12.05.2005
Newsbriefs 05 December Afternoon
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Reds denounce EU for putting them on terror list (news.inq7.net)
COMMUNIST rebels on Monday denounced the European Union for blacklisting them as a terrorist group, saying this would hamper possible peace talks and increase the repression of their followers.
The National Democratic Front (NDF), the international representative of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and their guerrilla arm, the New People's Army (NPA), also accused the EU of pandering to the United States.
Both the United States, the main ally of the Philippines, and the EU have put the communists on their lists of "international terrorist organizations," hampering the flow of funds to the insurgents from their sympathizers abroad.
In a statement issued in Manila, the NDF said that the guerrilla movement had "never engaged in any transnational or cross-border act of violence upon its adversaries."
The rebels also said the EU listing had a particularly adverse effect on the founder of the communist movement, Jose Maria Sison, who is living in self-exile in the Netherlands.
The NDF also said that the terrorism label was "contributing to the paralysis" of the communists' peace negotiations with the government while emboldening security forces to commit "human rights violations."
The CPP has waged a 36-year-long Maoist campaign to seize power in the Philippines, including attacks on government forces and on rural businesses that refuse to pay their extortion demands.
In late November, an NPA spokesman warned that the rebels were going to step up their attacks in the coming weeks.
Peace talks between Manila and the communists ground to a halt last year after the rebels demanded the government campaign to have them removed from the EU and US terror blacklists.
NDF to Arroyo: War or peace? (news.inq7.net)
LUCENA CITY-- It’s either all-out war or peace talks.
The communist-led National Democratic Front said these were the only options left for the Arroyo administration in the wake of the intensified attacks being waged by New People's Army rebels in various parts of the country.
Luis Jalandoni, chair of the NDF peace panel, however, expects the government to continue with its hard-line militarist solution to insurgency and refuse to comply with its obligations under previous peace agreements and reject proposals to resume formal peace talks.
Jalandoni told the Inquirer in response to an e-mailed query that it was also possible that, finding itself in an increasingly desperate and isolated position, the Arroyo administration would decide to start complying with its obligations and move toward resuming the formal talks.
Jalandoni stressed the revolutionary movement "is prepared for either way the Arroyo regime will decide."
From the People's War Bulletin index posted on the CPP-NPA website, the communist guerrillas claimed to have staged, from September 20 to Nov. 21, a total of 68 ambuscades, tactical offensives and harassment of government forces in different parts of the country, killing many soldiers and carting away high-powered weapons and ammunition.
Jalandoni admitted the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines, in a directive in September, had ordered the NPA rebels to intensify nationwide tactical offensives against military, police and paramilitary forces.
He said the intensified NPA attacks were aimed "to isolate the Arroyo regime further and to embarrass the military and police with their losses."
Jalandoni predicted the continuous attacks by communist guerrillas would gradually advance the revolution from its present strategic defensive to a strategic stalemate stage and finally to a strategic offensive stage.
"That is the way for the people to gain political power. The offensives are now being stepped up because the oppressive and exploitative ruling system is in severe crisis, is very weak and is ripe for the offensives," Jalandoni said.
Left-wing activist gunned down in Bataan (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
A left-wing activist was gunned down in Abucay, Bataan, Monday morning, DZMM reported.
The victim was identified as Cathy Alcantara, 43, member of the left-wing Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya.
Initial reports indicated that Alcantara was shot down by still unidentified gunmen while she was walking with her children inside County Resort, Barangay Gabun, Abucay.
The suspects immediately escaped after the shooting.
Alcantara's death came less than a week after the murder of Bayan Muna regional coordinator Pepeng Manegdeg in Barangay Apatot, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur last November 28.
Before Manegdeg, the last Bayan Muna officer killed was Ricardo "Ding" Uy, Bayan Muna provincial coordinator for Sorsogon and the president of the Media Reporters Association of the province.
Panel recommends raps vs execs over Garcillano 'escape' (news.inq7.net)
THE Department of Justice's (DoJ) "Task Force Garci" has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against immigration and air transport officials for the “sneaky departure” of former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
In its 23-page report to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, the task force said Garcillano’s departure “unknown to everyone, even to the government agencies mandated to regulate the travel of Filipinos, showed lapses in procedures, gaps in coordination and weaknesses in strict enforcement and implementation of policies.”
The panel recommended that officials on duty from the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Quarantine, Manila International Airport Authority and the Air Transportation Office when Garcillano reportedly fled overseas via Singapore in July should be charged with negligence.
“The circumstances behind former commissioner Garcillano’s sneaky departure are alarming and could set a dangerous precedent if not checked,” the panel said.
DOLE: Lower RP unemployment rate seen in Oct (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday said it expects the country's unemployment rate to have gone down last October due to more jobs particularly in the services sector.
Labor Secretary Patricia Sto Tomas said latest DOLE statistics showed that the country gained an estimated 500, 000 jobs, reducing unemployment to 2.7 million in the third quarter. She added that the figure is lower than the 3.2 million unemployed in the same period last year.
