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Fact-finding mission finds Geertman killing politically-motivated

Friday, July 6, 2012

Fact-finding mission finds Geertman killing politically-motivated


Witnesses said the killers forced Willem Geertman to his knees and shouted invectives at him before pulling the trigger.

Related story: Dutch environmentalist killed in Pampanga
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — It was not a robbery but a cold-blooded political killing. Dutch development worker Willem Geertman’s killing was politically-motivated.

This was the initial finding of a fact-finding mission led by the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) one day after Geertman was shot to death in L&S subdivision, Sto. Domingo, Angeles City, Pampanga.

According to the PCPR, early noon on July 3, 2012, Geertman had just finished financial transactions at Metrobank and returned to his office when two men shot and killed him. Based on initial findings, one of the men collared Geertman and then forced him down on his knees. As he knelt on the pavement, witnesses said, the two men proceeded to shout invectives at him. Geertman was heard pleading for his life, but one of the men pulled out a gun and shot him on the right shoulder. The bullet entered his chest, almost killing him instantly.

Geertman began his work in the Philippines as a Dutch lay missionary and eventually became the executive director of Alay Bayan Inc. (ABI). He was a staunch advocate of peasant rights and also actively campaigned for the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly members of the Agta people in Sierra Madre. He led education and advocacy activities in disaster preparedness and relief.

He was also a passionate supporter of the struggle of the farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita and their just claim to the land. Through ABI, he gave his continuing support to the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL), the alliance directly working with the Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid ng Asyenda Luisita (Ambala).

Kakai Tolention of Katribu Party-list said Geertman was a man who gave his all to the cause of Filipino farmers and indigenous peoples..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/06/fact-finding-mission-finds-geertman-killing-politically-motivated/

Noy’s KKK protection syndicate Written by Ninez Cacho-Olivares

Noy’s KKK protection syndicate

Not surprisingly, despite committing a breach in the law on some P12 million purchase of bottled water in just one year, without any bidding done by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), as the law states, there went Noynoy and his Palace boys, quickly clearing Pagcor chief Bong Naguiat of any violation of the law, and without even bothering to come up with an investigation before clearing him.

But that was expected of the claimed “honest” government of Noynoy, since Naguiat is a former classmate of Noynoy, and as everyone knows by now, as a presidential classmate, Naguiat belongs to the Noynoy-protected and now infamous KKK that stands for kaklase, kaibigan and kabarilan (classmates, cronies and target shooting buddies).

Pagcor came out with a statement claiming that buying in bulk without bidding has been the practice for so long.

Since that was so, why then did Naguiat and his Pagcor, along with Noynoy, make such a big deal out of the claimed P1 billion spent by Pagcor under Efraim Genuino for coffee? Genuino was chairman of Pagcor for close to a decade, and P1 billion may not seem that huge, if months are added up during his stint.

But Noynoy, in his State of the Nation Address (Sona), expressed not only shock but also anger at how the funds were spent for coffee by the previous administration, and quickly declared the Genuino-Pagcor guilty of corruption.

So why was he so shocked and immediately deemed the previous Pagcor management guilty of corruption, yet in the case of Naguiat, his classmate, there was the quick absolution and defense of his classmate, even if fundamentally, both committed the same violation of the law?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/commentary/item/1149-noy%E2%80%99s-kkk-protection-syndicate

WikiLeaks releases Syria Files, almost 2.5 mln emails to be published


WikiLeaks releases Syria Files, almost 2.5 mln emails to be published

 The whistleblower website WikiLeaks has announced the release of almost 2.5 million emails derived from 680 Syria-related entities and domain names. They are said to be “embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria’s opponents.”

 “It helps us not merely to criticize one group or another, but to understand their interests, actions and thoughts. It is only through understanding this conflict that we can hope to resolve it," the announcement quotes Julian Assange, who is currently in the Ecuador embassy in London, where he is awaiting a decision on his appeal for political asylum.

