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The Daily Tribune

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Church official saddened over cancellation of dialogue with Aquino on human rights

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Church official saddened over cancellation of dialogue with Aquino on human rights

“Somebody needs to speak about the human right situation — the disappearances, the detention of political prisoners, the tortures and the over all lack of legal security Filipinos face. This is a big challenge for the Philippines, and these need to be addressed.”
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — The general secretary of the World Council of Churches Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit expressed disappointment over President Benigno Aquino III’s seeming lack of interest to discuss issues pertaining to the human rights situation in the Philippines. The WCC is the biggest protestant organization in the world, with a worldwide fellowship of 349 churches representing 560 million Christian members coming from various Christian traditions including the Lutheran, Methodist, Baptists, Reformed churches, Anglicans, Orthodox and Pentecostal Churches. It is considered to be on equal footing with the Roman Catholic religious authorities in the Vatican.

Tveit was in Manila from March 22 to 24 to attend the pre-assembly of the WCC Commission for World Mission and Evangelism (WCC-CWME), which began March 22 and continues until March 27.


(Photo courtesy of World Council of Churches / bulatlat.com)
Tveit was scheduled to meet with Aquino in Malacañang around noon last Friday, but, according to the National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP), which handled Tveit’s schedule, Malacañang suddenly cancelled the meeting when it was told that the church leader was interested in discussing the Philippine human rights situation. The NCCP and its member churches belong to the WCC fellowship.

An issue of legality and morality 

In an interview with Bulatlat.com, Tveit said he could not help but be “disappointed because it would have been a tremendous opportunity for the president and us to talk about matters that are highly important to the Church and the Filipino people.

“There a lot of a people who need the attention of both the Church and the government. Somebody needs to speak about the human right situation — the disappearances, the detention of political prisoners, the tortures and the over all lack of legal security Filipinos face. This is a big challenge for the Philippines, and these need to be addressed. When the well-being of the people suffer, when their human rights are not cared for, then the Church’s fellowship also suffers. Anyone can be a victim of human rights violations,” Tveit said..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/26/church-official-saddened-over-cancellation-of-dialogue-with-aquino-on-human-rights/

Prosecution’s propagandist, too FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 03/27/2012

Prosecution’s propagandist, too

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
03/27/2012
So why should Raissa Robles, blogger, come up and claim a property in the United States that belongs to the daughter of Chief Justice Renato Corona and link it to the CJ while insisting that such information is relevant to his alleged dollar account?

Earlier, even when this blogger was aware of the fact that the two other residences in the US do not belong to the CJ, she nevertheless linked them to him, which is not only reflective of a tabloid reporting mentality but also fairly malicious, as she was obviously trying to create an entirely different impression on those properties as probably belonging to him under a dummy, then claiming that heavens, no, she is not saying that the properties belong to the CJ.

So why bring it up then, if the properties are not in the name of the CJ?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120327com2.html

Lawyers of Morong 43 decry cover-up by military, police

Lawyers of Morong 43 decry cover-up by military, police


By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Lawyers of health workers who filed a damage suit against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several military and police officials lambasted the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) for withholding information about the respondents.

The P15-million ($365 thousand) damage suit was filed, on April 4, 2011, by six of the 43 health workers, also called Morong 43. The Morong 43 were arrested on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives and were subjected to various forms of torture. However, months after summons have been issued by a Quezon City Regional Trial Court, several of the military and police respondents have not yet been notified of the charges.

The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), counsel for the complainants, asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Brig. Gen. Herbert Yambing of the Office of the Provost Marshall General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to locate and provide information on the “missing” respondents but both offices refused to provide any information..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/26/lawyers-of-morong-43-decry-cover-up-by-military-police/

US missile shield branches into Asia, Middle East



US missile shield branches into Asia, Middle East

The Pentagon has revealed plans to deploy elements of its global antiballistic missile defense system in Asia and Middle East. A similar project in Europe is one of key points of conflict between America and Russia.

­The plan to have AMD shields in Asia and the Middle East was revealed on Monday by Madelyn Creedon, the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/antimissile-asia-middle-east-534/

Too many powers wanted Gaddafi dead - NTC head



Too many powers wanted Gaddafi dead - NTC head

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was wanted dead so his secrets would die with him. So insists Mahmoud Jibril, the man who led the NTC uprising to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi’s regime, in an exclusive interview with RT.

­“Too many parties who have real interests that Gaddafi doesn’t talk, that he should be silenced forever,” Mahmoud Jibril told RT, specifying he does not know who exactly killed the Colonel – a foreign entity or Libyans..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/gaddafi-death-ntc-jibril-451/

US’ plugging up of WikiLeaks axes free press


 

US’ plugging up of WikiLeaks axes free press

Washington's relentless pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and alleged whistle-blower Bradley Manning, is no secret. But the fate of the two men has got US journalists worried, that they too could soon find themselves behind bars.

Julian Assange’s life resembles a game of chess. He is an Australian citizen in the custody of Britain fighting extradition to Sweden. But no one wants the king of WikiLeaks more than America. Washington has had secret plans for Assange since at least January 2011..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/assange-manning-media-freedom-516/

Addiction, source and fixation VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 03/27/2012

Addiction, source and fixation

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
03/27/2012
Addiction to power. Source of money. Fixation for authority.

