NR1214:No to legislating LPG, petroleum price increases

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 14 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Solon slams additional taxes and tariff hike in oil prices; saying LPG will
increase by 60 pesos upon implementation of additional costs in petroleum
next year

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today slammed proposals to impose new
additional costs on the already sky rocketing prices of petroleum products.
Rep. Beltran said that if the proposal is passed and implemented, it will
inevitably be an added burden to the Filipino people specially the poor.

The labor leader turned lawmaker refers to House Bill 3105 which will impose
value added tax on petroleum products and the proposal to add specific tax for
the sale of petroleum finished products. He also criticized Executive Order
No. 336 which will cause a 2% tariff increase in imported crude oil and
finished petroleum products.

"Imposing additional costs on the already sky-high prices of petroleum products
yet proves the Arroyo administration's callousness to the plight of consumers
and public transport drivers. It's unjust and immoral that the executive and
its allies in the congress are coming up with the most infamous and desperate
measures in the effort to raise extra revenues for the bankrupt government at
the expense of the people," he said.

Beltran calculated that these new measures will mean an increase in costs up to
P6 per liter for in gasoline and diesel; and up to P60 per cylinder of
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Meanwhile, Petron admitted in a House Committee on Ways and Means hearing that
these measures the government is undertaking to increase its revenues will be
ultimately passed on to the consuming public. Of which, the transport sector
will be mostly affected.

But Beltran said that such reaction from Petron is expected. He added that for
many decades, the oil cartel has been passing all taxes on to consumers to
continually raise and not just maintain the oil companies' respective
superprofits.

"The approval of the proposed bills that will increase oil prices and the
implementation of EO 336 will not give the Filipinos a new hope for the
Filipinos this coming Christmas. Such implementation will only result to new
oil price hikes this coming new year despite significant decrease in oil prices
in the world market," he ended.

Executive Order No. 336 was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the
eve of her State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July and will be implemented
starting January 2005. #

NR1212: CBCP should intervene in investgtns of Luisita killings

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 12 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Rep. Beltran urges CBCP to take witnesses, families of victims of Luisita
Massacre under its protective wing and custody

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today sounded the alarm for the
leaders of the Central Luzon chapters of Anakpawis and the Kilusang Magbubukid
ng Pilipinas and their member local peasant and labor organizations, saying
that their lives were in immediate danger from attacks of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). Beltran said
that the continuing murder of human rights advocates has worsened, and now
unionists and peasant leaders are being openly targeted for 'liquidation.'

"Leaders of militant people's organizations in Central Luzon including human
rights advocates and their legal counsels are now in danger of being
assassinated. It's impossible not to see Marcellino Beltran's cold-blooded
murder last December 8 as a warning. From whom we have yet to conclude, but we
have very strong suspicions. In whatever case, the perpetrators were military,
and its certain that the military is hellbent on killing off more witnesses of
the Hacienda Massacre and leaders of the unions," he said.

"Everything must be done to protect the witnesses and the families of the
victims who have bravely stepped forward to testify," he said.

Beltran asked the Catholic church leaders led by the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP) and other catholic organizations to speak up against
the violence in Hacienda Luisita and the worsening militarization in Central
Luzon. He said that that the CBCP should take the Hacienda Luisita workers
and farmworkers under its protective wing and custody, and assist in the
investigations.

"Perhaps if the Catholic Church leadership would take a more active role and
intervene in the investigations if only on humanitarian grounds, the killings
would lessen, if not stop."

Finally, Beltran said that Tuesday's 3rd hearing of the Hacienda Luisita
Massacre of November 16 should be more incisive and zoom in on the main reasons
for the volatile situation in Hacienda Luisita and Central Luzon.

"It's the unjust, inhumane and immoral administration of the Cojuangco family
over lands that should have long ago been turned over to the rightful owners -
the farmers, farmworkers and their families. The Stock Distribution Option
(SDO) of 1987 has made sure that the Cojuangcos will keep their stranglehold
over the Hacienda and its resources, while maintaining the grinding poverty of
thousands of families. Governments since the Aquino regime have not lifted a
finger to resolve the land crisis in Tarlac the same way they have done
anything to remedy the nationwide lack of genuine agrarian reform and
provisions and subsidies for agriculture," he said.

"Cementing all this is the interference of the military acting as guardians and
protectors of the Hacienda and the Cojuangco's exploitation and abuse of the
farmworkers and azucarera workers," he sid. "It's quite possible that the
Cojuangcos are contributing millions to the police and military operations in
the region, not just around the Hacienda."#

NR1209: Luisita leader killed

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 9 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran blames Cojuangco family, AFP for brutal killing of Peasant
leader Marcellino "Ka Marcing" Beltran, survivor of Hacienda Luisita Massacre


Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran decried the brutal, cold-blooded
killing of Anakpawis provincial chapter leader, vice-president of Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)-Tarlac Marcelino Beltran last night, December 8
at 11:30 pm.

"Tomorrow is International Human Rights Day, and yet here we have a peasant
leader shot down in front of his own house by military forces. The AFP
have consistently remained the most brutal violators of human rights in the
country. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo , in the meantime, has done nothing to
reign in these monsters in the AFP. Pres. Arroyo, as commander-in-chief of the
AFP should take a stand on this issue, and push for the surrender, arrest,
conviction and punishment of the perpetrators of Ka Marcing's murder."

According to witnesses, Ka Marcing was shot by members of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) in front of his house in Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac. He is
one of the witnesses in the Hacienda Luisita massacre which claimed the lives
of 14 people. In his dying breathe, Ka Marcing said that his killers were
military men.

Beltran said that the killing of Ka Marcing Beltran was evidently politically
motivated. He said that the peasant leader was an active leader assisting
Hacienda Luisita workers in pushing for their democratic and economic rights.

The activist solon demanded that Tarlac 2nd District Rep. Benigno "Noynoy"
Aquino III take action against the military, as they were killing his
constituents. "This is the least that Rep. Aquino can do. Ka Marcing was one
of his constituents, and its verifiable that Ka Marcing supported him in the
May 2004 Congressional race in Tarlac."

Beltran added, however, that it was difficult to not blame the Cojuangco-Aquino
family for the murder of Ka Marcing. He said that Ka Marcing was a key witness
in the massacre that took place last Nov. 16. The third committee on human
rights hearing on the massacre is scheduled on December 14, and Ka Marcing
was supposed to attend the same.

