Jaymie Gregorio News Today

By JONAS ALPASAN With reports from John Paul Nacion and Rebecca Olorvida MANILA – The recent junking of charges against labor organizer Dennise Velasco is yet another vindication against the “search warrant factory” that has led to the arrests of activists in recent years. Still, there has been no review of cases stemming from these…

The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that the court's findings "only prove how State forces are hell-bent at quelling the exercise of labor rights being promoted by trade union organizers such as Dennise Velasco as well as activists in general.”

Published March 6, 2021, 12:52 PM An advocacy group has urged the regional trial courts (RTCs) in Manila and Quezon City to dismiss the charges and order the release of five other persons who were arrested last Dec. 10 and charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. In a statement, Kapatid – a support group of families and friends of political prisoners – aired the call after the Mandaluyong City RTC last Friday, March 5, affirmed its decision that dismissed the charges agai...

(FACEBOOK/MANILA BULLETIN) Karapatan sent an “urgent appeal” to its allies, communities, and fellow human rights advocates, seeking their action against the massive crackdown on activists. The group asked for their support and solidarity in calling for the immediate release of peasant organizer Amanda Echanis and her baby, including a journalist and trade unionists arrested in December. They are Manila Today editor Lady Ann Salem, and labor organizers Dennise Velasco, Joel Demate, Rodrigo E...

Search You Are Here:Home → 2020 → December → 24 → Kin, colleagues slam move to keep 4 union organizers in jail Kin, colleagues slam move to keep 4 union organizers in jail “ Parang binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig. (My enthusiasm was immediately put off) If you could just imagine the mental anguish that we feel because all along we thought we will be with him this Christmas.” By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL MANILA – Four union organizers could have spent their Christmas ...

By Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Labor Commission | December 22, 2020 Read more articles in Philippines We strongly condemn the repression that has been unleashed against leading trade unionists in the Philippines and stand in solidarity with the militant labor federation Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) / May First Movement. On Human Rights Day, December 10, the Philippine National Police raided the homes and jailed Dennise Velasco of Defend Jobs Philippines; Romina Astudillo, De...

Share this: Read this post in Italiano, Español Journalist Lady Ann Salem, who was arrested by police along with six other activists on Human Rights Day. Photo by Manila Today, a content partner of Global Voices, used with permission. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly expressed his scorn for human rights in his public speeches, calling rights activists ‘enemies of the state’ and threatening to allow the police to shoot them dead. As if to stress the Duterte government�...

(Photo from Karapatan) The HRD 7 were arrested on Human Rights Day last December 10 for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, which they claimed were merely planted by police. Rallyists from Kilusang Mayo Uno, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Pamalakaya, among other groups, gathered at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Quezon City to hold the “Global Day of Action” protest. Joining them were the families of detained labor organizers Dennise Velasco, Rodrigo Esparago, Romina Astudil...

Published December 17, 2020, 1:19 PM The Philippine Bar Association (PBA) has expressed concern over judges becoming “warrant factories” amid the spate of arrests against persons who have alleged links with communist groups. “The Philippine Bar Association, the oldest voluntary national organization of lawyers in the Philippines established in 1891, expresses its concerns that certain courts are reportedly turning into ‘warrant factories.’ Public reports create the impression that one...

Makabayan bloc seeks probe on irregular warrants vs activists, progressive groups enablePagination: false endIndex: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 16) — The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has filed a resolution which seeks to look into the "irregular" issuance of search warrants that resulted in the arrests and filing of "trumped-up" charges against red-tagged activists and members of progressive organizations. The coalition on Tuesday filed House Resolution 1427 urg...