Anakpawis News Releases: February 2006

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

MEDIA ADVISORY: Presscon for Rep. Crispin Beltran's release

MEDIA ADVISORY

February 28, 2006
ATTENTION: NEWS DESKS

EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 1169, PROVIDING ITS PROTECTIVE CUSTODY TO ANAKPAWIS REPS. CRISPIN BELTRAN AND RAFAEL MARIANO, BAYAN MUNA REPS. SATUR OCAMPO, TEDDY CASINO, AND JOEL VIRADOR, AND GABRIELA REP. LIZA MAZA.

THE STRUGGLE FOR REP. BELTRAN's RELEASE CONTINUES.

FIGHT FOR
CONG. CRISPIN BELTRAN's LIBERTY!

PRESS CONFERENCE
TOMORROW, MARCH 1, 10 AM

Press Center, House of Representatives

Resource Speakers:
Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Mrs. Rosario Beltran (Rep. Beltran's wife), family members, and Rep. Beltran's physicians

Media Coverage requested.
Photo Opportunities Available.

For inquiries, please contact Lisa (0927-7967007) or Jim (0920-9507362).

Thank you very much!

Monday, February 27, 2006

House Resolutions

House Resolution No. 1167 (Filed February 27, 2006)
RESOLUTION URGING MADAM GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO TO SCRAP PROCLAMATION NO. 1017
Click here to download

House Resolution No. 1168 (Filed February 27, 2006)
RESOLUTION URGING MADAM GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO TO ORDER THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ANAKPAWIS REP. CRISPIN BELTRAN BAYAN MUNA REP. JOEL VIRADOR, SCRAP ALL THE FALSE AND FABRICATED CHARGES AGAINST THEM, STOP THE CRACKDOWN AND UNCONCSTITUTIONAL ARRESTS OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS, AND LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS CRITICAL OF THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION
Click here to download

Update on Ka Bel's case

on Ka Bel's case

Rep. Beltran's inquest this morning was a brazen, malicious, and unforgivable mockery of the law, fellow legislators should castigate, condemn for the the lack of due process.

Ka Bel's media officer Lisa Ito gives the following account of the 'inquest.'

Kinuha si Ka Bel from the detention cell. Paalam ng CIDG na ipapa-medical lang siya, pero hindi siya sa ospital dinala kundi sa CIDG Conference Room. Walang walang kaalam-alam si Ka Bel. Walang binabanggit kung ano ang magaganap. A police accidentally blurted out that magkaka-inquest si CB.

On the The 'inquest' proper

Binasa ng fiscal (no name,whoever the hell he is) yung charge vs CB in the presence of Atty. Romeo T.Capulong, Atty Sato Atty Pastores. Names of SO, LM, JV, RM, TC, JMS were also mentiond, along with Atty. Christopher Belmonte. They are all being charged with rebellion.

Tinanong ng judge kung may copy na ang lawyers. None.

Fiscal tells them to to receive the copies. They're several inches thick. Within 10 minutes, kailangang mabasa daw lahat.

RTC went through the documents and abstained on the basis that it was not possible to probe all the documents in the given time.

Atty. Capulong states the circumstances of pagkakahuli- no warrant, warrant based on 1985 case, hindi pagsasalita ng rally ng February 24, na siyang pinagbabasahan nila ng sedition charge. Fiscal whoever the hell he is says there is no need to elaborate on that. RTC is enraged, insists that it is part of due process to lay down circumstances of arrest.

Nag-intervene si Ka Bel. Tumayo. "Pabayaan mong magsalita ang aming abugado!"

RTC says they need to study the sandamakmak documents they were handed.

RTC tells the fiscal na "huwag siyang magpagamit, alam mo kung ano ang tungkulin niya at dapat maglingkod na may katuwiran. Halatang-halata na scripted ang pagkakahuli kay Ka bel, nagpapagamit kay GMA."

Ka Bel and RTC walk out, denouncing the entire process as mockery.

Ka Bel: "Walang kwenta ang lahat ng ito. Ibalik niyo na ako sa selda ko kung gusto niyo!"

The 73-year old solon's blood pressure shoots up to 180/120

Fiscal tells RTC to sit down. "Atty. Capulong, alam mo ang ruling sa korte. Matagal ka nang abugado." He tries to get RTC to sit down.

RTC: "Mas ikaw ang hindi nakakaalam ng ruling."