The website says the files“shine a light on the inner workings of the Syrian government and economy, but they also reveal how the West and Western companies say one thing and do another.“

Italy 'secretly supplied' Syria despite official censure

­The first revelation exposes ties between Italian industrial giant Finmeccanica, which is 30-per cent owned by the government, and Damascus.

Despite the fact that Italy has repeatedly condemned Assad, one of Finmeccanica’s subsidiaries supplied Syria with TETRA, an $50 million interception-proof communications network used by the military and police..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://www.rt.com/news/wikileaks-syria-files-revealed-478/

Removal of Lugo, U.S. political maneuvering

Removal of Lugo, U.S. political maneuvering
 
Removal of Lugo, U.S. political maneuvering. 47474.jpegRemoval of Lugo, U.S. political maneuvering

On the day of his ouster, lawmakers negotiated a military base
by Stella Calloni

While performing a rapid impeachment against the democratically elected president of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, on June 22, considered "illegal" by neighboring countries, Paraguayan deputies met with U.S. military to negotiate the installation of a military base in the Chaco, and depopulating a vast territory of the South American country.

The lawmaker, Jose Lopez Chavez, who responded to the Colorado Party splinter group (the Unace) - a coup led by General Lino Oviedo, which has some differences, and is chairman of the Defense Committee of the House, expressed hope "that U.S. military bases will be installed in Chaco, according to ABC Color (www.abccolor.com.py).

According to this environment, the most powerful media complex of the right in Paraguay and key in the removal of Lugo, Deputy Lopez Chavez, accused of mafia behavior, confirmed that he talked with U.S. military leaders about the possibility of installing bases, although the issue is being analyzed by the Pentagon

Speaking to a Paraguayan radio station (789 AM), the legislator argued that "it is necessary" to install these bases, since, in his opinion, Bolivia "is a threat to Paraguay because of the arms race that it develops." He also claims that his country needs to improve its safety in unpopulated areas.

The "humanitarian aid"

The bilateral agreement would be "humanitarian aid to the local population for U.S. troops."  As is known, the "civic action" and "humanitarian aid," has enabled U.S. troops to be in Paraguay, and to be given diplomatic immunity in May 2005.  It is nothing more than a counter-insurgency scheme, spying and population and territorial control. .... MORE

SourcePravda.ru

URL: http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/conflicts/04-07-2012/121555-lugo_operation_condor-0/

Minimum wage for everyone! Scranton, PA mayor takes heat for slashing police, fire dept. paychecks

Minimum wage for everyone! Scranton, PA mayor takes heat for slashing police, fire dept. paychecks


The mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania says he will defy a judge’s injunction and pay a few hundred city workers only minimum-wage because anything more will bankrupt the sixth-largest town in the state.

Nearly 400 city employees — including police officers, firefighters and staffers with the Department of Public Works — will be compensated with only $7.25 per hour starting with this week’s paycheck and continuing until Scranton can scrape together enough money to avoid bankruptcy.

Mayor Chris Doherty announced last Wednesday that 398 city workers will have their pay adjusted to the federal minimum wage starting with this Friday’s paycheck. On Thursday, July 5, unions representing local firefighters, police officers and other public workers filed a lawsuit to keep the city from breaking the salary agreements that are included in the contracts it has with its employees..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/scranton-pay-minimum-police-526/

Cybercrime Written by Armida Siguion- Reyna

Cybercrime

They’re still at it, criminals on the internet, on the lookout for the easy-to-gyp, or the lonely.

The easy-to-gyp fall for hoaxes that come via e-mail, letters such as these. The first is purportedly from Nanding Josef, head of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Pilipino, and it goes: “Apologies for having to reach out to you like this. I made a quick trip to Segovia in Spain for something urgent and unfortunately, I got attacked by robbers at the hotel where I stayed, all cash and credit card were stolen off me but luckily for me I still have my passport with me.