"The Cojuangcos have been very arrogant, acting above the law and ignoring the
committee hearings and the charges leveled against them. They have not attended
the hearings - sending only mere paid representatives. Now, yet another
peasant leader has been killed, and the killing is directly linked to the
labor dispute and the brewing agrarian reform fight in the Hacienda. Pedro
Cojuangco - eldest Cojuangco and main manager of the Hacienda should be
compelled to attend the hearings and face the allegations against his
management and the Cojuangco family."

"Ka Marcing was silenced before he could testify against the Philippine
National Police (PNP) and the AFP and the massacre they perpetrated.Ka
Marcing was a brave and principled man. He was a peasant leader and a leader
of the people. He did not back down from threats made against him by the
military and the Cojuangco family's hired goons. His killing strengthens the
belief of many workers in the Hacienda that the military are actually on the
payroll of the Cojuangco family, and are carrying out their campaign of
vendetta and attrition against the workers and farmworkers," he said. #

NR1209: No to US troops in relief operations

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 9 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran denounces participation of US troops in relief operations; says
deployment unjustified and masks military agenda violative of the Constitution
and human rights

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today expressed outrage over reports
that there are US troops being deployed in the country to supposedly assist in
the relief operations in Central Luzon. Some 500 US soldiers are reportedly
scheduled to arrive in the next few days in Clark, Subic to help in the
government's relief measures.

"They have no business assisting in these operations. The motives of the US
military authorities when participating in such operations in countries the US
government has political and economic interests in are never altruistic or
humanitarian. The agenda is primarily military in nature, and in this case,
they're assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in
counter-insurgency operations that inevitably victimize civilians and violate
civil, democratic and human rights," he said.

He said that even the participation of the AFP in relief measures is already
questionable. "These relief operations are civilian-led activities. The
involvement of the AFP in relief operations is part of the AFP's civilian
monitoring campaign which means more human rights violations and abuses."

Beltran reiterated that the presence of US troops in the country was in
violation of the Constitution's provisions on internal security and national
sovereignty. "But the Macapagal-Arroyo administration insists on violating
these provisions with impunity, and disregarding the impact on human rights in
the provinces and regions where the US troops are deployed alongside the AFP,"
he said.

"No doubt, our Kababayans are in serious need of economic assistance and
emergency relief, but it's hardly necessary to have US troops lined up
distributing bags of rice and groceries. The reasons behind this faux show of
altruism and supposed humanitarian internationalism are insidious, and they
have serious implications on national security and sovereignty," he added.

Finally, Beltran said that the findings of church-based organizations in
Mindanao led by the alliance InPeace should be investigated. These findings
indicate that there US troops are perpetrating many human rights violations in
Mindanao.

"The activities and operations of US troops in the country go largely
unchecked. There is an immediate need to establish a system of monitoring these
activities, even as patriotic forces and nationalist organizations demand the
expulsion of US troops from the country. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has not
made any explanation neither has the AFP or the Defense Department regarding
the violations the US troops have perpetrated against Filipinos in Mindanao and
other areas where the troops are deployed, " he said.#

NR1206:GMA should put meat into her words

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 6 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

PGMA should put meat in her words and cancel all logging permits, impose a
total log ban, and order the High Court to declare FTAAs illegal - Rep.
Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today seconded the challenge made by
environmental groups that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo immediately cancel the
permits of big logging companies in Aurora and Quezon following the devastating
floods and landslides that came as a result of the denudation of forests.
"Otherwise, Pres. Arroyo is only issuing empty platitudes and useless
threats. These firms shouldn't just be slapped on the wrist - all their
chainsaws and logging trucks should be taken away from them," he said.

Among the logging firms identified are Pacific Timber Export Corp, Agro-Forest
Development Corp., Inter-Pacific Forest Resources Corp, Industries Development
Corp., RCC Timber Co., San Roque Sawmill Corp, Benson Realty Development Corp,
Toplite Lumber Corp., and Green Circle Properties and Resources Inc.

Beltran said that Pres. Arroyo should be decisive and cancel the timber license
agreements, integrated forest management agreements (IFMAS) or special private
land timber licenses with the Department of Environmental and Natural
Resources.

"It's not enough that the president makes a call against illegal logging. She
should put more meat in her words and take concrete action. Illegal logging
should be criminalized and penalized, but logging as a whole should be banned
outright. Loggers in the country have a record of being abusive - exploiting
their permits to the hilt, and the results have been devastating. Pres. Arroyo
should immediately cancel all logging permits, bar none. It will take for a
minimum of one decade for the country's forest to recover, and the emotional
and physiological scars of the survivors and the families of the victims will
take longer to heal. The deaths of our fellow Filipinos should not be in vain -
their deaths are a testament to the evils of rampant logging," he said.

In the meantime, Beltran expressed vehement condemnation of the Supreme Court's
reversal of its earlier ruling that the Financial and/or Technical Assistance
Agreement (FTAA) provision of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 or RA 7942 is
unconstitutional.

Beltran said that the High Court's decision will contribute further to the
ecological and environmental disaster in the country, and worse, it worsens the
dangers faced by indigenous peoples andvcommunities already severely affected by
open pit mining and logging operations.

"Apart from canceling the logging permits, Pres. Arroyo should push the High
Court to reverse its ruling. Even as speculations are rife that malacannag and
foreign investors have all but pointed gun to the SC justices' head to reverse
the ruling, given Pres. Arroyo's recent statements that she will do all to
prevent yet another devastating flashflood, she should order the SC to once
declare FTAAs illegal and unconstitutional."

Beltran said that allowing the entry of wholly foreign-owned corporations in
the exploitation of our mineral resources would only aggravate the worsening
environmental situation in the country.

Only last January 27, the high tribunal ruled that FTAAs under the Mining Act
are unlawful. This would have had prevented a wholly-owned foreign company to
utilize any mineral resources within a contract area. The government has
targeted by foreign investors in the]revitalization of the mining industry to
augment its fiscal crisis.