Session declared over. May kaso na.

Rep. Beltran's inquest this morning a brazen, malicious, and unforgivable mockery of the law

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 426-9442 Email:
crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news

*NEWS RELEASE *

*February 27, 2006*

*Reference: Sammy Malunes, Anakpawis Spokesperson (0920-472-1865)*

*Rep. Beltran's inquest this morning a brazen, malicious, and unforgivable
mockery of the law, fellow legislators should castigate, condemn the lack of
due process *

* *

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran has been subjected to one of the most
treacherous, anti-democratic, and inutile 'legal processes' in today's new
inquest which relayed the charges of rebellion against him, Anakpawis
Spokesperson Sammy Malunes said.

Malunes condemned in the strongest terms the "treacherous and inhumane
treatment accorded by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)
of the Philippine National Police when it summoned Rep. Beltran out if his
cell supposedly for a much-needed medical check-up, but suddenly brought him
to the CIDG Conference Room for a new inquest this morning".

"Walang kaalam alam si Ka Bel sa nangyayari at walang binabanggit ang CIDG
kung ano talaga ang magaganap. Iyan ba ang ideya nila ng pagbibigay ng due
process sa aming kinatawan?," Malunes said.

At the inquest proper, rebellion and insurrection charges (violation of
Article 134 in relation to Article 135 of the Revised Penal Code) were filed
against at least 51 so-called 'leaders and promoters', including Anakpawis
Rep. Rafael Mariano, Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, and Bayan Muna Reps. Satur
Ocampo, Teddy Casino, and Joel Virador. This was outlined in a letter from
Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management Acting Deputy Chair
Police Chief Superintendent Rodoelfo Mendoza, Jr to the Department of
Justice.

Beltran's lead counsel Atty. Romeo Capulong was not issued a copy of
documents related to the charges prior to the new inquest. At the inquest
proper, the Department of Justice Prosecutor Emanuel Velasco of the
Department of Justice handed a ream of documents for Atty. Capulong to
examine for only 10 minutes before proceeding.

Malunes slammed the 'obviously-staged rush at which the charges were being
read to Ka Bel'. "Despite Atty. Capulong's objections to the move due to the
failure to note the dubious and illegal circumstances of Ka Bel's arrest
last February 24, Velasco refused to give any semblance of due process and
proceeded with the reading of the charges," Malunes related.

"This is a damning disregard of due process. Ka Bel was forced to be
transported to Camp Crame without a warrant. When the warrant was issued, it
was based on a 21-year old case filed in 1985, which was quashed long ago.
And the charge of inciting to sedition filed last Sunday is obviously
fabricated because Ka Bel never publicly spoke at the rally where he was
charged as having uttered seditious statements," Malunes said.

"Halatang-halata na scripted and pagkakahuli at pagsasampa ng mga kaso ng
rebelyon laban kay Ka Bel," Malunes said."Atty. Capulong is right is saying
that these inquests and arrests are a mockery of the law," he added.

Malunes also expressed fears for Rep. Beltran's health given the infuriating
circumstances. The 73-year old solon's blood pressure shot up to high of
180/120 during the heated arguments with Velasco during the inquest.

Malunes called on "Rep. Beltran's fellow legislators in Congress to
castigate and condemn the chronic lack of due process that has prevailed so
far in this case, and press for the immediate release of Rep. Beltran". "We
expect them to follow their conscience, and not party lines or politics,
this time," he said ,"and hope that they will realize what a grave and
unforgivable injustice the Arroyo administration has done to Rep. Beltran
and, now, Rep. Virador". ###

Letter of Support from Australian Manufacturing Workers

From: Julius Roe
Date: Feb 27, 2006 11:00 AM
Subject: REPRESENTATIVE CRISPIN BELTRAN
To: cbrpe@philembassy.au.com

TO HER EXCELLENCY
MS CRISTINA G ORTEGA

Dear Ambassador,

On behalf of the 150,000 members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers we
ask that you urgently convey to your Government our alarm at the supression
of democratic protest in the Phillippines. No information has been publicly
released and no action has been taken consistent with this action being
necessary to supress a coup or threatened coup. No military commanders have
been arrested. The only action taken has been against those participating in
legitimate democratic protest action.