“I have contacted the police, they only asked me to write a statement about the incident and referred me to the embassy, but the embassy are not responding to the matter effectively and my flight leaves tomorrow morning but I am having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won’t let me leave until I settle the bills. Well I really need your financial assistance. Please, let me know if you can help me out with 1,150euro so I can settle up my bills as early as possible and return home. As soon as I get home I would refund it immediately.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/commentary/item/1147-cybercrime

Daang matuwid, aka ‘palusot’ Written by Jonathan de la Cruz

Daang matuwid, aka ‘palusot’

Now, P-Noy’s daang matuwid’ (straight and narrow path) has taken  a new meaning given the latest statements of Presidential Communications Development and Strategy (PCDS) Secretary Ricky Carandang and Sen. Frank Drilon, two of P-Noy’s closest allies. It is now equivalent to palusot, roughly translated as sly/pathetic excuse, pretence/alibi/false example) which, if we go by the administration’s bloggers, caused the ouster of then Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice (CJ) Renato Corona. It seems the administration has so imbibed a Goebbels like culture of double speak and sloganeering that it has been passing off white lies and half truths as the real ones. Stretching the truth and name calling are fast becoming second skin to these people, they simply cannot shed these off. Apparently, they are used to such contortions.

Is it any wonder these guys gloried in the perorations of Ilocos Norte Rep. Rudy Fariñas as he skewered then CJ Renato Corona for his alleged SALn palusot? Well, it really takes one to... you know. Let’s take the latest Carandang and Drilon palusots.

Carandang has been quoted as saying that the administration was in dialog with the Chinese to lower tensions in the disputed areas in the South China Sea even as he was taking about plans to ask the United States to send P3C Orion spy planes to “monitor the disputed territories.” Then he proceeds to advise that the move “should not be construed by Beijing as a provocation since the spy planes would not be armed.” How naive if not utterly stupid can one get?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/commentary/item/1146-daang-matuwid-aka-%E2%80%98palusot%E2%80%99

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/1159-aquino-backtracks-claims-no-request-for-spy-planes

President Aquino again blew cold yesterday after issuing a warning the other day on China over a territorial dispute on South China Sea as he denied reports he had asked the United States for spy planes to monitor a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea.

Aquino told reporters his country had its own ships and aircraft to keep an eye on the disputed Scarborough Shoal and that he had merely mentioned in an interview that US aircraft could be called upon for help if needed.

It was clear, however, in reporters’ notes of the interview that  it was Aquino who raised the possibility of seeking the use of US spy planes to monitor the disputed areas.

“If you will go through the transcript of the interview, I said ‘We might’ (ask for US help),” Aquino claimed.
“That is where (the interviewers) suddenly introduced the supposed request for overflights, which wasn’t what I stated,” he averred.

Aides said Aquino had made the remarks during an interview with a foreign news agency last Monday.
Subsequent reports of the president’s alleged requests for US spy planes raised concerns within China, with the country warning the Philippines against provocation over the three-month stand-off between the two countries.

“Let us correct that. America is a treaty ally. Where we are lacking in capacity, I think we can go to them and ask that they increase (our) situational awareness,” Aquino said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/1159-aquino-backtracks-claims-no-request-for-spy-planes

US think-tank wish list: 48 F-16 jets, 6 mini subs for AFP modernization

A US-based national security think-tank’s assessment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization is probably a case of wishful thinking.

According to the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), for the Philippines to have a credible military defense capability, it needs 48 F-16 jetfighters, four to six mini submarines, more well-armed frigates and corvette-size combat vessels and minesweepers.

“This level of capability would far exceed current Philippine planning and finances and it would be in Washington’s interest to make it easier for Manila to acquire excess US fighters, frigates and other weapons system and encourage other countries such as Japan and South Korea to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it said in an article ‘Defending the Philippines: Military modernization and the challenges ahead.’”

But the AFP has been struggling in its modernization program for over two decades, leaving its Air Force without a single jetfighter interceptor since 2005 and the Navy with old warships, some of them World War II vintage.

