Mining is root cause of killing of indigenous peoples, envi advocates
Manila—Anti-mining and human rights group led an indignation rally at the Sagittarius Mines Inc.-Xstrata (SMI-Xstrata) Head Office in Makati, Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame early today condemning the massacre of Capion Family in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur last October 18.
The Mindanao Peoples‟ Peace Movement (MPPM) Inc. joins the public in rejoicing the historic signing of Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro on October 15, 2012 in Malacanang Palace by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Panel Chairman, Atty. Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Panel Chairman, Mohagher Iqbal as witnessed by Malaysian facilitator, Tengku Dato‟ Ab Ghafar bin Tengku Mohamed in the presence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines His Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato‟ Sri Hj. Mod Najib Biun Tun Hj. Abdul Razak, and Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Al Haj Murad Ibrahim.
We commend with highest distinction these honorable people for their gift of audacity and statesmanship as channel for the peoples‟ self-determination.
On Wednesday the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a contempt judgment against Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Imelda Marcos and the Estate of Ferdinand E. Marcos. The judgment, $353.6 million, is believed to be the largest contempt award ever affirmed by an appellate court. Robert Swift, lead counsel for the 10,000 Filipino human rights victims who obtained a judgment against Ferdinand E. Marcos and his Estate in 1995, expressed satisfaction with the new judgment. “The Marcoses have thumbed their noses at the United States court and Filipino human rights victims ever since the $2 billion judgment was entered in 1995. They were caught trying to dissipate the Marcos Estate’s assets to re-capitalize their political dynasty in the Philippines. This new judgment is against Imelda Marcos and her son personally for their misconduct. It broadens the possibilities for collection of money to the human rights victims. The victims can be assured they we will vigorously and aggressively seek to collect this sum.”
MANILA, Philippines – Days after launching a national campaign on the right to adequate food, leaders of the newly-formed National Food Coalition (NFC) pitch five essential elements or components of a framework for a national program to achieve the country’s goal of rice self-sufficiency.
NFC conveners wrote a letter to Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III and made the pitch, which is “based upon our long experience in the countryside and the urban areas to ensure food on our tables and also backed up by close study and research.”
For the last two weeks, I’ve had sleepless nights. It was two weeks ago that I saw a front-page newspaper photo of the book launch of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s memoir. The picture showed President Aquino shaking hands with Senator Enrile, while Imelda Marcos looked on. A chill went down my spine. Just a couple of days before, I sat at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani memorial listening to President Aquino addressing the families of the Martial Law dead.