We particularly call for the immediate release of the democratically elected
member of the Congress Crispin Beltran. This honorable representative is
well known to the Australian trade union movement and his dedication and
integrity are beyond question. Only dictatoriships detain members of
Parliament. Only dictatorships suppress democratic protest. Representative
Beltran is, we know is suffering from high blood pressure and this
unjustified detention is putting his life at risk.

We are alarmed at the damage to the reputation of the Phillippines which
these actions will cause.

We hope that the Phillippines Government will listen to the voices
internationally and domestically who are calling for the restoration of
democracy, an end to the State of Emergency and the release of Crispin
Beltran.

Yours sincerely

Julius Roe
National President
Australian Manfacturing Workers Union.

Mga militante, hahamunin ang rally ban upang igiit ang paglaya ni Cong. Beltran

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 426-9442 Email:
crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

*Pebrero 27, 2006*

*Reference: Sammy Malunes, Anakpawis Spokesperson (0920-472-1865)*

*Mga militante, hahamunin ang rally ban upang igiit ang paglaya ni Cong.
Beltran *

*Dadalhin ang protesta sa mga probinsiya, sa ibang bansa, at sa mga dayuhang
mambabatas *

Bilang pagtutol sa rally ban na ipinatuipad ng Palasyo pagkatapos ng
deklarasyon ng Presidential Proclamation (PP) 1071, maglulunsad ng
kilos-protesta ang Anakpawis, ang Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), at iba pang mga
organisasyon upang igiit ang pagpapalaya kay Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran.

Kasalukuyang nakapiit sa Custodial Section ng Philippine National Police
(PNP) sa Camp Crame ang 73-anos na kongresista, at humaharap sa kasong
'inciting to sedition' batay sa mga ulat ni PCI Rino V. Corpuz, PI Honesto
D. Gaton, and SPO1 Arnold Casumpang. Nakakulong sa isang maliit, mainit, at
mala-bartolinang selda si Cong. Beltran, ayon sa kanyang pamilya.

Mula sa Caltex Santolan ay magmamartsa ang mga militante hanggang sa geyt ng
Camp Crame at doon maglulunsad ng programa. "Tinututulan namin ang patuloy
na illegal na aresto at ang mga walang-katotohanang kaso na isinampa ng CIDG
laban kay Ka Bel. Patuloy naming hahamunin ang rally ban hangga't nananatili
siya sa piitan. Iginigiit namin ang agarang paglaya ni Ka Bel, ang
pagsasawalang-bisa ng kasong sedition laban sa kanya, at ang pagsampa naman
ng counter-charges sa mga may pakana ng pagkakakulong niya," sabi ni Sammy
Malunes, Tagapagsalita ng Anakpawis National Headquarters.

"Sa kabila ng mga ulat na pumayag na sina Gen. Lomibao at House Speaker Jose
de Venecia ng paglipat ng kustodia ni Cong. Beltran sa Kongreso mula sa PNP,
wala pa kaming nakikitang pormal na utos o dokumento na magpapatunay dito,"
ani Malunes.

"Sa katunayan, dapat itong sina Corpuz, Gaton, at Casumpang ang dapat
kasuhan para sa kanilang pagsisinungaling at fabrication ng testimonies. Sa
kanilang joint affidavit of arrest, ipinagpipilitan ng tatlong ito na kasama
si Cong. Beltran sa mga nagbigay ng mga 'seditious' na talumpati sa rali na
ginanap noong Pebrero 24. Pero sa aktual na pangyayari ay hindi kasama sa
balak, at hindi nagkaroon ng anumang pagkakataon si Cong. Beltran, upang
magbigay ng anumang talumpati sa rali bago ang marahas na dispersal ng Crowd
Disturbance Unit ilang minuto pagkatapos ideklara ni Gng. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo ang PP 1017," dagdag ni Malunes.

"Dapat ring panagutin si Gng. Arroyo para sa mga ilegal at 'di-makatarungang
aresto ng mga progresibong mambabatas katulad ni Ka Bel, at ng mga
ordinaryong mamamayan na tumututol sa kanyang korap, marahas, at pahirap na
pamamahala sa bansa. Dapat siyang panagutin para sa mga paglabag sa
karapatang pantao, civil liberties, at press freedom, dapat ikondena ito sa
buong kapuluan at maging sa ibang bansa dahil tinutularan niya ang mga
illegal na political arrests katulad nang kay Ka Bel," ani Malunes.

