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“The slow pace of the Ampatuan massacre trial proved President Aquino’s administration inutile in securing swift justice for the victims and families of the massacre, as it continues to cultivate and foster the culture of impunity. The Ampatuan massacre symbolizes the evil alliances of political dynasties and how they can embed themselves into power to exploit the country,” declared GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus, on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the slaughter of 58 people in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao on Nov. 23, 2009.  read more »

Women protesters trooped to the Department of Justice today demanding immediate action on the increasing number of cases of violence against women. The protest action coincides with today’s commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity and the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

“The snail-paced course of justice in this country multiplies the trauma for victims and their families a hundredfold and contributes to the perpetuation of the culture of impunity,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan.  read more »

“Do not wait for any casualty before an evacuation nor when evacuation is already next to impossible. Do not rely on the results of truce as waiting may endanger the lives of Filipinos in the area,” declared GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus as the Israeli military intensified air strikes in Gaza.

According to the overseas workers’ advocacy group Migrante, there are about a hundred Filipinos living with their families in Gaza, and there are about 41,000 Filipinos working in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, mostly as caregivers.  read more »

“If these big businesses genuinely supports the reproductive rights of poor women, they should primarily push for increased health budget to build more health facilities to make health services accessible specially to women in far-flung areas, and to hire more doctors and health workers to better serve the poor, instead of pushing for the government’s population control program,” said GWP Rep.  read more »

Members of the women’s partylist group Gabriela trooped today to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to support beleaguered partylist groups’ Kalikasan and Courage in protesting their disqualification and air their demand to the Commission to be consistent in upholding the Partylist system law.  read more »

"To accept VAdm Mateo Mayuga’s claims and alibis hook line and sinker and to reject calls for the Visiting Forces Agreement’s termination is an unacceptable and undignified show of subservience and docility on the part of Malacanang.”

Thus said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan as she expressed anew calls for the abrogation of the US-RP VFA. “Prevention is always better than the cure. Why allow the entry of warships and submarines for servicing and consequent waste dumping into Philippine territory in the first place?”  read more »

“Toxic or not, the dumping of VFA wastes onto Philippine waters clearly shows that the US sees the Philippines not as partner but as docile dog who will eat their garbage. And what kind of a Filipino justifies dumping of foreign rubbish on our territory by claiming that the wastes were pre-treated and cleaner than our wastes? It is tantamount to saying that US is welcome to dump their trash on us! Do we not deserve to be treated with dignity?”  read more »

“Habang nagtuturuan ang SBMA at ang VFACom kung sino ang dapat humawak at mag-imbestiga ng kaso, nananatili ang mga nakalalasong basura ng US military sa Subic Bay. Kailangang may managot at may maparusahan.”  read more »

"As the US military beefs up its presence in the Asia Pacific region, our people and environment will suffer the consequences of thier intrusion into our national sovereignty. We will be fodder for increased incidences of toxic waste dumping in the future; poor women and children will increasingly fall prey to abuse and exploitation by US soldiers in their pursuit of “leisure and recreation.” More importantly, we will be more drawn into regional conflicts that have nothing to do with our national interests but everything to do with US interests.  read more »

“Killings and human rights violations in Mindanao are inextricably linked to environmental plunder and destruction. Many of those who have been killed are indigenous leaders or anti-mining or anti-logging activists. The tens of thousands that have been forcibly evacuated came from highly militarized areas threatened by large scale mining and logging operations.”  read more »