami sa Kongreso sa pamamagitan ng pagsasampa ng mga gawa-gawang kasong pulitikal at kriminal. Ang aming mga lokal na lider at organisador ay dinarahas, dinudukot at pinapaslang.

Kaya po si Kasamang Crispin Beltran, sa edad na 73, ay inaresto nang walang warrant of arrest. Idinitine nang isa at kalahating taon hanggang pinawalambisa ng Korte Suprema ang pekeng kasong rebelyon laban sa aming “Batasan 6”.

Mga kasama at kaibigan, yumao si Rep. Crispin Beltran nang hindi nasindak, nanghina o yumukod sa mga nag-api sa kanya. Yumao siyang walang pusyaw ang kanyang tapang, komitment at katapatan sa bayang dalisay niyang minahal.

Walang bahid ang kanyang marangal na pangalan. Gaano man siya paulit-ulit na bansagang “manggugulo,” “komunista”, “kaaway ng estado”, mahigpit siyang niyayapos at inaangkin ng masang Pilipino bilang “bayani ng sambayanan”.

Ka Bel, dakila ka! Kaming iyong mga kasama ay hindi mamamaalam sa iyo. Ang lahat ng palalo at makitid ang isipan na umalipusta at nagpahirap sa iyo ay lalagpak sa madilim at mabahong basurahan ng kasaysayan. Subali’t ang maningning mong pangalan, ang diwa ng iyong katapatan at tapang ay sulong tatanglaw sa tatahakin naming daan; at titibok ng buong sigla sa aming mga puso, pipiglas, dadaloy sa aming mga ugat ang matimyas at marubdob mong pagmamahal sa masa at sa bayan.

Mabuhay ka, Ka Bel! Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) letter to the Hon. Maxine Bernier

Canadian Union of Postal Workers
377, rue Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1Y3. www.cupw-sttp.org

1301-A-100
May 6, 2008

The Hon. Maxime Bernier
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Dr.
Ottawa, Ontario K1A-OG2

Dear Minister Bernier,

Re: Harassment of Rep. Satur Ocampo and Two Other Members of Philippine Congress

On behalf of the 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), I am writing you to urgently request Canada's intervention with respect to the murder charges against Rep. Satur Ocampo and two other members of the Philippine House of Representatives.

The charges were filed on April 18 upon Mr. Ocampo's return from a visit in Canada, during which he appeared as a witness before the House of Commons Sub-Committee on International Human Rights. We are especially concerned about this development because Mr. Ocampo was also an international guest at CUPW's 23rd Triennial Convention during the week of April 13 to 17, along with two other Philippine parliamentarians, Mr. Crispin Beltran and Ms. Luz Ilagan.

The two parliamentarians who are charged with Mr. Ocampo are Rep. Teodoro Casino and Rep. Liza Maza who were also returning from travel overseas during which they spoke about the human rights situation in the Philippines. Mr. Casino was in Geneva for the United Nation's Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines and both he and Ms. Maza attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in South Africa where they reported on the continuing cases of political harassment against them.

CUPW believes that the Philippine Inter-Agency Legal Action (IALAG) is behind these charges in order to punish Mr. Ocampo and his Party List colleagues for daring to speak to the international community about the human rights abuses in the Philippines and for urging Canada and other governments to take action to ensure these abuses cease, particularly the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of activists. The IALAG, headed by National Security Advisor Mr. Norberto Gonzales, is named in the report of the UN Special Rapporteur, Prof. Philip Aston, as responsible for the filing of spurious charges against progressive opposition leaders.

CUPW has been made aware that this is not the first time that bogus charges have been used to harass Mr. Ocampo and other Party list legislators:

• On february 2007, Mr. Ocampo was arrested and detained for 18 days during an ongoing election campaign on charges of murders he allegedly committed in 1989. The Supreme Court dismissed the case.
• In 2006, "rebellion" charges were also dismissed against Representatives Ocampo, Casino, Beltran and Maza. Each of them spent two months under the protective custody of the Philippine Congress to prevent their arrest while Beltran was put under hospital arrest.