"An gaming pagkilos sa tapat ng Crame ngayong araw ay simula pa lamang ng
isang malawak at pambansang kampanya para sa paglaya ni Ka Bel sa kabila ng
kawalang-aksyon ng gobyerno. Dadalhin namin ang pagtutol na ito sa mga
probinsiya, sa ibang bansa, at maging sa mga dayuhang mambabatas.
Sisiguraduhin namin na sisingilin ng mundo si GMA para sa kanyang pagpapataw
ng de facto Martial Law," aniya. ###

Militants defy rally ban to press for Rep. Beltran's freedom

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 426-9442 Email:
crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

*February 27, 2006*

*Reference: Sammy Malunes, Anakpawis Spokesperson (0920-472-1865)*

*Militants defy rally ban to press for Rep. Beltran's freedom*

Vow to bring outrage to provinces, international community, foreign
parliamentarians

In an act of defiance against the political suppression following the
declaration of Presidential Proclamation (PP)1071, Anakpawis (Toiling
Masses) Party List, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and other peoples'
organizations challenged the 'state of emergency' ban on rallies by staging
a street protest today pressing for Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran's freedom
and the upholding of civil liberties.

The militants will defy the rally ban implied under the President's
declaration of a state of emergency Friday. From Caltex Santolon, they will
march to the gates of Camp Crame at around 10 am today, where Rep. Beltran,
or Ka Bel, is currently being detained in a cramped *bartolina*-like cell,
according to the 73-year old solon's family members.

Rep. Beltran was illegally taken into the custody of the Philippine National
Police (PNP)'s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on February
25, Saturday through an arrest warrant dating back to October 7, 1985. He
was charged yesterday with inciting to sedition, based on statements by Rep.
Beltran's arresting officer PCI Rino V. Corpuz, PI Honesto D. Gaton, and
SPO1 Arnold Casumpang.

"We are up in protest against the continuing illegal arrest and fabricated
charges against Rep. Beltran, and will continue to defy the rally ban for as
long as he unjustly remains in jail. We are demanding his immediate release,
the dropping of sedition charges against him, and the filing of
counter-charges against those responsible for his incarceration. While Gen.
Lomibao and House Speaker Jose de Venecia have reportedly negotiated for the
transfer of Rep. Beltran's custody from the PNP to the House of
Representatives, we have yet to see a formal order in black and white,"
Anakpawis Spokesperson Sammy Malunes said.

"In fact, it is Corpuz, Gaton, and Casumpang who should be slapped with
court cases for their fabrication of stories. In their joint affidavit of
arrest, these three stooges claim that Rep. Beltran was one of those who
delivered 'seditious speeches' at the February 24 rally at the EDSA shrine.
Yet Rep. Beltran was not scheduled to, and never even had the chance, to
make any speech of this sort during the rally because of the violent
dispersal initiated by the Crowd Disturbance Unit a few minutes after Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo declared a 'state of emergency' through Presidential
Proclamation 1017," Malunes said.

"Mrs. Arroyo must also be held liable for her administrations' illegal and
unconstitutional arrests of progressive public officials such as Rep.
Beltran, and citizens discontented with Mrs. Arroyo's corrupt, repressive,
and insufferable ways of governance. She must be held accountable for these
human rights violations and transgressions of civil liberties and press
freedom; be nationally defied and internationally condemned for this
dictatorial espousal of unwarranted political arrests," he said.

"Today's rally in front of Crame is just the start of a broad nationwide
and international campaign to free Rep. Crispin Beltran in the absence of
affirmative government action. We will be bringing this outrage to the
provinces, to other freedom-loving countries, and even to foreign
parliamentarians. We will make sure that the world probes GMA on her
newfound Martial Law powers," he said. ###

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Workers’ struggle morphed into an uprising

(Excerpts from an interview with Beltran, the vice chair of the Kilusang Mayo Uno in February 1986. He is now an Anakpawis party-list representative.)

http://news.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?index=1&story_id=67539

Workers’ struggle morphed into an uprising
First posted 03:59am (Mla time) Feb 26, 2006
By Anton C. Natividad
Inquirer

LONG before EDSA I, the Left had been fighting the dictatorship. The workers were part of that struggle. The Kilusang Mayo Uno took part in the anti-imperialist, antifeudal and antifascist struggle.

It was a continuous, hard and long struggle. Our organizers were imprisoned (I myself was jailed for a long time). Many others died.

By 1986, we were about 520,000, composed of nine full-blown federations. It was also the time when we had a big alliance with so-called company unions and government-supportive unions.

