Community teachers, health worker killed in Davao

Community volunteer school teachers Chad Booc and Gelejurain Ngujo II, community health worker Elegyn Balonga and their accompanying drivers Tirso Añar and Robert Aragon were killed by Armed Forces of the Philippines troopers in New Bataan town, Davao de Oro province on 24 February 2022. Families, colleagues and human rights groups condemn the massacre of the ‘New Bataan 5’ and called on the Commission on Human Rights and other groups to conduct further investigation.

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Human rights group condemns search warrant abuses

Philippine human rights alliance Karapatan on 9 March welcomed the dismissal by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court of illegal possession of firearms charges against trade union organizer Dennise Velasco, who was arrested on 10 December 2020 along with six others social activists. Among those arrested with Velasco were fellow trade union organizer Rodrigo Esparago and Manila Today editor Lady Ann Salem, whose cases were dismissed by a Mandaluyong court on 5 February 2021.

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Duterte names new COMELEC Chairman, Commissioners

The government of President Rodrigo Duterte announced on 8 March the appointment of Saidamen Pangarungan as the new Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), replacing Sheriff Abas who retired on 2 February. Duterte also appointed two new COMELEC Commissioners, George Erwin Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, replacing former Commissioners Antonio Kho and Rowena Guanzon who also retired on 2 February. With the new appointments, the election body is now composed entirely of Duterte appointees.

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Duterte security forces kill 2 children in Samar

Operating troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines fired their weapons indiscriminately on a group of peasants in Roxas village, Catubig, Northern Samar province on 8 February. Two children, aged 12 and 9 years old were killed. Another child was seriously wounded. The children were with their parents tending their coconut kiln when fired upon by the AFP troopers.

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EU Parliament calls halt to arms exports to Duterte regime

The European Parliament passed a resolution anew on 17 February deploring the “deteriorating human rights situation under President Rodrigo Duterte” and called this time on EU Member States “to refrain from all exports of arms, surveillance technology and other equipment that can be used for internal repression” by the Duterte regime.

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Expose US imperialist role in Ukraine armed conflict -- CPP

“The current war in Ukraine generates favorable conditions for the revolutionary proletariat in the world to expose the true nature of the conflict in the context of the rotten capitalist system and the worsening exploitation against the world's working people.” Thus declared the Communist Party of the Philippines on 24 February, exhorting proletarian parties around the world to strengthen their initiative to fight fascist forces and the imperialist war, and advance the revolutionary struggles in their countries.

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Senate report recommends corruption charges against Duterte, officials

Philippine Senator Richard Gordon released on 1 February the draft report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which investigated the anomalous US$920 million Covid-19 government supply contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation. The report recommends filing of plunder, graft and other criminal charges against Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, Deputy Ombudsman Rex Warren Liong, Duterte economic adviser Michael Yang and Pharmally top executives.

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