We are gravely concerned about the safety of these Members of Congress. These charges have been laid amidst the continuing and alarming climate of political killings, enforced disappearances and government inaction to end impunity. We strongly condemn the harassment and threat of arrest of Rep. Satur Ocampo and his co-accused parliamentarians.

CUPW therefore adds its voice to that of ther unions, human rights organizations, faith groups and social justice coalitions who are urging the Canadian government:

1) To send a representative from the Embassy in Manila to the May 12th hearing of Mr. Ocampo and his co-accused parliamentarians and to have the embassy continue to monitor the threat against them;

2) To express concern and condemn the ongoing harassment of Mr. Ocampo and these members of the opposition in a strong public statement;

3) To call on the Government of President Arroyo to implement the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur, and in particular the recommendation to abolish the Itner0Agency legal Action Group.

We further request that a report on this situation be presented to the members of the House of Commons Subcommittee on Inetrnational Human Rights, who met with the Philippine legislators during their visit to Canada.

Sincerely,

(SGD) Dennis Lemelin
CUPW National President

cc: Members of the house of Commons Sub-Committee on International Human Rights:
Mr. Scott Reid Hon. Jason Kenney
Mr. David Sweet Hon. Irwin Cotler
Mr. Mario Silva Ms. Diane Bourgeois
Mr. Wayne Marston

Paul Dewar, NDP M.P.
Ken Georgetti, President, Canadian Labour Congress
CUPW National Executive Committee
CUPW National Union Representatives
Specialists

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) open letter

Open letter protests harassment of Filipino Congress member

May 5, 2008 06:28 AM

CUPE has added its name to an open letter addressed to the Philippines government, condemning the harassment of Satur Ocampo, one of three members of the Philippines Congress on their return from an April visit to Canada to expose human rights abuses.

"We are seriously concerned for his safety" and that of Crispin Beltran and Luz Ilagan," the letter said. The three Congress members informed the Canadian public, media and members of Parliament at the Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights that more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances have occurred under the government of president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

"We view the timing of these events as punishment by the Philippines government for Ocampo’s courageous and principled stand against the ongoing human rights abuses in the Philippines – particularly the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances – that he and the two other elected legislators aired before the Canadian Parliament and the Canadian media," the letter added.

During the Ottawa leg of their visit, they met with CUPE equality branch director Anne Mcgrath and other union representatives among others.

The latest IPU Resolution on Batasan Six

Resolution adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council at its 182nd session (Cape Town, 18 April 2008)

110

PHILIPPINES
CASE No. PHI/01 - CRISPIN BELTRÁN CASE No. PHI/04 - TEODORO CASIÑO
CASE No. PHI/02 - SATURNIÑO OCAMPO CASE No. PHI/05 - LIZA MAZA
CASE No. PHI/03 - JOEL VIRADOR CASE No. PHI/06 - RAFAEL MARIANO

Resolution adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council at its 182nd session (Cape Town, 18 April 2008)

The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Crispin Beltran, Mr. Saturniño Ocampo, Mr. Joel Virador, Mr. Teodoro Casiño, Ms. Liza Maza and Mr. Rafael Mariano, who, apart from the latter, are all incumbent members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/182/12(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 181st session (October 2007),

Referring also to the Committee's report on its mission to the Philippines carried out from 18 to 21 April 2007, Taking into account the information and documents provided by the source at the hearing held on the occasion of the 118th IPU Assembly (April 2008), Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, Decisions, Resolutions and other texts 111

Recalling that on 1 June 2007 the Supreme Court dismissed the rebellion charges that had been brought in February 2006 against the incumbent and former parliamentarians concerned as being politically motivated and that, as a result, Mr. Crispin Beltran, who had been arrested on 25 February 2006, was released; that those charges had been brought by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), set up for the purpose of targeting perceived or supposed enemies of the State, and that the political parties to which the parliamentarians concerned belong and they themselves are regarded as such by that Group,

