CPP denounces COP26 failure
- Published: 30 November 2021 30 November 2021
The Communist Party of the Philippines denounced the recently concluded 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in its “failure to take decisive action to reverse the rapid rise in the earth’s temperature, resulting in disastrous floods, landslides, droughts, heatwaves, super typhoons, forest fires and rising sea levels.”
Workers suffer more under Duterte during the pandemic
- Published: 30 November 2021 30 November 2021
In 2021, Philippine workers have been fighting for decent wages and job security amid the pandemic. As early as January, workers’ unions and associations have already demanded a PhP100 subsidy (about US$2) to augment their daily wage. On 7 November, the Makabayan parliamentary bloc proposed laws for wage increases amid continuous increases in petroleum prices over the past 10 weeks and the worsening crisis caused by the pandemic.
Read more: Workers suffer more under Duterte during the pandemic
Pilgrims for Peace demand transparency on Ka Oris, Ka Pika killings
- Published: 15 November 2021 15 November 2021
The Pilgrims for Peace alliance of Philippine religious leaders and academics called on the Duterte government on 12 November for the release of “the full, complete, and authentic information and documentation in the killing of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos and Eighfel “Ka Pila” dela Peña.
Read more: Pilgrims for Peace demand transparency on Ka Oris, Ka Pika killings
Philippine rural villages experience ‘Rain of Terror’
- Published: 15 November 2021 15 November 2021
In a span of 12 weeks, from mid-August to early November, the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been dropping bombs, rockets and artillery shells in various villages in the Philippine countryside. There is at least one bombing operation every two weeks. Despite AFP claims that these are aimed at killing New People’s Army members and destroying NPA camps, many of the bombs land in villages and kill the civilian population.
Read more: Philippine rural villages experience ‘Rain of Terror’
Condemnation widens against Duterte regime’s book purging
- Published: 15 November 2021 15 November 2021
The biggest book industry alliance in the Philippines recently joined the many human rights defenders, academe, youth and activist organizations expressing outrage over the purging of ‘subversive’ materials from state university libraries by security forces of the Rodrigo Duterte regime.
Read more: Condemnation widens against Duterte regime’s book purging
River dredging masks illegal black sand mining in Cagayan
- Published: 15 November 2021 15 November 2021
Environment activists, fishers, religious leaders and local town officials in the northern province of Cagayan are crying foul over the ‘river dredging operations’ being conducted by Chinese vessels at the mouth of the Cagayan River, saying the operations are a smokescreen to illegal black sand or magnetite mining. The Manila government has ruled in 2016 that any offshore mining activity within 500 meters of the shoreline and any inland mining activity within 200 meters from the shoreline are prohibited.
Read more: River dredging masks illegal black sand mining in Cagayan
Unarmed NPA official, medic murdered
- Published: 31 October 2021 31 October 2021
The Communist Party of the Philippines announced on 31 October the killing of New People’s Army Spokesperson Jorge Madlos and NPA medic Eighfel dela Peña on Friday, 29 October, in the town of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon province in the southern island of Mindanao. Madlos, popularly known as Ka Oris, and Dela Peña were last known to be on board a motorcycle en route for Ka Oris’ medical treatment.
CPP Spokesperson Marco Valbuena said the two were both unarmed and were not killed in a gunfight, contrary to statements of Duterte government officials.