"There has been no definitive or acceptable explanation as to why the High
Tribunal reversed its own decision. It would not be overboard to say, however,
that the Sc has succumbed to pressures from Malacanang and foreign investors.
In the wake of the devastation that left thousands homeless and hundreds dead,
The SC should once more alter its decision and return to its original
judgment on the FTAAs. The SC should also declare the entire Mining Act of 1995
as unconstitutional. Anakpawis is pushing for the scrapping of the said law,"
he said. "The environmental and man-made disasters that have hit the country
in recent years are direct results of the implementation of the law," he
concluded.#

NR1201: Relief for the victims of typhoons

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release December 1 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon makes recommendations for immediate relief of victims of typhoons and
massive flooding; demands GMA and top execs to donate their own Christmas
bonuses and 13th month pay for emergency relief operations

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today made for than a few
recommendations on how to immediately remedy the devastation caused by t h e
recent typhoons that hit the country, and the serious flooding they caused.
He said that the Office of the President should give up its allocations for
the presidential palace's maintenance and repair of properties,
transportation, equipment and the like owned for the immediate relief and
rehabilitation of the areas in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog ravaged by
the recent typhoons.

Beltran said in 2003, the OP used up a whopping P232,282,957.01 M for the
repair and maintenance of Malacanang palace. This according to the Commission
on Audit (COA.).The Office of the President spent millions on beautifying the
physical structure and grounds of Malacanang, and it's certain that the money
wasted this year for the same will be as humongous. Instead of more
presidential primping and preening, the executive should drastically cut down
and even do away with its vanity expenses, and allot the funds for the calamity
and disaster missions," he said.

Beltran also urged Congressmen, senators and top executives of government
agencies such as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Social
Security System (SSS) and the Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) to
donate their Christmas bonuses and other cash gifts to the victims of the
typhoon. "The challenge also goes to DILG secretary Angelo Reyes and the
top-raking generals in the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said.

He also said that AFP allocations for intelligence should also cut down to
size, and the same also contributed to the calamity fund - towards the
rebuilding of houses, schools, and other infrastructure damaged or totally
destroyed by the recent typhoons and flooding. "It's not enough that Pres.
Arroyo go around the distressed provinces distributing P5,000 each to every
family. P5,000 won't buy all the construction materials needed to rebuild
houses. People will also need food, medicine and clothing. The devastation
also covers the immediate livelihood of thousands of farmers, farmworkers and
small fisherfolk. This is a national emergency that requires drastic
measures," he said.

Beltran said that the Congressional deliberations over the 2005 national budget
do not even take into consideration the natural disasters that strike the
country regularly. "The allocations for agrarian reform and agriculture remain
paltry - as do the funds for health. The Philippines is a regular magnet for
natural calamities like typhoons. Every year, the national government runs
around like a headless chicken to help the victims when what it should be
doing is strengthening the country and the people's ability to minimize the
impact of the typhoons and flooding. The 2005 budget should be engineered
towards providing more for what the basic sectors need to survive these
calamities," he said.

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker also said that a total log ban should
be immediately imposed, as well as an immediate halt to full-scale, open-pit
mining. "The depletion of Philippine forests and the destruction of the land
due to mining contributes to the ecological and environmental destruction, and
as always, the impact is on the poor. PGMA should call for a total log ban and
a halt to all mining operations," he concluded.#

NR1130: Beltran challenges Dante Ang

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 30 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran challenged newly-appointed Commissioner on Overseas Filipinos
Dante Ang to act on reports of 200 stranded OFWS in Saudi

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today expressed skepticism over
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's appointment of her former publicist Dante
Ang as head of the Commission on Overseas Filipinos (COF), saying that Ang's
work experience has had nothing to do with overseas employment or migrants.
He also said that Ang's appointment will further fuel already rife
speculations that GMA is going to fill her newly-revamped cabinet with private
individuals to whom she owes for their help in the May polls. He said,
however, that Ang already has numerous tasks laid out before him that demand
immediate attention.

"Since he accepted the position, he should take action now and the public will
see if he's fit for the job or not," he said. Beltran called Ang and the
Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Roberto Romulo to alarming reports of
migrant organizations that there are some 200 stranded Filipinos in Saudia
Arabia who are now thinking of going to Iraq and find jobs there instead as
a result of the alleged neglect of the Philippine consulate officials in the
kingdom on the plight of the workers in the war-torn Middle Eastern state.

Beltran said that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Malacanang itself
should immediately order the repatriation and sacking of Philippine Ambassador
to Saudi Arabia Bahnarim Guinomla a for abandoning of his responsibility for
the distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"News of stranded Filipino in the Middle East have become frequent- and who
else do we have to blame for this but Philippine foreign affairs officials the
likes of like Guinomla who neglect their duties. More and more OFWs are being
subjected to harrowing conditions - they're being forced to contend with
various kinds of abuses. The number of undocumented Filipino workers who
crossed over to Iraq from Saudi continue to swell as the Philippine embassy in
Saudi turns a blind eye to the situation of OFWs in Saud," he said.

Beltran noted reports from Migrante International that over 200 OFWs have been
documented to be roaming the streets of Jeddah in search of food and shelter.
"Many of them are reportedly crossed the line of desperation, and are seriously
considering going to Iraq if the Philippine Embassy in Saudi will not act on
their immediate needs," he said.

He also accosted the the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for branding the
existence of stranded workers as 'dubious claim.' "Stranded workers have been
pouring through the halls of the Philippine consulate in Jeddah, approaching
officials and asking them for assistance and provisions for food and shelter.
Many have also asked help for their repatriation since the first week of
November," he insisted.

Beltran said that leaders of Migrante International in Saudi have already
reported the current situation of the stranded workers in the kingdom to Consul
General Pendosina Lomondot, who, in turn, promised that "as soon as the Ramadan
holiday ends, we will begin working on your complaints."

Lomondot even reportedly instructed Vice Consul Jose Jacob, Labor attaché Nasser
Munder and administrative officer Taha Guinomla, who were present during the
dialogue, to make sure the promise was fulfilled. "Ramadan is over, but nothing
has happened. Our kababayans are still stranded and have taken to roaming the
streets like mendicants," Beltran said.