With malice toward none, with good will toward all, it has to be said that Philippine politics is sick and a big number of Filipino politicians are sickening. It has been this way from the time of Martial Law at least, to the advent of Edsa I, to the coming of Edsa ll up to the present administration.

In other words, politics equals addiction to power plus source of money, plus fixation for authority. And this distressing and detestable phenomenon is definitely an open secret — even but knowing and stance and life of few politicians. Only the ignorant, the fool and the insane would say otherwise..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120327com6.html

Sacramento property owned by Corona daughter, not the CJ’s 03/27/2012

Sacramento property owned by Corona daughter, not the CJ’s

03/27/2012
The “proof” of the alleged US property of Chief Justice Renato Corona, as bragged by blogger Raissa Robles, who first insinuated that Corona had properties in the United States that she linked to the dollar accounts of the Chief Justice while demanding that he explain these properties before the impeachment court, turned out to be one piece of property bought by Corona’s daughter, Maria Charina, located near Sacramento, California and not in Florida.

Defense counsel Tranquil Salvador, in a telephone interview with the Tribune, said yesterday that Corona’s daughter bought a real property near Sacramento, California in 2008.

He also informed the Tribune that the Sacramento property had a 30-year or so amortization plan..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120327hea2.html

Terraces fund to repair irrigation projects 03/27/2012 By Ted Boehnert

Terraces fund to repair irrigation projects

03/27/2012
By Ted Boehnert
Proceeds from a mini-hydro power plant owned by the Ifugao provincial government earmarked to finance the rehabilitation of the famed rice terraces will be used in the implementation of two irrigation projects in the area.

According to reports, the municipal council of Kiangan town had recommended to the management of the Ambangal Mini-hydro Power Plant that part of its proceeds which will go to the Rice Terraces Conservation fund be used to finance the repair of the Tatawang and Nakahakan community irrigation systems (CIS).

The repair of the Tatawang CIS in Pindongan village would reportedly be receiving a budget of P103,000 while the bigger Nahakan CIS in Nagacadan village would get P168,000. The funds would come from the unprogrammed allocation of the Rice Terraces Conservation Fund which was derived from the more than P3-million proceeds of the mini-dam..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120327nat6.html

House to probe AMA Group Holdings $50-M land-lease deal with Bahrain by Charlie V. Manalo 03/27/2012

House to probe AMA Group Holdings $50-M land-lease deal with Bahrain

by Charlie V. Manalo 03/27/2012

A lawmaker has called for a congressional inquiry into the $50-million joint venture deal between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the AMA Group Holdings to operate a 10,000-hectare agricultural farm in Mindanao.

Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano expressed fear that the project would displace thousands of farmers in Mindanao.

In House Resolution 2159, Mariano urged the House committees on agriculture and food and good government to conduct an inquiry to determine if the project will bring prosperity to the Mindanao people..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120327nat1.html

Luisita farmers march to Mendiola anew 03/27/2012

Luisita farmers march to Mendiola anew

03/27/2012

Luisita farmers march to Mendiola anew

03/27/2012
Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano yesterday blamed the continued refusal of the Cojuangco-Aquino family to distribute the vast Hacienda Luisita sugar estate to its tenant-farmers for the violence that broke over the weekend inside the contested sugarland.

The other day, violence erupted after guards from the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., which acquired 500 hectares of land from the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI), tried to prevent tenant-farmers from tearing down the perimeter fences built by the bank on the disputed land which the tenants claim was illegally sold by the Cojuangco-Aquinos.

The act, according to Mariano is a “just assertion” of the farmers’ right to the lands.

“Farmers are constantly harassed by RCBC security guards and police forces from the Tarlac Philippine National Police (PNP). The Cojuangco-Aquinos virtually maintain a private army inside Luisita, now a virtual garrison, with the increasing number of military and paramilitary elements deployed and operating in Luisita’s ten villages,” said Mariano...... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120327nat4.html

Navotas to build public hospital By Arlie O. Calalo 03/27/2012

Navotas to build public hospital

By Arlie O. Calalo 03/27/2012

Navotas City Mayor John Reynald Tiangco has announced that his office is set to build a public hospital which will primarily serve the residents who are forced to go to other hospitals outside the city for their medical care and needs.

“It is a dream come true for all of us,” said Tiangco as he was joined by elder brother and long-time former Mayor Toby Tiangco, now the city’s lone congressional representative, and other city officials during the groundbreaking ceremony...... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120327met6.html

MMDA advises motorists to take Mabuhay Lanes on Holy Week By Pat C. Santos 03/27/2012

MMDA advises motorists to take Mabuhay Lanes on Holy Week

By Pat C. Santos 03/27/2012

Anticipating traffic congestion caused by the customary Holy Week exodus and the influx of motorists on Easter Sunday and Monday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino last Friday activated Oplan Metro Alalay Semana Santa 2012 or MASS 2012.

The MMDA in coordination with various agencies, last year created Oplan MASS to ensure the safe and convenient movement of motorists and commuters on Holy Week, particularly in areas identified as convergence points of travelers such as provincial bus terminals, airports and seaports.

Owing to its success, the plan will be re-implemented in this year’s Holy Week observance..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120327met4.html

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