Bayan to sue military of electioneering

PRESS RELEASE

April 14, 2010

Davao City- In a picket rally led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today (April 14), the militant group revealed that they plan to sue the 69^th IB of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for culpable violation of the Omnibus Election Code which prohibits members of the AFP from directly or indirectly participating in any election campaign.

Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code states the prohibition of any member of Armed Forces of the Philippines, or any police force, special forces, home defense forces, barangay self-defense units and all other para-military units that now exist or which may hereafter be organized who, directly or indirectly, intervenes in any election campaign or engages in any partisan political activity, except to vote or to preserve public order, if he is a peace officer.

“ There is indeed a clear violation of the law here perpetrated by the members of the AFP. We will be submitting a formal complaint to our legal department in our national office for immediate legal action,” John Birondo said, Bayan Southern Mindanao Regional Spokeperson.

Birondo likewise pointed that the military violated the Article IX-B, Section 2(4) of the 1987 Constitution and Section 55 of the Administrative Code of 1987, which states that “No officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political campaign” and “No officer or employee in the Civil Service including members of the Armed Forces, shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any partisan political activity or take part in any election except to vote nor shall he use his official authority or influence to coerce the political activity of any other person or body”.

Birondo,who also serves as convenor of the Kontra Daya, an electoral watchdog revealed that there are already several complaints against the military not only in the region but all over the country.

Kontra Daya is a broad network of various organization and individuals; religious, artists, concerned citizens, activists, youth and students, lawyers, IT experts, and teachers who are committed against election fraud and the failure of election.

Earlier, Makabayan or Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan which is composed of the progressive candidates and partylists likewise bared cases of harassments and direct involvement of the military in campaigning against the progressive groups in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, Baganga, Davao Oriental and other parts of the region.

Birondo presented to the public and to the members of the media pictures which he took himself during a forum conducted by the elements of the 69^th IB at the Philippine College of Technology on April 6.

“The military conducted to batches of forum at a school. We also have a recorded audio of what transpired during the said forum, ” Birondo said.

In the said forum, the military urged the students of PCT not to join or support the progressive partylist groups which they said are "New Peoples Army fronts" and which purportedly use their respective “pork barrel” from Congress to support the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Representative Liza Maza of Gabriela and a senatorial candidate of Makabayan challenged the COMELEC to conduct a probe on the matter.

She pointed that “The malicious linking of progressive party-lists to the CPP-NPA is an old issue that has yet to be proven by those who seek to destroy the credibility of individuals and groups--individuals who aspirte to continue serving the people in and out of government," Maza said.

Maza said that Gabriela, Bayan Muna, and Anakpawis have not been receiving their respective Priority Development Assistance Fund – more commonly known as the “pork barrel” – since 2004 due to them as they are critics of the Arroyo administration.###

Bayan moves for disqualification of bogus partylists

Press Release

April 9, 2010

Davao City – Gearing for bigger moves, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan led here today a protest action against the entry and attempt for re-election of bogus partylists created and supported by Gloria Arroyo and the first family. Bayan and various groups will contest the false representation of such partylists through the filing of disqualification cases sometime next week.

The initial list of bogus partylists that will face disqualification charges are Ang Galing Pinoy, 1-Utak, Ang Kasangga, Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA), KABAYAN, PACYAW, Association of Labor and Employees (ALE), Abot Tanaw, APOI Partylist, BANTAY True Marcos Loyalists, Aangat Tayo, Abono Partylist, Abante Tribung, Alliance of People’s, ANAD. Organizations (APO), Makabansa (ATM), and ARARO.

“We are moving for their disqualification as the representations that they claim on behalf of the country’s marginalized sectors are all made-up. Their sole raison d' etre is to protect and promote the interest of the next Congress under the eminent leadership of the Congresswoman in the making Gloria Arroyo,” Bayan spokesperson John Birondo said.

“The attempt to realize House seats for these bogus partylists is part of a grand plan to ensure perpetuation of Gloria Arroyo’s top post in Malacanang. Gloria’s congressional bid is not the be all and end all of everything. The moves to change the country’s form of government from presidential to parliamentary will pave Gloria’s way to prime ministerial post, and she needs as many allies as possible to make this plan a done deal,” Birondo added.

Bayan cited for instance the parylitst bid of Pampanga representative Mikey Arroyo and recently resigned energy secretary Angelo Reyes who was nominated by transport group 1-Utak. Other groups believed to be associated with Arroyo are PACYAW which counts as its nominees Tourism Asst. Secretary Janet Lazatin and businessman Reynaldo Pineda, both allies of Arroyo from Pampanga. APO partylist has former Ilocos congressman Salacnib Baterina as its first nominee.

“We maintain that the partylist system can still be utilized by the marginalized sectors if only the marginalized sectors fight and struggle to avail of this right and privilege. We support groups that truly represent the marginalized sectors. It is ideal and effective in so far as the experiences of progressive partylists have led to the representation of pro-people agenda in the Lower House,” Birondo said.

“We are pushing for the disqualification charges as it has become evident that the partylist system is being exploited by politicians, big business interests, high-ranking military officials and Arroyo allies for their selfish interests,” Birondo stressed.

One year after Commander Parago's daughter's death Bayan: DCPO Taskforce Rebelyn inutile

PRESS RELEASE

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

Davao City - After a year of still unresolved rape and murder case of Rebelyn Pitao, Bayan and other human rights groups launched a protest rally at Camp Leonor today against the Davao City Police Office - Task Force Rebelyn concrete.

“Like other crimes which involves the military, Rebelyn Pitao's case remains bereft of justice. The police is not likely to pinpoint a clear suspect from the military intelligence community. This is more than a display of inutility on their part, this is an utter mockery of the rule of law,” Bayan SMR spokesperson John Birondo said.

Rebelyn Pitao was abducted last March 4, 2009; a day later, her lifeless body--bearing several stab wounds and rape marks--was found in an irrigation ditch in San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte.

“There is no justification to the crime committed against an innocent civilian like Rebelyn. She was murdered because she was the daughter of NPA leader Leoncio Pitao a.k.a. “Ka Parago” – a crime that is clearly against the International Humanitarian Law (IHL),” Birondo stressed.

“The police until now has taken no actions to, at the very least, hold under investigation the suspects who were identified members of the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Military Intelligence Battalion of the 10th Infantry Division,” Birondo said.

Bayan named Ben Tipait, Aldan Sulao, Helvin Bitang and Pedring Pedregosa of the Military Intelligence Group to be the suspects in the killing.

“There was a chance for the police to pursue the case against Ben Tipait when he was detained at the Buhangin police station last month for violating gun ban. But he was released immediately, a clear act of connivance with the MIG to protect its most trusted agents," Birondo noted.

“The immediate release of Tipait was very anomalous given that he was released on a Sunday -- a move to hide him away from investigations on Rebelyn’s murder case,” Birondo said.

“Rebelyn’s case is just one of the crimes committed by the Arroyo regime against thousands of innocent civilians. And even as Gloria Arroyo's days in power are supposedly numbered, her fascist regime through the Armed Forces of the Philippines is relentless in violating human rights and in committing crimes against humanity,” Birondo lamented.

"While these criminals enjoy the rule of impunity, the family of Rebelyn Pitao continues to struggle for the justice they have long been wanting," Birondo ended.