On Nov. 21, 63 of the stranded workers went to the consular office to follow up
their cases, but many of the OFWs were reportedly harassed by men and hired
goons allegedly upon the orders of (Taha) Guinomla, brother of the Philippine
ambassador to Saudi Arabia. 63 OFWs who attended a dialogue with Consul General
Lomondot were harassed inside the Jeddah Philippine consulate by hired goons
upon orders of Consulate's Chief Admin. Taha Guinomla, the sister of RP
Ambassador to KSA Bahnarim Guinomla.

Beltran said that the Migrante chapter in Jeddah initially submitted to the
Consulate officials 176 names of stranded workers under its care who need food,
shelter and immediate repatriation.
Fifty percent of these OFWs came from Riyadh, while others from Abha, Qassim,
Khamis Mushyat and other places in the kingdom. According to Migrante, the
increasing number of stranded OFWs in Saudi
Arabia resulted from the abuse and maltreatment of their employers. Some of them
claimed to have escaped from their employers for not having been paid their
salaries.#

NR1130: Withdraw troops from Luisita

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 30 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran demands that PGMA order withdrawal of troops from Hacienda
Luisita; chides president for bias for Cojuangco-Aquino family

On the resumption of the congressional and senate hearings on the Hacienda
Luisita Massacre and the issues surrounding the labor dispute within the
Cojuangco-owned sugar plantation, Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran once more
challenged former Pres. Corazon Aquino to do more than just pray for the
victims of the massacre and their families. He also demanded that Pres. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo immediately call for the withdrawal of all police and
military forces from the Hacienda.

"Despite the ongoing instigations, the Hacienda and the immediate surrounding
communities where the workers and farmworkers and their families live are
still militarized," he said. "Pre. Arroyo should order the Philippine National
Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to withdraw from
Luisita. They have no business protecting private property - nevermind if the
property belongs to the family an ex-president."

Beltran said that the Hacienda Luisita massacre is a stark reminder of how the
powerful and influential families in the country continue to use their wealth
and influence to protect and secure economic interest even to the extent of
violating inalienable human and labor rights. "The Cojuangcos will not submit
to even the modest agrarian reform laws passed by former President Cory
Aquino's own regime in 1988. They have manipulated and twisted one of the few
laws that aimed to give the land back to the tillers," he said.

"Luisita is a symbol of the determination of the entrenched elite and wealthy
minority to perpetuate the inequality of poverty of the Philippine peasantry.
The massacre of November 16, 2004, demonstrates how far the ruling class will
go to protect their privilege and wealth, using the armed forces of the
police and military as their private army in this task," he said.

Clip the powers of the Labor Secretary

Beltran said that the members of the Committees on Human Rights, Labor, and
Agrarian Reform should express their opposition to the re-appointment of
Patricia Sto. Tomas to the Department of Labor. He said that the DOLE led by
Sto. Tomas was instrumental in sending in the Tarlac police under the command
of Chief Supt. Quirino de la Torre and elements of the 69th and 703rd Infantry
Battalion of the Philippine Army, backed by three armored personnel carriers,
several fire trucks and 10 military trucks against unarmed and peaceful workers
expressing their legitimate demands.

The veteran labor leader said that he will file a bill clipping the powers of
the labor secretary, particularly his/her authority to impose assumption of
jurisdiction orders (AJs) indiscrimination; as well as the DOLE's authority to
deputize police and military to interfere in labor disputes.

"It's long overdue that the office of the DOLE secretary be subjected to full
investigations because of its record of abusing power. Sto. Tomas, in
particular, has abused her authority countless times- settling labor disputes
in grossly in favor of employers, regardless of the damaging impact on the
labor rights and job security of workers," he said.#

NR1129:Compel Cojuangcos to attend HLI hearings

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 29 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran appeals to former President Cory to cooperate with
investigations on Luisita Massacre and urge his brother Luisita manager Pedro
Cojuangco to attend Nov.30 and Dec. 1 hearings

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today challenged former president
Corazon C. Aquino to cooperate with the ongoing senate and congressional
investigations on the Nov.16 Hacienda Luisita Massacre, and push his eldest
brother and hacienda manager Pedro Cojuangco to attend the hearings. The
hearing in Congress resumes tomorrow, while at the senate, the hearing
resumes Dec. 1. Beltran pointed out none of the Cojuangcos have attended the
hearings, and have sp far only sent a lone representative who is also their
legal counsel.

"It is customary that in labor disputes, the management sends its lawyers; but
the brutality unleashed against the striking workers and farmworkers of Hacienda
Luisita is no ordinary dispute. The Cojuangcos should be compelled to attend the
hearings.The dispute is not so much between the workers and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as it is
between the workers and the Cojuangcos. And this is not just a labor dispute
either - it's a land dispute; the Cojuagco's continued ownership and management
of Hacienda Luisita is also being questioned. The massacre, the strike and
the land dispute are very important issues the Cojuangcos should face," he
said.

Beltran appealed to the widow of Ninoy Aquino to do more than just pray for
the workers, and instead take more concrete action to help the farmworkers and
their families. "At this juncture, prayers are not enough. Mrs. Aquino's family
has lived off the blood and sweat of the workers of Hacienda Luisita all these
years, and its long overdue that they return the land they did not work for.
Mrs. Aquino's prayers are appreciated- but they certainly will not bring back
the worked felled by the bullets last Nove. 16."

Beltran said that Anakpawis party-list is pushing for the review of the Stock
Distribution Option (SDO) provision in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law
(CARL) which is at the root of the conflict in Hacienda Luisita. He urged the
Committee on Agrarian Reform chaired by Rep. Gregorio Ipong to immediately
schedule the investigations into the SDO and its disastrous impact on the
lives and livelihood of the workers and farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita.

In the meantime, Beltran also called on the Committee on Labor to subject to
review the recent decisions laid down by labor secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas,
particularly her heavy-handed implemented of assumption-of-jurisdiction orders.
He also urged the members of the Labor Committee chaired by Rep. Roseller
Barinaga to oppose to re-appointment of Sto. Tomas at the Commission on
Appointments (CA). #

NR1126: On reviving the Aquino-Galman case

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 26 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon critical of motives behind moves to revive Aquino-Galman murder case;
pushes for the reopening of investigations into Olalia-Alay-ay murders, Mendiola
Massacre

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the moves to reopen the
Aquino-Galman murder case were connected to the ongoing investigations on the
Hacienda Luisita Massacre last November 16 which claimed the lives of 14
farmwrorkers and wounded scores of others.

