Category: Peace and Order

Truth cannot be killed

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2016

Edgar Matobato swears to tell the truth nothing but the truth at the Senate hearing. Sept. 15, 2016.

If the allies of President Duterte in the Senate think that the public will never know the truth in the testimony of Edgar Matobato, self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad, now that Sen. Leila de Lima has been ousted as chair of the committee on justice and human rights, they should be reminded that truth always finds its way to come out.

Not now, maybe. Sometimes, it takes a more circuitous route, but it will come out.

One of the stories Matobato narrated in his testimony last week was the alleged order of then Davao City mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte to kill the bodyguards of former House Speaker Prospero Nograles who ran against Duterte’s daughter, Sara, for mayor in the 2010 elections.

Sobrang galing ni Alan Cayetano

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2016

Unang lumabas ang column na ito sa Abante (http://www.abante.com.ph/prangkahan-sobrang-galing-ni-alan-cayetano.htm)

Bilib na talaga ako kay Sen. Alan Cayetano.

Biruin nyo walang naka-isip sa mga senador sa hearing ng Senado tungkol sa mga nangyayari na extra-judicial killings kunektado sa kampanya ni Pangulong Duterte na i-testing ang kredibilidad ng witness na si Edgar Matobato.

Sabi ni Matobato, dati daw siyang miyembro ng Davao Death Squad at marami siyang sinalihan na operasyon na pagpatay sa utos daw ni Duterte.

Sabi niya,may ilan sila pinatay na binalot nila ng “masking tape.”

The President’s instructions under a State of Lawless Violence

Published by Ellen on September 4, 2016

President Duterte inspecting the Davao City night market -scene of the bombing Sept. 2 bombing.

We condemn the bombing at the Davao night market bombing last Friday which killed 14 people and injured more than 70.

We pray for strength for the families of those who died and were injured. We pray for justice for the victims and that includes all of the Filipino people.

Authorities are still investigating who are the perpetrators. Nothing definite yet except that the explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

There are as many speculations as there are spokesmen. Early reports said the terrorist group, the Abu Sayyaf, had claimed responsibility only to be denied later.

Duterte does a delicate balancing act

Published by Ellen on July 31, 2016

Duterte announces lifting of unilateral ceasefire July 29. Photo by Rene Lumawag of PPD

Last Monday, July 25, in his first State- of-the- Nation- Address, President Duterte was applauded when he declared a unilateral ceasefire in the armed conflict with the communist rebels.

He said: “To immediately stop violence on the ground, restore peace in the communities and provide enabling environment conducive to the resumption of the peace talks, I am now announcing a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP/NPA/NDF effective immediately. And call on our Filipinos in the National Democratic Front and its forces to respond accordingly.”

Before the week ended, he withdrew that headline grabbing announcement. At 7 p.m. of Saturday, July 30, Presidential Spokesperson Ernie Abella read the President’s statement:

Centerlaw voices alarm over Duterte’s acceptance of kangaroo court

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2016

Policemen released by NPA to Duterte. Photo from Bulatlat.

Centerlaw, a non-government organization dedicated to the promotion of the Rule of Law in the Philippines and Asia, reminded President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte that as president of the Philippines, which he will be in 23 days, he is legally bound to ensure that every one within Philippine sovereignty is accorded due process of law.

Centerlaw expressed grave concern over the statement of Duterte that he is leaving the fate of General Generoso, Davao Oriental police Chief Inspector Arnold Ognachen to his captors, the New People’s Army.

Duterte, which has included the Communist Party of the Philippines in his government, had worked for the release of policemen captured by the CPP’s armed group before the May elections. He had also called for the release of Ognachen, who was captured when the NPA recently raided the Davao Oriental police station.

But in his press conference last Thursday, Duterte said an NPA commander told him that they seized drug from Ognachen adding the rebel leaders would not lie to him.

Why did Aquino float the ‘baseless alternative truth’?