Recalling that, during the Committee's mission, the Assistant Chief State Prosecutor stated that the incitement to sedition case, which had initially been brought against Mr. Beltran, had been quashed; considering in this respect, however, that while the judge at the time had set aside his arraignment in this case on the ground of a pending motion for cancellation of arraignment, a new judge, Judge Manuel Sta. Cruz, on 10 July 2007, decided that the case against him should be continued and ordered his immediate arraignment, despite the pending appeal against the court order to proceed with the case; that Mr. Beltran has moved for the nullification of his arraignment and for the recusal of the judge; recalling that Mr. Beltran strongly denies having made the alleged seditious statement at a rally on 24 February 2006, a fact which media coverage and witness statements could easily prove, but that the prosecution dismissed this defence argument during the inquest proceedings,

Recalling further that, on 16 February 2007, a multiple murder case was brought against Mr. Ocampo and others, that he was arrested on 16 March 2007 and subsequently released on bail by the Supreme Court on 3 April 2007 pending the Court’s decision on his petition for certiorari and prohibition; noting that the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the petition,

Recalling that, in January 2007, a disqualification case was brought against the political parties of the parliamentarians concerned on the basis of yet another murder case (Nueva Ecija case) whereby the parliamentarians concerned, apart from Mr. Beltran, allegedly conspired together and planned the elimination of the supporters of another political party, Akbayan, an accusation which they strongly refute; considering that while the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) dismissed the disqualification petitions for “lack of merit”, the murder case is proceeding and that the panel of public prosecutors submitted it for resolution on 14 November 2007; that, according to the sources, the due process rights of the defendants have been seriously violated in the preliminary investigation insofar as the prosecutors denied their request for a clarification hearing, which was necessary in their view to establish the identity of the complainants who appeared with covered faces throughout the investigation phase, to clarify inconsistencies in their statements, and to verify whether their statements were voluntary since they are in the custody and under the control of the military; noting that the cases were submitted for resolution by the prosecution on 14 November 2007 and that, although public prosecutors are required to resolve cases within 60 days after their submission for resolution, this has still not occurred,

Considering that, on 17 May 2007, Mr. Casiño was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly preventing the arrest of an alleged CPP/NPA member, Mr. Vincent Borja; noting in this respect, however, that according to the sources, given the incidence of extrajudicial executions and abductions implicating the military, Mr. Casiño wanted to ensure respect for the right to liberty and security of the person concerned for whom the soldiers, who were not in uniform, had no arrest warrant, by asking the soldiers to present a warrant and accompany the arrested person to a military camp until he was transferred to the police; the Office of the City Prosecutor has yet to give its ruling on the matter,

Considering lastly that in March 2008 a petition for Writ of Amparo was filed against top officials of the CPP and Mr. Ocampo, which is pending at the Regional Trial Court of Basey, Western Samar, Branch 30, in connection with the alleged abduction of Ms. Elizabeth Gutierrez by communist rebels on 24 October 2007; a Writ of Amparo is designed to providing victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances the protection they need and the promise of vindication for their rights;

however, according to the source, the petition in this case has been filed with strong intervention from Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, Decisions, Resolutions and other texts

the military or State forces with the intention to abuse the use of the Writ of Amparo; in this respect, Lt. Col. Jonathan Ponce, Commanding Officer of 67th Infantry Battalion was quoted as saying: “This [the petition] could be a test case of the effectivity of the Writ of Amparo. They have used this against us.