Most, if not all, of its aircraft and ships were provided by the United States when the latter was still maintaining its air and naval bases in the Philippines under the RP-US Military Bases Agreement (MBA) until its expiration in 1991 when the Philippine Senate did not extend the MBA..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/1160-us-think-tank-wish-list-48-f-16-jets-6-mini-subs-for-afp-modernization

NPA demands firearms as ransom for 3 hostages

NPA demands firearms as ransom for 3 hostages

Fully-armed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels yesterday raided a mining company in Agusan del Sur province, taking three civilians as hostages, one of them a son of the owner of the mining firm, and have demanded firearms in exchange to the safe release of the captives.

Army 4th Infantry Division (ID) spokesman Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias IV said more or less 30 heavily armed NPA rebels swooped down on the compound of VTO Mining owned by engineer Vivencio Ocite in Ridge Mountain, Purok-11, Barangay Bayugan Tres, Rosario town at around 5 a.m.

“The NPA rebels ransacked the compound and held a certain Dodo Ocite and two others as hostages after disarming security personnel,” Osias said.

The Army official said the NPA band withdrew from the compound at around 3 p.m., taking along the three hostages..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/1155-npa-demands-firearms-as-ransom-for-3-hostages

MILF: Misuari invited to moro leaders summit

MILF: Misuari invited to moro leaders summit

  • Written by 
  • Friday, 06 July 2012
A member of the steering committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-sponsored Moro Leaders Assembly in Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao set for today was very hopeful that Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari would respond positively to its invitation, the MILF Web site luwaran.com announced yesterday.

The three-day gathering, from July 6 to 9, expects to draw at least 500,000 people from Mindanao.
The chairman of the invitation committee, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the invitation letter was personally received by Misuari in Zamboanga City last June 30.

According to him, the invitation was extended to the MNLF leader as a show of respect that it was only proper that he should be at the forefront when the issue of unity of the entire Moro nation was concerned.
The MILF was also reciprocating the invitation sent to MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim for the MNLF Summit Conference in Davao City about three years ago. Murad begged off but sent Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF vice chairman for political affairs, and Sheikh Mohammad Muntassir, head of the MILF da’wah committee..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/1154-to-moro-leaders-summit

Zaldy Ampatuan to be tried for his involvement in Maguindanao massacre

The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld  the government’s findings to indict  former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan for his involvement in the Maguindanao massacre  four years ago.

In a one-page resolution, the SC en banc denied Ampatuan’s petition which sought the reversal of the Nov. 8, 2009 resolution issued by the Court of Appeals (CA) which in turn affirmed with finality its decision to put the former ARMM governor on trial.

“After review of the records, the Court resolves to deny the petition for failure to show that the Court of Appeals committed any reversible error in affirming the May 5, 2010 resolution of the Department of Justice (DoJ) that ordered the reinstatement of the criminal information for murder... against petitioner Datu Zaldy Puti Ampatuan,” the SC said.

The government’s handling of the case’s prosecution has  been marked with outrage of late following the recent murders of key witnesses in the incident which had resulted in the single highest number of deaths of journalists at work.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/metro-section/item/1168-zaldy-ampatuan-to-be-tried-for-his-involvement-in-maguindanao-massacre

Solon faces charges foradvising fugitive Palparan to keep on hiding

Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (Anad) party-list Rep. Pastor Alcover could face possible charges before the House ethics committee in connection with his statements supporting the continued hiding of fugitive former Rep. Jovito Palparan.

According to Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, the advice of Alcover to Palparan to elude arrest is unacceptable amid a pending warrant of arrest for the former member of Congress who is facing charges of serious illegal detention and physical injuries for the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.

Cadapan and Empeño were alleged to have been abducted by elements of the military under Palparan..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/metro-section/item/1169-solon-faces-charges-foradvising-fugitive-palparan-to-keep-on-hiding

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