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2015

Aquino belies his own alternative truth in a Malacanang presentation.Photo by Lauro Montellano, Jr. / Malacanang Photo Bureau.

A week after he floated an “alternative version” to the killing of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli “Marwan”bin Hir last January which also cost the lives of 63 people, 44 of them members of the elite Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, President Aquino yesterday belied it saying it was “baseless.”

In a televised presentation, Aquino said: “It is clear from the presentation today: the SAF were there; we can no longer doubt that it was the SAF who took Marwan’s finger. This also means: All the other accounts about the alternative narrative are baseless, and consequently have no relevance.”

But it was he who floated what he now says are “baseless” alternative narrative.
He did it during a meeting with Inquirer editors and reporters last week.

Aquino allergic to SAF 44

Published by Ellen on August 9, 2015

Pres. Aquino at the PNP 114th anniversary. Photo by Joseph Vidal, Malacanang Photo Bureau.

With President Aquino, what you see is what you get.

He is not good at masking his lack of concern and sympathy for the everyday problems of Filipinos. Like when Tacloban businessman Kenneth Yu Uy complained to him during in his post-Yolanda visit to Tacloban in November 2013 about the peace and order breakdown in the typhoon-devastated province and he snapped at him “Eh buhay ka pa naman, di ba?” (Uy died last week of a heart attack.)

He is honest. He is no hypocrite.

That’s why Malacañang and Philippine National Police officials should stop making excuses about the deletion of the names two of the 44 members of the Special Action Force who died in the Mamasapano tragedy last January to capture two terrorists in the Wanted List of the United States.

Mei Magsino

Published by Ellen on April 15, 2015

From Mei's Facebook, Feb, 2015 — From Mei’s Facebook, Feb, 2015

Mei Magsino once told a foreign reporter interviewing her on the challenges journalists who take on the powerful face in the Philippines, “The list of murdered journalists here is too long. I have to survive.I don’t want to become another statistic.”

Last Monday, Mei was added to the growing list of journalists killed in the country, which boasts of having the freest press in Asia. The Philippines also bears the ignominious distinction of one among the countries considered to be the most dangerous working place for journalists.

It was a shock to learn about Mei’s murder.

Mei was shot dead by motorcycle riding gunmen (riding in tandem again!) high noon, Monday while she was walking near her house in barangay Balagtas in Batangas.

The killing was so brazen, all we could say do was echo the lament that then Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez asked when he survived an ambush, ” “What is happening to our country, General?”

Let him finish his term

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2015

Militant group renews call for Aquino to step down.

I hold President Aquino accountable for the death of 44 Special Action Force commandos but I don’t want him forced to shorten his term which is due to end on June 30 next year.

I’m not joining calls for him to resign. I’m against a coup de’etat.

I want him to finish his mandate which the Filipino electorate bestowed on him when they elected him five years ago.

But he should shape up and take seriously his responsibilities as President.

He owes it to the Filipino people even to those who didn’t vote for him.

Celebrities show conscience and heart for the 44 SAF heroes

Published by Ellen on February 3, 2015

apl.de.ap leads a rousing tribute to the 44 SAF heroes.

Wearing black arm bands emblazoned with “44”, apl.de.ap of the international hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas and one of the judges of The Voice PH, led the performance of one the group’s hits, “Where is the Love?” in last Sunday’s episode of the singing competition.

The lyrics were sharply apt: “Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism/But we still got terrorists here livin’….

“Madness is what you demonstrate/And that’s exactly how anger works and operates/…
“Father, Father, Father help us/Send some guidance from above/’Cause people got me, got me questionin’/Where is the love (Love)…

“Makin’ wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends/Not respectin’ each other, deny thy brother/
A war is goin’ on but the reason’s undercover…

“The truth is kept secret, it’s swept under the rug/If you never know truth then you never know love/
Where’s the love, y’all, come on (I don’t know)”