We will apply the same to them.”,

Bearing in mind that, in the report on his mission to the Philippines, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions recommended inter alia that the IALAG be abolished, that the criminal justice system refocus on the investigation and prosecution of those committing extrajudicial executions and other serious crimes, and that the Supreme Court exercise its constitutional powers over the practice of law to impress upon prosecutors that they have a duty to the public to uphold and protect human rights by acting to ensure the effective investigation of cases and protection of witnesses, and that they should provide reasoned decisions for probable cause determinations,

1. Remains deeply concerned at the various criminal cases still pending against the parliamentarians concerned, in particular the fact that a new case had been brought againstRepresentative Casiño for what appears to have been merely his attempt to prevent an arbitrary arrest and ensure compliance with the law, which constitutes nothing more than exercising his duty as a member of parliament; is also concerned that a Writ of Amparo is now allegedly being used in bad faith against Mr. Ocampo;

2. Fears, given the political motivation behind the previous rebellion charges brought against the parliamentarians, that all these proceedings are part of an ongoing effort by the Government, inter alia through IALAG, aimed at removing them and their political parties from the democratic political process;

3. Remains confident that, in dealing with these cases, the prosecution and judicial authorities will abide by their duty not to proceed with any case on the basis of political considerations, recalls in this respect the Supreme Court’s ruling in the rebellion case in which it reiterated “the importance of maintaining the integrity of criminal prosecutions in general and preliminary investigations in particular” and stated the following: “We cannot emphasize too strongly that prosecutors should not allow, and should avoid giving the impression that their noble office is being used or prostituted, wittingly or unwittingly, for political ends”;

4. Wishes to be kept informed of the proceedings in the cases in question, including, where appropriate, through the intermediary of a trial observer;

5. Calls on the House of Representatives to exercise its oversight power and to monitor closely the proceedings in the cases in question in order to ensure due administration of justice;

6. Also calls on the authorities, and in particular on both houses of Parliament, to ensure follow-up to the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and would appreciate information on parliamentary action taken to this end;

7. Notes finally that Mr. Joel Virador, who is no longer a member of parliament, has no further charges pending against him; consequently decides to close his case;

8. Requests the Secretary General to convey this decision to the competent authorities, including the National Human Rights Commission, and to the other parties concerned;

9. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 119th Assembly of the IPU (Geneva, October 2008).

Ka Satur presentation before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development in Canada

Impunity for the Killings in the Philippines must End
Brief Presentation before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
Parliament of Canada
Ottawa, Canada
April 15, 2008

By Rep. Satur C. Ocampo

Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Philippines

On November 28, 2007, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Prof. Philip Alston released his final report on the spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines which had been occurring at an alarming rate over the past six years.

From this representation’s view, the Alston report is a well-documented and well-argued rebuke on the Arroyo government’s complicity, through the institutional arrangements that have permitted the killings to continue, and its failure to stop them.

Prof. Alston points to the Philippine military’s “state of denial” over the numerous cases of extrajudicial killings that involved its soldiers. The 900 documented cases to date of extrajudicial killings and 180 cases of enforced disappearances mostly of leftist activists have been attributed to state security forces and are widely believed to have been sanctioned by the Arroyo government through its counter-insurgency program.

Prof. Alston scrutinizes two “policy initiatives” of the Arroyo government that are “of special importance to understanding why the killings continue.” “First, the military’s counter-insurgency strategy against the CPP/NPA/NDF increasingly focuses on dismantling civil society organizations that are purported to be CPP front groups.” “Second…the criminal justice system has failed to arrest, convict, and imprison those responsible for extrajudicial executions. This is partly due to a distortion of priorities that has law enforcement officials focused on prosecuting civil society leaders rather than their killers.”

Thus the Alston report recommends, as top essential measure, that “extrajudicial executions must be eliminated from counterinsurgency operations.” It specifically calls for the following:

1. As Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, the President must take concrete steps to put an end to those aspects of counterinsurgency operations which have led to the targeting and execution of many individuals working with civil society organizations.

2. The necessary measures should be taken to ensure that the principle of command responsibility, as it is understood in international law, is a basis for criminal liability within the domestic legal order.