Because of our struggle, others sectors were enlightened. Before if you ask them, “Are you in favor of what the KMU is fighting for?” They would not answer immediately. But through painstaking struggle, along with other factors like the deteriorating economic and political situation, we won them over to our side.

That struggle metamorphosed into an uprising in February 1986.

The promise of Edsa was transformation of Philippine society from fascism to democracy, from poverty to satisfaction of human wants.

In addition, Marcos should have been punished. That did not happen.

Statement of Concern from Filipinos in the US

STATEMENT OF CONCERN
CONDEMN "STATE OF EMERGENCY" IN THE PHILIPPINES!

We, the undersigned labor, church, community and human rights leaders here
in the United States, condemn the declaration of a state of emergency in the
Philippines by Gloria Arroyo. This is an act of desperation on the part of a
president who is widely viewed by the people as illegal and illegitimate to
extend her stay in power through spurious and unconstitutional means and
maneuvers by riding roughshod on the people's civil and political rights,
and by resorting increasingly to more fascist means to achieve an unimpeded
Palace power grab.

We also denounce the warrantless arrest and detention of Anakpawis
Representative Crispin Beltran, his wife and several other members of his
family and the ongoing military crackdown on other progressive party-list
solons as plain acts of political harassment against opposition leaders
which are blatantly illegal and without basis, in total disregard of
parliamentary immunity.

We further condemn the military's recent (Friday night) raid on the *Daily
Tribune* newspaper office, the deployment of troops to *"watch"* over
broadcast stations ABS-CBN and GMA7, and the threat against media
organizations and personnel – as a concerted attempt of the Arroyo regime to
clamp down on media and prevent them from exercising the freedom of the
press without which there would be no democracy in the Philippines.

We support the Filipino people in their demands:

*Immediately release Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and his family!*

*Lift the so-called "state of national emergency" immediately! *

*Oust the illegal, lying, cheating, stealing Arroyo regime from Malacañang
Palace! *

Initial Signatories:

Mario Santos
2nd Vice President
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
San Francisco Chapter

Guillermo Ponce de Leon
Spokesperson
First Quarter Storm Network (FQSN) – USA

Arturo P. Garcia
Coordinator
Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV)
Los Angeles, California

Vener Malabanan
Spokesperson
Philippine Peasant Network (PESANTE) – USA

Ago Martinez
Coordinator
Alliance Philippines – Seattle

FIGHT FOR CONG. CRISPIN BELTRAN's LIBERTY AND THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOM FROM THE ARROYO REGIME!

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran ***

* Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006 ***

* Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: **crispinbeltran@gmail.com** ***

* URL: http://** www.geocities.com/ap_news *

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

*February 26, 2006*

* *

*FIGHT FOR CONG. CRISPIN BELTRAN's LIBERTY AND THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOM FROM
THE ARROYO REGIME! *

* *

*Free Crispin Beltran campaign to be launched *

*In jail, Rep. Beltran calls on Filipino people to continue struggle against
Arroyo dictatorship *

Shortly before his inquest at the Quezon City Hall of Justice last night and
incarceration early this morning on trumped-up sedition charges, Anakpawis
Rep. Crispin Beltran slammed Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her
harassment of civilians and legislators critical of her administration,
calling on the Filipino toiling masses to continue the struggle againstss
the Arroyo dictatorship.'

"This is outright harassment. Lumalabas na kinuha ang alleged at bogus
warrant na hinapag ng CIDG ay kinuha sa warrant noon. Ang alam kong kopya ng
warrant dati [ay na-issue] kay Felixberto Olalia, et. al, but that was in
1982, bago kami arestuhin noon nina Bert Olalia. Sa alleged warrant ngayon,
ako lang ang tanging respondent," Beltran said in a telephone interview last
night at around 10:30.

Beltran called on to Pres. Arroyo to withdraw Presidential Proclamation 1017
immediately. "Dapat i-withdraw niya ang PP 1017 sapagkat ito illegal at
labag sa Saligang Batas. Ginagamit lamang ito para sa harassment ng
oposisyon na tumututol sa pananatili ni Gng. Arroyo sa poder at upang
kitilin nang tuluyan ang freedom of association and speech," Beltran said.

"Batas militar ang pinapairal ng rehimeng Arroyo sa deklarasyong 'state of
emergency'. Ang PP 1017 ay nakahanay kasama ng suspension ng writ of habeas
corpus. Ito ay maihahalintulad sa Martial Law "declaration na PD 1081 noong
1972," he added.