Beltran said that the Cojuangco family led by former congressman Jose "Peping"
Cojuangco, former president Corazon C. Aquino and Tarlac 2nd District. Rep.
Benigno C. Aquino III were trying to divert the public's attention from the
brutality they ordered to be unleashed against the workers and farmworkers
of Hacienda Luisita and Central Azucarera de Tarlac, and turn the spotlight
once more on the martyred Ninoy Aquino.

"It's impossible not to see a connection between these two developments. The
investigations on the Luisita Massacre have been gaining headway and moving on
towards the divulging of reasons why there is widespread discontent among the
farmworkers and workers of Hacienda. The massacre is deeply rooted in the
decades-long struggle for land and the Cojuangco's refusal to surrender what
rightfully belongs to the thousands of farmworkers and their families. The
Cojuangcos are deliberately trying to illicit sympathy from the public by
reviving the Aquino-Galman case," he said.

Beltran said that if the martyred senator and acknowledged hero of the
anti-dictatorship struggle were alive today, he would not have condoned what
the Cojuangcos have done to the farmworkers.

"What is most important now is that not only should the perpetrators and
masterminds of the Luisita Massacre be sacked and punished - among them labor
secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas - but the roots of the land conflict in the
Hacienda be arrived at. The Stock Distribution Option (SDO) program in the
Hacienda should be reviewed and then abolished, and the land genuinely and
evenly distributed among all the farmworkers of the hacienda," he said.

The labor leader turned lawmaker said that if the Aquino-Galman case would be
revived, then he is also pushing for the revival of the double-murder of
labor leader Rolando Olalia and his aide, worker-activist Leonor Alay-ay who
were both killed by the military in November 1996, a few months after Cory
Aquino was installed in Malacanang.

"Ka Lando was became the president of the KMU after his father, Ka Bert Olalia
died in 1983. He became the legal counsel of National Federation of Labor
Unions (NAFLU). He also became the president, both of the Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan (BAYAN), and Partido ng Bayan.

Because of his unflinching criticism of the continued exploitation that workers
suffered even under the supposed 'revolutionary government' of President
Corazon Aquino, Ka Lando like his father before him was targeted by military
forces allied with the government. Together with Alay-ay, Ka Lando was
abducted on the night of November 13, 1986. The following day, their dead
bodies were found. They bore signs of vicious torture. Ka Lando sustained
four gunshots in the head, and six stab wounds in his torso. His mouth was
stuffed with newspapers, his hands tied closely together with his own belt.

On the day of his burial, more than 600,000 workers and people from all walks of
life joined the funeral march and demanded justice for his brutal murder. Work
stoppages took place in 217 workplaces.

Beltran also said that the Mendiola Massacre case has not been resolved either
- "Pres. Aquino did not push as hard as she should have for the resolution of
the Mendiola Massacre, not even when it was made known that a large number of
the participants to the rally that was attacked were from Tarlac and other
provinces in Central Luzon." #

NR1125:Govt abolishing NPO

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 18 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

GMA's order to abolish National Printing Office opens floodgates to more
corruption, electoral cheating - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today expressed grim warnings that the
national government was deliberately opening itself up to commit more corrupt
acts and practices. This in connection with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's
Executive Order No. 378 dated October 5, 2004 which paves the way for the
eventual abolition of the National Printing office (NPO).

Beltran said that the motives behind the plans to abolish the NPO were
questionable. "There are reports that the moves to abolish the NPO is a
maneuver to have the privately-owned APO Production Unit take over the NPO's
function," he said. APO is reportedly owned by close allies of the President.

"This APO Production Unit is reportedly deep in debt, with unpaid debts
amounting to P700 million. This amount continues to increase because of
interest and unpaid periodic amortization. Who the owners of the APO
Production Unit is as yet a mystery, but we have hunches," he said.

Beltran said that abolishing the NPO and privatizing the printing services of
the government would result in financial chaos for the government while further
strengthening the stranglehold of corruption in the bureaucracy. For one,
Beltran said, printing of government account forms especially those with
monetary face value will no longer be effectively regulated.

"There will be no more government body that would regulate and control the
serial number of the official receipts, or even just monitor the quality of
the printing. It is the NPO that is vested with regulatory function over the
government's printing services.To relegate this to privately-owned printers
could result to massive losses for the government. There is an imminent threat
danger here that those official receipts with value be unscrupulously used by
private printers in cahoots with corrupt government requisitioning officials to
enrich themselves. This will easily defraud the government of millions if not
billions of revenues," he said.

He also said that corrupt requisitioning officers in cahoots with private
printers can manipulate printing orders and overstock. "In either case, it's
the national government that stands to lose millions. Overprinting and
overstocking are arrangements that can be easily done as contracts will only be
between the requisitioning officer and the private printer. The kickbacks could
amount to millions."

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker also said that electoral cheating will
also be legalized because of the EO. Under Section 1 of EO, it's said that
the printing of election paraphernalia can be shared between the NPO and the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, upon the approval and discretion of the
Commission on Elections, consistent with the provisions of the Election Code
of 1987. "It's easy to see how this is can be abused and exploited to the
hilt and further make Philippine elections an even more gargantuan cheating
contest," he said.

Finally, Beltran that were also legal technicalities to the EO as it violates
existing laws. From the establishment of the Bureau of Public Printing by the
Philippine Commission Act No. 296, up to the integration of the Government
Printing Office to the Department of General Services under the Revised
Administrative Code passed by Congress in 1958, the mandate of the National
Printing Office (NPO) has always been the executive jurisdiction over the
printing of all government standard and accountable forms, among others.

The same mandate was upheld by then Pres. Corazon C. Aquino when she enacted
into law Executive Order No. 285.s 1987 under the Freedom Constitution. It
was then that Congress granted the President with legislative power to
promulgate rules and regulations to carry out national policies. "The issuance
of Executive Order No. 285.s 1987 is a legislative act that has the force and
effect of the law; thus it can't be superseded, revised or amended by any
executive issuance unless such revision passes first through Congress. Given
this, Executive Order No. 378 violates an existing law,"Beltran pointed out. #

NR1125:Beltran slams labor repression in HLI

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 25 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran slams DOLE role in labor repression and militarization of labor
disputes; submits affidavit against Sto. Tomas to Commission on
Appointments

During today's Committee on Labor, Human Rights and Agrarian Reform joint
hearing on the Hacienda Luisita Massacre , Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
reiterated his call that Department of Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas be
immediately relieved of her post and charged for the death of workers during
the massacre that took place last November 16.

