February, 2009

“The recent dismissal of the rape charges filed by Hazel in the US military court in Okinawa and the Philippine government's servile stance in securing custody for US Marines Daniel Smith indicate the immense assaults brought about by unequal agreements with the United States such as the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement to the dignity, rights and sovereignty of Filipino women.”  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party on Wednesday denounced the illegal arrest, detention and harassment of a member of the Church and three environmental activists by the 67th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Brgy. Taytayan, Cateel, Davao Oriental on February 16.  read more »

"A moratorium on all the unnecessary and excessive fees collected by the Philippine government from overseas Filipino workers should immediately be put in place to help OFWs cope with the worldwide economic and financial crisis," Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Luz Ilagan said during the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs meeting on Wednesday.  read more »

Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women's Party Rep.Liza Maza today denounced the intensive military operations and grenade firing conducted by the 901st Brigade of the Philippine Army in Bgy.Balanac, Ligao City in Bicol Region last February 18 that killed a one year and four-months old girl Rafaela Polborido and severely injured six other children aged 10 months to 9 years old and three mothers as their houses and properties were burned and destroyed.  read more »

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo should spend a day in one of the jails in Syria during his visit to the middle eastern country to personally see the dire condition of overseas Filipinos languishing in prison cells there.  read more »

Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Womens Party Representative Liza Maza today lauded the move of Sen.Francisco Pangilinan as he filed Senate Resolution No. 892 calling for the termination of the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement on the grounds that its provisions are "contrary to the 1987 Philippine Constitution."  read more »

“Unless the issues of graft and corruption involving the Arroyo family are resolved, President Arroyo will never have the moral authority to lead a ‘moral renewal’ program in government. It all appears to be part of Arroyo’s utter gimmickry for ‘pogi points’, a face-saving scheme of her plummeting administration.”  read more »

"The Philippine government should uncompromisingly enforce custody over Smith and must follow the Supreme Court decision. Arroyo administration’s footdragging shows its servility to the US interests, putting our women to greater shame and danger.”  read more »

It's the lonely hearts day, a day before Valentine's Day, for Gabriela Women's Party and Profund when they conducted the nationally coordinated petition signing and pickets at offices of the Social Security System in major cities and provinces today to heighten the campaign to stop the use of the P12.5B SSS funds for the P330B economic stimulus package.  read more »

His knack for anomalous contracts and transactions may put controversial Legacy Group founder and owner Celso delos Angeles on the grill for a longer time, for putting around 52,000 families on the brink of losing their homes.  read more »

“The Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Agreement bodes further peril and injustice to women, children and communities where joint military exercises are to be held. It is an affront to women and to the country’s sovereignty.”  read more »

“Now it is clear that the Filipino consumers will be the ones to bear the burden of reviving the BNPP. Certainly, this would bring more misery rather than benefit to the public because they are the ones made to pay the high price of this ultimately vague project.”  read more »

“Enabling foreign citizens to acquire 100% land ownership in the Philippine soil thru charter change is a blatant infringement of the Constitutional safeguards upholding national economy and patrimony and of the Constitutional rights of the Filipino citizens. Those who seek to do this may be guilty of treachery,” said Assistant Minority leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Liza Maza.  read more »