"Nananawagan ako sa mga kasama na magpatuloy ng gawain na isulong ang
interes ng masang anakpawis, kasama ang manggagawa, magbubukid, maralitang
tagalunsod, kabataan, at iba pa. Ipagpatuloy ang pakikibaka para makamit ang
tagumpay. Nananawagan ako sa mamamayang Pilipino na labanan ang pahirap na
diktadurtya ni Gng. Arroyo. Ako ay nagsisikap na makalaya sa ilegal na
pagkakakulong na ito, para makasama kayo sa mga laban sa loob at labas ng
Kongreso," Beltran said.

* *

*Anakpawis is also preparing to launch a campaign calling for the immediate
release of Rep. Beltran, the defense of civil liberties, and the people's
freedom from the miseries of the Arroyo administration.*

* *

Meanwhile, Anakpawis officials are also growing increasingly concerned over
Beltran's state of health while in detention. The 73-year old congressman
has a history of high blood pressure and has suffered from a mild stroke
late last year.

Beltran's last meal since the inquest was at around 10 pm last night. He has
been taking medication for initial signs of high blood pressure since then.

Hold the Arroyo regime liable for the illegal arrest and detention of AP Rep. Crispin Beltran

* *
*

From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news
* **
**

*National Headquarters*

*56 k-9 St. West Kamias, Quezon City*

Tel
No.
Tel # 4269442 Randy Evangelista, media liaison officer (0928)7296945

*PRESS STATEMENT***

*Hold the Arroyo regime liable for the illegal arrest and detention *

*of Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and rising state suppression of civil
liberties*

*Anakpawis National Executive Committee*

*February 25, 2006***

Anakpawis partylist, its National Executive Committee, its regional,
provincial, and municipal chapters, and constituents, condemns in the
strongest terms, the illegal arrest and detention of Anakpawis
Representative and Chairperson Crispin Beltran by elements of the Criminal
Intelligence and Detention Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police
(PNP) at around 10 in the morning today.

We condemn this abominable act of political repression directed against a
legislator who has ably and consistently represented the interests and
aspirations of the toiling masses for social change, through legislation
such as those advocating wage increases for workers and employees in the
private and public sectors, and through supporting the broad and justified
calls for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's removal from the Palace.

The CIDG, under the pretense of 'inviting [Rep. Beltran] for questioning',
has illegally arrested, detained, and treacherously violated Congressman
Beltran's rights to immunity from arrest when PNP elements led by a certain
Maj. Rene Corpuz accosted Ka Bel, his wife Rosario, and four other
companions, in the vicinity of Ka Bel's residence in Muzon, Bulacan
and 'escorted'
them to Camp Crame.

As of this afternoon, Ka Bel remains in the custody of the CIDG under charge
of inciting to rebellion. This questionable warrant of arrest―which the CIDG
failed to procure at first, and instead, presented while Ka Bel's
was squarely
in the hands of the PNP―is based on previously-quashed charges of inciting
to rebellion filed against Ka Bel during the Marcos regime. These
charges have been nullified under the Aquino administration and hold no
legal basis at present.

The arrest of Crispin Beltran is therefore illegal and without basis with
regards to the charges made. The PNP has furthermore no right to hold
Congressman Beltran for a minute longer in its custody, as the Constitution
expressly provides solons immunity from arrest while the House of
Representatives is in session.

In less than 24 hours of its announcement, this 'state of emergency' being
peddled by the Arroyo regime through Presidential Proclamation 1017 and its
implementing orders has yielded grave violations of civil liberties, press
freedom, and international human rights conventions.

Ka Bel filed pro-poor bills in the House of Representatives, such as HB 1063
providing for a P125 wage increase for private sector workers and HB 1064
providing for a P3,000 salary hike for all public sector workers. Both bills
seek to provide immediate relief for all workers amidst the price hikes,
RVAT, and other anti-poor measures and policies of the Arroyo regime.

These abominable acts of political repression only further exposes Pres.
Arroyo's insatiable greed for power and brazen disregard for the devastating
effects of her policy decision on the lives of the toiling masses. Ka Bel is
being suppressed for his vocal pronouncements and legislative actions that
articulate the toiling masses real miseries under the GMA regime, their
demands for immediate relief and upliftment from record-high poverty and
hunger levels, and their disgust and opposition to the corruption,
miseries,
repression, and electoral fraud committed under the Arroyo regime.