Beltran announced during the hearing that he was formally submitting to the
Commission on Appointments his opposition to the reappointment of Sto. Tomas to
the DOLE. He urged fellow solons to support his petition and also submit their
declarations of opposition to Sto. Tomas to the CA. He gave his a affidavit
of opposition to CA members Rep. Clavel Martinez and Rep. Prospero Pichay.

"The assumption of jurisdiction order (AJ) and its accompanying return-to-work
order labor secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas issued, as well as her order
deputizing the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) are at the core of the massacre. The Luisita Massacre
underscores Sto. Tomas' abuse of power and pro-employer bias. She is unfit for
public office," he said.

Beltran pointed out further that Sto. Tomas has issued numerous AJs that have
resulted to hundreds of cases of human rights violations of thousands of
workers exercising the legitimate rights to strike and protests against union
busting and other unfair labor practices. In the last four years beginning
January 20, 2001, the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) has
documented 86 assaults on picketlines and worker protests involving the PNP
(including the Regional Special Action Forces and the SWAT) , the AFP, and
company-hired goons and private guards.

Beltran urged the Committee on Labor to make official its stand that the strike
called by the United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) and the Central Azucarera de
Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) in protest against retrechment, union, busting,
collective bargaining agreement (CBA) deadlock as well as the refusal of the
Cojuangco management to turn over the land to the tillers as they should have
under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) is legitimate.

He also slammed the spokespersons of the AFP and PNP when they tried to
discredit the strike by saying that there were members of militant groups
there, as well as members of the New People's Army. "The workers and
farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita are bonafide members of Anakpawis and Bayan
Muna. As for the NPA, if there were any NPA there then surely, the casualties
would have been on the side of the police and military and not the strikers,"
he said.

"It was Sto. Tomas who was out of line, and she should be charged along with the
officers and members of the PNP and AFP. labor repression has been part of the
government's counter-insurgency program, and as evidenced by her role in the
Luisita Masaacre, Sto. Tomas is one of the most efficient henchmen in this
campaign. Beltran said that for instance, the entire Southern Tagalog is a
laboratory for the AFP. Filipino troops regularly conduct military operations
in ST. During strikes, workers' are forced to contend with the interference of
Regional Special Action Forces (RSAF) or the SWAT. There are also reports that
the military observes, spies on and harasses union officers and labor
organizers. #

NR1124:GMA approval ratings

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 24, 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Recovery of GMA's approval ratings not incumbent on US ties; protests
against endless OPHs directed against administration

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran expressed strong disagreement with
administration allies and their assertion that President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo's approval ratings will recover because of the renewed warmth
of the US government towards her.

"This is strictly wishful thinking on the part of Pres. Arroyo and her allies.
So long as oil prices continue to increase, and electricity and water rates to
go up along with the prices of basic goods, Pres. Arroyo's approval ratings
will remain low and continue to go down. As far as consumers and the poor and
working people are concerned, no number of hours of talks between Pres. Arroyo
and US Pres. George Bush will make a dent in the poverty they are experiencing
as a direct result of the anti-national policies the Philippine government is
implementing," he said.

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that the US government's
thawing towards its Philippine counterpart was not at a positive sign. "The
renewal of supposedly friendly ties between the US and the Philippines is not
something t he Filipino people should rejoice for. The US' only objective for
maintaining links with the Philippines is purely mercenary. The US' latest
'gift" of additional military aid has a lot of strings attached to it:
mainly, it's a quid pro exchange wherein the US will give increased military
aid and other financial loans if the Philippines w ill push f or reforms
in its economic policies that w ill make it easier for US investors to
further plunder the economy."

Beltran said that the nationally-coordinated protest actions and transport
strikes scheduled tomorrow are also directed against the Arroyo administration,
not just against the oil cartel of Shell, Caltex and Petron. He said that
Pres. Arroyo has accomplished nothing by way of stopping t he oil price hikes
and the electricity rate increases and much less providing jobs for millions
of unemployed Filipinos.

"Pres. Arroyo's popularity and approval ratings will continue to plummet
because she is doing nothing at all to curb the greed of the oil companies,
Meralco and Napocor. The shocking exposes of massive corruption involving the
armed forces of the Philippines also expose the inutility of the government
in fighting corruption. The people's grinding poverty coupled with the
attacks the government continues to launch against their economic welfare is a
volatile mix that will inevitably result in more social uprisings directed
against Pres. Arroyo."#

Solons support Nov 25 protests against OPHs

Mambabatas Kontra Kartel News Release November 23 , 2004

Alliance of Congressmen slams oil price hikes and increases in prices and
services; expresses support for Nov. 25 coordinated protests against oil
price increases

The Mambabatas Kontra-Kartel (MKK) alliance of legislators opposed to relentless
oil price hikes and increases in LPG prices in a press conference today at the
House of Representatives said that it supports the calls of various consumers
groups and people's organizations against the oil price hikes, including the
demands that the oil deregulation law be immediately subjected to review and
more importantly, repeal.

The MKK is so far comprised of 14 lawmakers, namely Anakpawis Rep. Crispin
Beltran, Alagad Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael
Mariano, 3rd District of Pampa nga Rep. Rey Aquino; Gabriela Women's Party Rep.
Liza Maza; 1st District of Manila Rep. Ernesto Nieva; Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C.
Ocampo; 2nd District of Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz, Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv
Hataman; 3rd District of Bohol Rep. Eladio Jala; Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino;
2nd District of Bulacan Rep. Pedro Pancho; ALIF Rep. Acmad Tomawis; and Bayan
Muna Rep. Joel Virador.

Several transport groups and consumers organizations expressed their gratitude
to the lawmakers' action of forming an alliance against oil price increase in
the House of Representatives. Transport groups are calling on the public to
join them in several protest actions across the country on Thursday, November
25 condemning the recent P1.00/liter and P0.50/liter increase in gasoline and
diesel prices, respectively. They are also calling for the repeal of the oil
deregulation law.