3. The Government should immediately direct all military officers to cease making public statements linking political or other civil society groups to those engaged in armed insurgencies. Any such characterizations belong solely within the power of the civilian authorities. They must be based on transparent criteria, and conform with the human rights provisions of the Constitution and relevant treaties.

4. Transparency must be introduced to the “orders of battle”, “watch lists”, and similar lists of individuals and organizations maintained by the AFP, PNP, and other elements of the national security system.

The report also recommends the abolishment of the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), which was formed by President Arroyo on January 17, 2006 mainly to build and file spurious charges of rebellion and criminal offenses against leaders and members of people’s organizations and political parties critical of the government. In fact, this representation is a victim of these politically motivated trumped-up charges.

According to Prof. Alston, “The most deleterious role played by the IALAG bodies, may however, be to encourage prosecutors to act as team players with the AFP and PNP in its counter-insurgency operations and to de-prioritize cases involving the deaths of leftist activists.”

None of these recommendations have been carried out by the Arroyo government. Even the government’s own fact-finding body, the Melo Commission, has recommended the investigation of a notorious military officer implicated in the killings but no such action has been taken to date.

The resolute efforts of human rights and people’s organizations, religious groups, and progressive political parties to document cases and bring them up to the United Nations, international bodies, governments and Parliaments paid off in 2007. The responses through strong international criticisms on and appeals to the Arroyo government and the initiatives of the Philippine Supreme Court – after calling an unprecedented national summit on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in July 2007 -- to institute mechanisms for the protection of human rights through the Writ of Amparo and the Writ of Habeas Data have largely contributed to the noticeable decline in the killings and abductions, since the beginning of 2008.

I emphasize decline, not a stop to the killings and abductions. The repeated announcements of President Arroyo and the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that they will unrelentingly pursue the counterinsurgency program billed as “Oplan Bantay Laya” until 2010 bodes continued, or intensified, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and other human rights violations.

Worse – and this is what I wish to highlight in this short presentation – the climate of impunity continues to pervade in the country as the perpetrators of the killings and abductions remain scot free. The victims and their families continue to cry out for justice.

I must point out that this climate of impunity on human rights violations started in the dark days of martial law under President Ferdinand E. Marcos (1972 – 1985). Succeeding governments have failed to resolve this impunity that has worsened under the Arroyo government.

In this light, I appeal to you, my fellow parliamentarians, to urge the Canadian government to:

1. Call on the Philippine government to decisively hold accountable those responsible for the killings and enforced disappearances;

2. Urge the Philippine government to implement the recommendations of the Alston report, not limited to those cited in this presentation;

3. Urge the Philippine government to abandon its counterinsurgency program that regards activists as “enemies of the state” and are therefore subject to outright attacks and annihilation by government troops and agents;

4. Call on President Arroyo to immediately certify the enactment of pending legislations in Congress that penalize enforced disappearances, torture and define the command responsibility of military officers whose troops are involved in the commission of such offenses;

5. Call for a review of Canadian aid to the Philippine government to determine if funds may have been funneled for the commission of human rights violations against civilians by state security forces and agents, and to base further aid on the implementation of the Alston report recommendations and the overall improvement of the human rights situation.

6. Call on the Philippine government to provide aid for the victims and families of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances and support efforts of non-government organizations to protect and promote human rights, and put an end to the killings and abductions.

7. Request the Canadian government to inform the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development on the actions it has taken on the preceding six points.

Thank you for this opportunity to interface with you. I will gladly answer questions and welcome comments from you. #

DAMAYAN.MB NEWS ARTICLE IN WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

KA SATUR URGES WINNIPEGGERS TO HELP STOP THE KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES, April 16, 2008

KA SATUR’s ARRIVAL – April 10
It was past midnight or more accurately very early Friday morning, April 11 when Ka Satur finally came down from the airplane. The rest of the passengers on the plane had all come down and were already picking up their luggage when finally Ka Satur came out the door. He met some Filipino families waiting for their relatives.

