September, 2008

GWP Secretary General Cristina Palabay condemned today the illegal arrest and detention of Mary Grace Delicano, a volunteer campaigner of GWP in 2007 elections and a campaign staff of Gabriela-Negros since 1993.

"Delicano's illegal arrest and detention is an alarming case of the witchhunt spree of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Arroyo government in Negros and in the country," Palabay said.  read more »

Gabriela Womens Party Representative Liza Maza today renewed calls for the GSIS to fully disclose immediately its foreign investments as the global financial meltdown worsens in the midst of a foiled US bailout.

“The clamor for a full public disclosure of GSIS investments is urgent. The pension of at least 2 million government employees, including public school teachers is at stake,” said Rep. Maza.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Liza Maza today criticized President Arroyo’s Executive Order 739 as “a dangerous move towards the operationalization of a police and betrays the Arroyo regime’s propensity for totalitarianism.”

According to Maza, EO 739 which reorganizes the National Peace and Order Council places the country, down to the smallest and most isolated barangays under the framework of internal security order (ISO) that poses the risk of further undermining civilian authority. “It portends a human rights catastrophe.”  read more »

“Break the chain of abuse. Pass the Anti-Child Pornography Bill.”

This was the statement of Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luz Ilagan after a study conducted by Talikala Foundation, a group helping prostituted women in Davao, revealed that a large number of prostituted women were once victims of child pornography.

“The increase in the number of cases of child pornography in the Philippines and the number of Filipino children involved in sex trade are alarming. If we do not stop these now, what will happen to our children?”  read more »

“The United States should stop putting its nose where it is not needed or wanted,” Gabriela Women’s Party representative and Mindanaoan solon Luzviminda Ilagan said, one day after a local publication in Mindanao reported sightings of American soldiers in North Cotabato, where an armed conflict between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Armed Forces of the Philippines sparked last week.  read more »

Despite literally pleading the military personnel at Fort Bonifacio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luz Ilagan and six other congresspersons who were members of the House Committee on Human Rights were denied entry to the AFP headquarters to verify complaints of human and Constitutional rights violations committed by the military against the detainees and to check on the condition of 1st Lieutenant Belinda Ferrer who is currently detained at Fort Bonifacio General Hospital after suffering from an illness.  read more »

Gabriela Womens Party Representative Liza Maza yesterday sought clarification from Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on the Department on Budget and Management’s fund releases amounting to P897M which was awarded to the Department of Agriculture at the height of the deliberation of the impeachment case filed against President Arroyo.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan condemned today the irresponsible attack of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in a civilian area in Datu Piang, Maguindanao last Monday, which killed six people, wounded and displaced many others, in the continuing effort to hunt Moro Islamic Liberation Front Commander Umbra Kato.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Liza Largoza Maza today pushed for nationwide, transparent, public hearings on Charter Change, arguing that the conduct of simultaneous district-level consultations being proposed by the allies of the administration is prone to political manipulation.

“We want nothing less than the conduct of truthful, thorough, transparent public consultations on the issue of charter change.”  read more »