The MKK solons said that consumers and the rest of the public need immediate
relief from the oil prices hikes. They said that soaring oil prices and low
food supplies because of floods in the recent months have already kicked
inflation levels high - the highest in more than five years. Last month,
inflation levels were already pegged at 7.2 percent.

"Prices of food and beverages have increased by as much as 7.1 percent. For food
alone, prices rose by 7.3 percent. This was because prices of basic food
ingredients and materials also increased: corn by 11.9 percent; cereal
preparations, 5.8 percent; dairy products 9.1 percent, eggs by 6.2 percent,
fruits and vegetables, 9.5 percent; and miscellaneous food items 4.5 percent.
Rice price have increased by 3 percent; fish and meat by 9.2 percent and 15.5
percent respectively. In all these price increases, the OPHs have played a
crucial role. These figures can only go up if the oil price hikes do not let
up," the MKK solons said.

Anakpawis Rep. Beltran said that the Philippines is the country in Asia hardest
hit by steep increases in global oil prices. Among the oil -importing economies
of China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the
Philippines is in the worst position to cope with the OPHs.

"The actual buying purchasing power of wages and salaries here is much lower
than in our neighbors. Inflation moves faster here. Already, housing and
repairs, fuel, light and water cost have already jumped higher in the last two
months as a direct impact of the oil price hikes. The terms of the purchasing
power of peso has lost at least 40 centavos of its nominal value. The real
value lost is much higher given inflation and the increasing exchange value
versus the dollar," he said.

The MKK solons also expressed alarm over reports that gasoline stations all aver
the country are closing shop because of the OPHs. According to reports, gasoline
dealerships are losing profits and therefore closing shop at an alarmingly high
rate, especially those dealerships of the so-called independent, smaller
players. These closures also mean loss of employment for hundreds of workers.
"No wonder then that even the small players are calling for the repeal of the
oil deregulation law. Only the giant oil companies of Shell, Caltex and
Petron are having a great time at this age of relentless oil price increases.
Their profits are not only intact - they're still growing," they said.

MKK also supports public calls for the following measures as immediate measures
to counteract the OPHs:
1. Centralization of procurement of imported crude oil and refined petroleum
products
2. Establishment of a buffer fund to be developed from the operations of
centralized procurement to protect local retail prices from sudden increases in
world prices
3. Abolition of specific taxes on petroleum products
4. Widest possible public consultation as a requirement before implementing oil
price adjustments
5. Full disclosure of oil companies' pricing scheme and inventory. #

NR1122: PNP's Task Force Luisita bogus

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 24, 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

PNP Luisita Task Force totally lacking in credibility;
Senate and Congressional investigations on Luisita Massacre should also put Sto.
Tomas in the spotlight - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today scoffed at the credibility of
the Philippine National Police (PNP) Task Force Luisita supposedly
investigating the massacre the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(PNP) perpetrated last November 16 against striking workers and farmworkers of
the Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

The Task Force alleged that members of ex-President Joseph Estrada's Peoples
Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) and its breakaway group the Filipino
Democratic Movement (FMD) as well as t members of the New People's Army (NPA)
were involved in the clash.

"These are all stupid allegations, idiotic assertions, and fabricated lies,"
said Beltran. "The PNP and the AFP are desperate to justify the massacre which
can never be justified. This Task Force Luisita was formed with the express
intent to pull-off a comprehensive campaign to cover up the PNP and the AFP's
responsibility for the massacre that claimed 14 lives, wounding hundreds of
others. There taskforce does not have a single shred of credibility, and its
findings are all bunk."

The veteran labor leader said that the PNP was dragging the PMAP and the FMD
into the issue to discredit the investigations of the Senate Committee on Labor
which is headed by Estrada's son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

"The PNP's ploy is so transparent - one the one hand, blame the PMAP/FMD and
thus discredit the Senate investigations; and then accuse the NPA and that way
shift the spotlight on the militant people's organizations the military
establishment continues to tag as communist fronts."

"But the truth will come out. Regardless of the attempts of the PNP and the AFP
to pass the blame, November 16 will go down in Philippine recent history as a
testament to the brutality and fascism of government armed forces, and their
defense of the people's exploiters," he said.

Beltran said that tomorrow's Committees on Human Rights, Labor and Agrarian
reform joint investigation on the Luisita Massacre will hopefully be a venue
wherein the survivors of the massacre will be able to air their side, and
expose the perpetrators.

A member of the Committee on Human Rights and vice-chair of the labor
committee, he appealed to both committees to make sure that labor secretary
Patricia Sto. Tomas is also summoned to the investigations. "We want her to
look the workers and farmworkers in the eye and tell them to their face that
she laid down her return-to-work and assumption of jurisdiction orders for
their own good," he said.

Beltran is filing a complaint against Sto. Tomas at the Commission on
Appointments, protesting Sto. Tomas' re-appointment as labor secretary. He said
that Sto. Tomas has abused her authority for the longest time, using her office
and powers to aid employers like the Cojuangcos in their continued exploitation
of their workers. #

NR1122: No to jueteng

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 22 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran says "No" to legalization of jueteng

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the main reason
behind his opposition to the legalization of the illegal numbers game jueteng
was not so much moral in nature.

"Moves to legalize jueteng should be opposed not so much because the game
supposedly corrupts is players and paves the way for further social degeneracy,
but because the game is being used by already corrupt and unscrupulous public
officials and officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to enrich themselves and increase their
despotic influence over the regions and provinces within their respective
jurisdiction."

He agreed with a arguments of anti-jueteng advocates, however, that jueteng
corrupts individuals bettors. "Gambling is a vice and a form of sickness. Poor
families are tempted into using the meager funds they have for gambling
because gambling promises instant results, nevermind that more often than not
they never win. Jueteng also distracts people from what the national government
owes them - decent wages, steady and reliable livelihood. Gambling should never
be allowed to become the means to a living."

Beltran said that legalizing jueteng would only make the numbers game more under
the control of these corrupt public officials. "It's an open secret that a
bulk of campaign and personal funds of the jueteng lords all over the country
come from jueteng. Instead of promulgating and subsidizing genuinely
people-empowering livelihood and income-generating projects, there are
officials and certain local government units that streamroll government funds
into jueteng operations," he said.