A light dinner awaited Ka Satur at Orli and Flor’s house. For dessert, fresh fruits and a strawberry mouse cake bought by Orli and served as Ka Satur’s birthday cake.

RADIO CKJS INTERVIEW – April 11 Ka Satur woke up early for the live interview at the radio program “Good Morning Philippines” at CKJS 810 AM. Lito Taruc, news director of the radio
program warmly welcomed Ka Satur and Orli to the studio booth.

Lito had ready questions for Ka Satur ranging from the purpose of the solons’ Canadian tour to the rice crisis in the Philippines. At exactly 8:00 am the live interview at the radio station started. Lito Taruc asked several questions such as the purpose of his trip to Canada. Taruc also asked how many journalists have been killed, the latest news on the disappearance of Jonas Burgos and the looming rice crisis in the Philippines.

Ka Satur gave a detailed account of evidences gathered, linking the military to the abduction of Jonas Burgos and the military’s continued denial of its participation in the abduction. Ka Satur narrated how the Supreme Court initiated actions such as the writ of amparo and writ of
habeas data have been availed by victims’ families.

Other topics discussed briefly in the interview were:
- Pesos 125 daily minimum wage
- overseas Filipino workers
- Spratlys Island
- Senate Blue Ribbon committee
- The need for reconsideration of the Supreme Court decision upholding the Secrecy or privileged status of communication by the Executive branch
- Human rights group in Japan decried the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines

Likewise, he discussed the continuing political repression and the continuing climate of impunity pervading in the country as the perpetrators of the killings and abductions remain scot-free.
The victims and their families continue to cry out for justice.

At around 9:30 am, Ka Satur went to the Manitoba Legislature, which had morning session on Friday. Ka Satur, Orli, an official tour guide and driver and Mayon Marcelino, cinematographer were seated in the Speaker’s gallery as guests of House Speaker George Hickes. Before the Question Period started Speaker Hickes introduced Ka Satur to the House.

MEDIA INTERVIEW
At 10:15 am, Ka Satur was interviewed by Winnipeg Free Press correspondent Allie Walld at Broadway Disciples Church. The article written by Allie Walld was published the following day, April 12. Before the interview, Ka Satur received a text message from Geneva saying that Canada, together with 18 other countries raised their strong concerns of the continued political repression in the Philippines and the lack of concrete steps in implementing Philip Ashton’s recommendation to solve the extra judicial killings.

LUNCH WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
At noon was a private lunch at the Legislative Bldg. dining room hosted by House Speaker George Hickes. There were only seven people in the room so the exchange of pleasantries and stories were candid and animated-- with the Speaker sharing some very interesting stories in the course of fulfilling his duties.

MEETING THE PREMIER OF MANITOBA
At 2pm, Ka Satur with representatives from Youth, Daisydee Bautista of University of Winnipeg-Filipino Students Association, Susan Rodriguez from Grassroots women, Les Crisostomo, a filipino elder, and Orli Marcelino of Damayan, met with the Premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer and MLA Flor Marcelino.

Ka Satur thanked the premier for Canada’s strong stand against continued political repression in the first-ever Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the Philippines’ human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

EXCERPT OF CONVERSATION between Congressman Satur Ocampo and Premier Gary Doer of Manitoba at Manitoba Legislature

Doer: Welcome to Manitoba. I know Flor has been with you and have met Les Crisostomo. We welcome you to Manitoba and we had a wonderful visit to the Philippines. We are very proud of the activities

Satur: I am pleased and very honoured to be able to visit Manitoba Legislative Assembly. I am an opposition, deputy minority leader, two other colleagues only one able to come to Winnipeg we are basically following through with an international campaign to put pressure on our government to stop the political killings that has been building up since 2001 to 2007 a perceptible abatement in the rate of killings but nonetheless 60 cases already at the beginning of this year. We intended to present the case to the subcommittee on human rights to Parliament I was elated to get a report this morning that the delegation of the Canadian government at the United Nations Human Rights Council had made a very strong statement that killings and the failure of the government to hasten the prosecution of the perpetrators. This is the issue of impunity that is more important to us because if none of the perpetrators of these killings are
brought to justice there is no guarantee that it could be stopped. Apparently there has been a coming around on the part of the Canadian government.