"I am hoping to see [employment] rise in October because it is usually in that month that our employment rate rises," Sto. Tomas told DZMM. ¶ 3:33 PM
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Reds denounce EU for putting them on terror list (news.inq7.net)
COMMUNIST rebels on Monday denounced the European Union for blacklisting them as a terrorist group, saying this would hamper possible peace talks and increase the repression of their followers.
The National Democratic Front (NDF), the international representative of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and their guerrilla arm, the New People's Army (NPA), also accused the EU of pandering to the United States.
Both the United States, the main ally of the Philippines, and the EU have put the communists on their lists of "international terrorist organizations," hampering the flow of funds to the insurgents from their sympathizers abroad.
In a statement issued in Manila, the NDF said that the guerrilla movement had "never engaged in any transnational or cross-border act of violence upon its adversaries."
The rebels also said the EU listing had a particularly adverse effect on the founder of the communist movement, Jose Maria Sison, who is living in self-exile in the Netherlands.
The NDF also said that the terrorism label was "contributing to the paralysis" of the communists' peace negotiations with the government while emboldening security forces to commit "human rights violations."
The CPP has waged a 36-year-long Maoist campaign to seize power in the Philippines, including attacks on government forces and on rural businesses that refuse to pay their extortion demands.
In late November, an NPA spokesman warned that the rebels were going to step up their attacks in the coming weeks.
Peace talks between Manila and the communists ground to a halt last year after the rebels demanded the government campaign to have them removed from the EU and US terror blacklists.
NDF to Arroyo: War or peace? (news.inq7.net)
LUCENA CITY-- It’s either all-out war or peace talks.
The communist-led National Democratic Front said these were the only options left for the Arroyo administration in the wake of the intensified attacks being waged by New People's Army rebels in various parts of the country.
Luis Jalandoni, chair of the NDF peace panel, however, expects the government to continue with its hard-line militarist solution to insurgency and refuse to comply with its obligations under previous peace agreements and reject proposals to resume formal peace talks.
Jalandoni told the Inquirer in response to an e-mailed query that it was also possible that, finding itself in an increasingly desperate and isolated position, the Arroyo administration would decide to start complying with its obligations and move toward resuming the formal talks.
Jalandoni stressed the revolutionary movement "is prepared for either way the Arroyo regime will decide."
From the People's War Bulletin index posted on the CPP-NPA website, the communist guerrillas claimed to have staged, from September 20 to Nov. 21, a total of 68 ambuscades, tactical offensives and harassment of government forces in different parts of the country, killing many soldiers and carting away high-powered weapons and ammunition.
Jalandoni admitted the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines, in a directive in September, had ordered the NPA rebels to intensify nationwide tactical offensives against military, police and paramilitary forces.
He said the intensified NPA attacks were aimed "to isolate the Arroyo regime further and to embarrass the military and police with their losses."
Jalandoni predicted the continuous attacks by communist guerrillas would gradually advance the revolution from its present strategic defensive to a strategic stalemate stage and finally to a strategic offensive stage.
"That is the way for the people to gain political power. The offensives are now being stepped up because the oppressive and exploitative ruling system is in severe crisis, is very weak and is ripe for the offensives," Jalandoni said.
Left-wing activist gunned down in Bataan (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
A left-wing activist was gunned down in Abucay, Bataan, Monday morning, DZMM reported.
The victim was identified as Cathy Alcantara, 43, member of the left-wing Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya.
Initial reports indicated that Alcantara was shot down by still unidentified gunmen while she was walking with her children inside County Resort, Barangay Gabun, Abucay.
The suspects immediately escaped after the shooting.
Alcantara's death came less than a week after the murder of Bayan Muna regional coordinator Pepeng Manegdeg in Barangay Apatot, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur last November 28.
Before Manegdeg, the last Bayan Muna officer killed was Ricardo "Ding" Uy, Bayan Muna provincial coordinator for Sorsogon and the president of the Media Reporters Association of the province.
Panel recommends raps vs execs over Garcillano 'escape' (news.inq7.net)
THE Department of Justice's (DoJ) "Task Force Garci" has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against immigration and air transport officials for the “sneaky departure” of former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
In its 23-page report to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, the task force said Garcillano’s departure “unknown to everyone, even to the government agencies mandated to regulate the travel of Filipinos, showed lapses in procedures, gaps in coordination and weaknesses in strict enforcement and implementation of policies.”
The panel recommended that officials on duty from the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Quarantine, Manila International Airport Authority and the Air Transportation Office when Garcillano reportedly fled overseas via Singapore in July should be charged with negligence.
“The circumstances behind former commissioner Garcillano’s sneaky departure are alarming and could set a dangerous precedent if not checked,” the panel said.
DOLE: Lower RP unemployment rate seen in Oct (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday said it expects the country's unemployment rate to have gone down last October due to more jobs particularly in the services sector.
Labor Secretary Patricia Sto Tomas said latest DOLE statistics showed that the country gained an estimated 500, 000 jobs, reducing unemployment to 2.7 million in the third quarter. She added that the figure is lower than the 3.2 million unemployed in the same period last year.
"I am hoping to see [employment] rise in October because it is usually in that month that our employment rate rises," Sto. Tomas told DZMM. ¶ 3:33 PM