"The national government relies heavily on the gambling industry for added
income because it uses up its own funds for foreign debt and interest
payments. Instead of generating funds from gambling, the national government
should rethink its macro-economic policies and junk the anti-national programs
that result to increasing public indebtedness."

NR1122: Charge Sto. Tomas re: Luisita Massacre

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 22 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Who's afraid of Patricia Sto. Tomas?

Charge Sto. Tomas along with the PNP and AFP officers, Cojuangcos for the
Hacienda Luisita Massacre - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that he and fellow
Anakpawis solon Rafael Mariano will file a protest at the Commission on
Appointments against Department of Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas. He said
that not only should Sto. Tomas be removed from the labor department, she should
also be investigated and then charged with collusion with various employers and
businesses against workers in the settlement and resolution of the latter's
cases. Beltran said that Sto. Tomas' most recent decision to assume
jurisdiction over the labor dispute at the Central Azucarera de Tarlac owned by
the family of former Pres. Corazon C. Aquino and to impose a return-to-work
order has are at the core of the violence which erupted last November 16.

"Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should stop protecting Sto. Tomas. Sto. Tomas has
a long record of collusion with employers against workers, be they on strike or
not. She is a favorite with Malacanang and business groups because she is
unabashedly anti-labor, showing no qualms whatsoever about throwing aside the
just and righteous demands of workers and legitimizing the greed of employers,"
he said. "Her role in the massacre of farmworkers and workers of Hacienda
Luisita should not be allowed to escape punishment. At the least, she should be
immediately relieved from her position, but the main clamor is for her to be
charged alongside the officers and members of the Philippine National Police
(PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the CAT management for
the massacre."

"Sto. Tomas, she should be relieved from her post. She deserves to be pilloried
for what she has done - turning a blind eye to the deployment of fully armed
police and military to enforce her AJ and return-to-work order. She abused her
authority, went way beyond the functions of her office and became the defender
of the Cojuangcos and their avarice," he said.

The veteran labor leader expressed outrage anew for the bias being shown for
the Cojuangcos."It was the workers who lost their lives. They have lived under
the yoke of virtual slavery under the Cojuangcos for almost three decades, and
have suffered the hypocrisy of that family day in, day-out. The Cojuangcos have
done nothing to help these people, but done everything to ensure that they are
exploited and oppressed to the hilt. All the reports of the PNP and the
Cojuangcos that there were infiltrators and provocateurs in the strike are
cast-iron lies. Who provoked the workers and farmworkers to launch their
unified strike? The despotic Cojuancos themselves," he said.

"The Cojuangcos and the AFP, PNP are dragging the New People's Army (NPA)
into the issue, muddling the genuine reasons for the strike and trying to
cover up the massacre in the attempt to excuse themselves. Anyone with half
a brain and even just half a heart and has talked to the workers of Hacienda
Luisita and seen their working and living conditions would agree that the
Cojuangcos are immoral and despotic landlords."

Finally, Beltran expressed fear that the investigations of the National Bureau
of Investigations (NBI) would be severely compromised and tampered with
because of pressure from the Cojuangcos. "They are a powerful and influential
family, and have the means and motive to manipulate the results of the NBI
investigations. For the sake of the people the Cojuangcos have had massacred,
it's to be hoped that the NBI keep a close watch over their investigations and
release findings that will corroborate the truth of what happened last
November 16." #

NR1117: Fire Sto.Tomas for Luisita Massacre

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release November 17 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
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Fire Sto. Tomas for issuing unjustified return-to-work order against
Hacienda Luisita Workers; Rep Noynoy Aquino a disappointment as he tries to
justify attack against strikers that led to eight deaths

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today demanded the immediate
resignation of Patricia Sto. Tomas, saying that the return-to-work order she
issued against the striking workers and farmworkers of the Cojuangco-Aquino
owned Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac was used as the basis for the army assault
that left eight workers dead and tens of others seriously injured. He demanded
the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should in no uncertain terms remove Sto.
Tomas from her post.

"Sto. Tomas has once more proven her mettle as a viciously anti-worker
bureaucrats protector of the economic interest of employers and capitalists,
including land owners. She has played an infamous role in this massacre, and
she should be made responsible, along with the Cojuangcos led by
ex-Congressman Peping and current Deputy speaker Noynoy Aquino," he said. "She
should be investigated for this latest anti-worker caper of hers that resulted
in so many deaths. She has blood on her hands, and she is as responsible for
the deaths as the Cojuangcos."

Beltran said that Sto. Tomas' decision to lay down the return to work order
was out of line, and cannot be justified. "The negotiations between the
Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) crashed and burned because of
the stubbornness and hard-heartedness of the Cojuangcos. Sto. Tomas' RTW
order was deliberately and transparently biased in favor of the Cojuangcos,
disregarding the stand and position of the workers who were still very open
to negotiations and a principled, dignified compromise."

Beltran said that as labor secretary, Sto. Tomas has also turned a blind eye to
the deployment of troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and
the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the strike area. He said that no
doubt, Sto. Tomas was invoking the recently drawn memorandum of agreement
(MOA) between the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department
of Interior and Local Government (DILG) allowing LGUs to take action regarding
labor disputes that take place within the areas of their jurisdiction.

Last September 6, 2004, the DOLE signed the implementing rules and regulations
(IRR) operationalizing the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that defines the terms
of cooperation between the agencies in supposedly promoting industrial peace and
labor standards in workplaces nationwide.

"In short, it was the Cojuangcos who called for police and military back-up.
What right have they to call on and order the AFP and PNP to protect their
property and violate the labor and human rights of strikers ? Sto . Tomas
and the Cojuangcos colluded against the strikers and should be roundly
denounced for being the masterminds of the violence that erupted yesterday,"
he said.

In the meantime, Beltran shook his head at the conduct of Deputy Speaker Noynoy
Aquino and his words yesterday in plenary when he defended his family's stand
against the strike. "Rep. Aquino has been acting as the spokesperson of the
Cojuangcos and as part of the management. There is no other way to interpret
his words last night but as a defense and justification of the violence the AFP
and PNP unleashed against the unarmed workers. As a representative of his
district, it should have been his duty to protect the interest of his
constituents, who also happened to be workers in his family's hacienda. Last
night, Rep. Aquino was a true disappointment as he sought to discredit the
strike, malign the union, and justify the army assault against the
workers," he said.#