I think representations from some constituencies here of Filipinos and Canadians and also representations of human rights organizations. It is very important that this is followed through with the Philippine government. I am also interested in learning about the conditions of Filipinos
here. I’m glad to find out that only in Manitoba is the government making an inquiry into the cases of caregivers – the live-in caregiver program which is a subject of our questions in the House of Representatives of our inquiry on how we maybe work together to improve the conditions of our overseas workers that are coming in here as live-in caregivers. I read the
literature that it is your government in Manitoba that is addressing these issues already. I am glad to hear and know about that.

Doer: Thank you very much. Certainly we welcome you here and we support all efforts to ensure that people can participate and disagree in a democracy but that is not, they do not have to put their life at risk as part of a democratic process. So I know that the people living in Manitoba from the Philippines with strong roots and family in the Philippines have different political views here. There are different political views here (and) sometimes when the government changes there is different views in the community. But there is no disagreement on the democratic right to participate and debate and to be free of fear and favor from the government of the day. So I am pleased that Canada generally has supported human rights in all democracies or alleged democracies in the world, including in the Philippines. I know the human rights group of the United Nations is reviewing some of the specific cases. We certainly obviously as one government do not interfere in the affairs of democracy in the Philippines but we do value human rights. In fact we are very proud that the Canadian Human Rights Museum will be locating with help from the Philippine community here, in Winnipeg and for the whole country.

We also supported the idea of improving the immigration protection for Philippine people particularly in the area of immigration recruiters ensuring there is the standards of rights for people that are recruited in terms of what they can expect into Manitoba and as you said included in that is the rights of people when they are here as care givers to make sure there
is no abuse or any using of visa as lever to have people living in horrible working condition or deficient human rights as people working here so we really do appreciate your advice in this regard. We are careful not to interfere with the internal politics of any government but we do stand for human rights as well as a Canadian people.

Satur: I think we share the same view with regards to human rights it’s an international universal interest. It is not necessarily intervention and when a government calls attention on another when human rights violations are being committed it is a two way traffic and we are looking towards building a stronger relationship with your government and our people with the increasing number of people coming to Canada in the foreseeable future.

Doer: Do you have the time when the human rights reports to come up of the United Nations. I heard it is expected shortly on some of the issues that have been raised by people from the Philippines on treatment of political opponents and the extreme treatment of individuals killed for political dissent.

Satur: our focus here is to convince the president to implement the recommendations of the Alston report. Mr. Alston was able to establish quite clearly what he called two initiatives of the president can explain the increasing incidences of human rights violations particularly the extra
judicial killings. One was the infusion of extra judicial killings as an element in the counter insurgency operation and the anti terrorism operation. And secondly some innovations in the prosecutorial system in the preparation of cases for the national security in which the prosecutor is made to work hand in glove with the military for the security forces. It is not the justice dept but the national intelligence security board that is guiding the preparation of cases. And incidentally we are targets, victims of those cases one of which significantly was reviewed by the Supreme Court and ordered dismissed with the sanction of the dept of justice that it should
not allow its prosecutors to be influenced by political considerations in the preparation of cases. So Mr. Alston saw through that and says the best thing to do is to abolish that agency instead of running after the perpetrators or the killers it is targetting the victims. So this is a very important point.

Doer: Yes we certainly again will watch this very carefully as a province which deals with the national government. I am pleased to hear that you feel Canada is on your side in terms of these issues. I don’t expect any weakening of that position by Canada because of our long tradition of
supporting democracy not only the party that wins but also the right of dissent and opposition in an adversarial system all of us who have been in government have been opposition leaders before. Or most of us have been in opposition before for too long. So it is very much a part of our
democracy. (a full transcript of the meeting will follow)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PRESS CONFERENCE
At 3:00 pm, after the meeting with Premier Gary Doer and MLA Flor Marcelino, Ka Satur went straight to the press conference. There were 4 newspaper editors present. Unfortunately, Global TV and CBC TV got lost and did not show up. Later, we learned that CKND-TV had a story on Ka Satur’s meeting with the Premier Gary Doer which was shown on the evening news using the press release sent to them and the video footage of the meeting with Premier Gary Doer.

PRE-CBC RADIO INTERVIEW
Immediately after the press conference was a telephone pre-interview with Farah of CBC Radio for Anna Marie Tremonti of the Current, a popular nationally-aired radio program.

(CBC Radio interview with solons link (at the site please scroll to the bottom and press "Play Part Three"): http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/200804/20080415.html

QUICK REST
Ka Satur had a quick change of clothes and a 10-minute nap.

PULONG BAYAN - THE FORUM
The forum at Broadway Disciples United Church last night was well attended. We had an early count of 159 in attendance around the middle part of the forum. Some more people came later on. The forum started with the video showing – Philippines, Waging War on its People, a film by Malcom Guy and Marie Boti. The people were gripped by the powerful and emotional appeal of the life of Dr Chandu Claver and his family.

After the video presentation, Fagie Fainman of Grassroots Women introduced her “hero,” Ka Satur. She told the story how she met the man during her first visit to the Philippines in 2002 as part of Canadian factfinding delegation in Mindanao.

Ka Satur spoke passionately for three hours and people stayed until the very last hour. He spoke about the killings, when it started, his comparison of the present regime to the late dictator Marcos, the continuing hardships of the Filipino people. Ka Satur’s 40 years of struggle could not be told for one night only. The audience listened intently as Ka Satur narrated the persecution and the killings of Bayan Muna’s men and women, members of clergy, journalists, human rights lawyers, workers, activists, trade unionists.

It was getting late and there was no sense of the forum ending yet so Orli, the emcee announced that people could take their dinner and go back to the seats to listen to Ka Satur. Some people did not leave their seats when told to get their food so as not to miss out on what Ka Satur was saying. In a way last night’s dinner could serve as Ka Satur’s birthday celebration. We had pancit, fried chicken, pandesal and butter, french fries and a variety of fresh fruits.

Q & A
Before the Question and Answer portion, a young lady, Daren Nuevo sang “Buksan ang Iyong Puso.” The Q&A moderator was Alex Beltran, a former UST professor. There were lots of questions like Ka Satur’s past as a rebel, his advice for young people, how he could go on with the
struggle, the rice crises, the killings and the graft and corruption. Ka Satur received two standing ovations at the forum.

FORUM’S END
After the Q&A, he was mobbed by the crowd: students, middle-aged and like a celebrity, they sought to be photographed with him. One guy even asked for his autograph. After the forum, a lot of people congratulated us, Damayan.MB for bringing Ka Satur to Winnipeg, for a job well done!!! We had to tell them again like what we said in the beginning of the forum that this solons tour was a concerted effort of different organizations.

THE MORNING AFTER
Ka Satur left for Montreal at 8 am after a 10-minute breakfast. In three hours it would be Montreal community who will be blessed and inspired with his story of love for our country and our peoples’ struggles for justice and sovereignty. CLEARLY, this leg of this solons’ tour is part of bigger campaign –to stop the extra-judicial killings in the Philippines and it happened as a culmination of a very well organized plan of groups of dedicated individuals from the Philippines
to Canada, from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

DAMAYAN.MB thanks all who participated and contributed to the success of this great event!!! In Winnipeg, the Solons’ tour was co-sponsored by St. Stephens Broadway Foundation, Broadway Disciples United Church, CKJS, UW-FSA, UM-Sigaw and the Philippine Times.