This state of calamitous repression must not be allowed to continue. These
only justify the urgency and correctness of the long-standing call for Pres.
Arroyo's immediate removal from office, lest another fledgling dictatorship
bring the dark years of Martial Law back with a new ferocity.

We are holding the Arroyo regime liable for the grave violations of human
rights that have started since Day One of her assumption of the Presidency,
and for the intensified assaults on civil liberties that this 'state of
emergency' unconvincingly attempts to justify.

We call for the immediate release of Rep. Beltran. We call for the
restoration of civil liberties, such as the right to a free press, to
peaceful assembly, and to freedom of expression, which the Arroyo
administration has mangled beyond recognition.

(SGD)

*Rep. Rafael Mariano *

*President *
* *
*(SGD)*

*Carmen Deunida*

*Vice-President *
* *
**
*(SGD)*

*Cherry Clemente*

*Secretary General *

Saturday, February 25, 2006

De Venecia urged to intercede for illegally arrested solon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2006

*De Venecia urged to intercede for illegally arrested solon *

Anakpawis officers are urging House Speaker Jose de Venecia to intercede in
the warrantless arrest of Rep. Crispin B. Beltran earlier this morning and
support calls for his immediate release.

In a letter sent to the House of Representatives, Rep. Beltran's acting
Chief-of-Staff Ofelia Balleta called on de Venecia to 'uphold the integrity
of the House of Representatives and of the Constitution which gives its
members immunity from any arrest while Congress is in session'.

Rep. Beltran is presently still in the custody of the CIDG after being
'invited for questioning' by armed and uniformed officials led by a certain
Maj. Rene Corpuz.

Balleta condemned the illegal arrest of Rep. Beltran and the attempted
arrest of Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, saying that these were 'blatant acts
of unbridled harassment of progressive party list solons'.

'This is political repression of the highest degree. It is no different,
and perhaps even worse than, the political repression that prevailed
during Martial Law,' she said.

' And to think that Rep. Beltran survived the perils of Martial Law only
to be subjected to the same forms of political suppression decades
after,' Balleta
added.

Balleta also expressed apprehensions over Rep. Beltran's state of health
while being 'invited for questioning' by CIDG officials, fearing any
untoward physical harassment or psychological stress that might cause the
73-year old solon's blood pressure to shoot up.

Rep. Beltran's arrest illegal—Atty. Capulong

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. *# (+632) *931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

*February 25, 2006*

*Rep. Beltran's arrest illegal—Atty. Capulong *

12:30 PM – Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran is currently being held by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under the charge of inciting to
rebellion, Atty. Romeo Capulong disclosed just now.

Rep. Beltran was previously 'invited for questioning' and escorted to Camp
Crame earlier this morning. But during Rep. Beltran's questioning by the
CIDG, officials presented to the progressive party list solon an arrest
order for Criminal Case Number Q-21905, People of the Philippines vs.
Crispin Beltran, on charges of inciting to rebellion.

'We strongly protest this arrest as an act of harassment and persecution.
This arrest is illegal,' Atty. Capulong noted. The international human
rights lawyer is currently with Rep. Beltran at the CIDG.

The arrest warrant is basing its charges on a previous charge of sedition
filed against Beltran during the Marcos regime. However, Atty. Capulong said
that the prior case of sedition filed against Beltran has been already
quashed shortly after EDSA 1.

Rep. Beltran was summoned to Camp Crame without a warrant presented prior to
his arrest and is currently undergoing questioning by the CIDG under the
Office of the Anti-Organized Crime and Businessmen Concerns Division, barely
a day after Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of a state of
emergency yesterday via Proclamation 1017.

Beltran, along with his wife Rosario and four other companions, were
accosted by a certain Maj. Rene Corpuz and another unidentified person, both
reportedly from the CIDG, at the gate of Francisco III Subdivision in Muzon,
Bulacan around 10 am today.

Both inviting officers did not present a warrant and were both in uniform
and armed.

Rep. Beltran and his group were escorted by two armed personnel in Rep.
Beltran's van, followed by a black van bearing the plate number GRP-134, to
Camp Crame.

Rosario Beltran, who is currently at the CIDG, says that the CIDG under Maj.
Corpuz presented a warrant of arrest only while Beltran was undergoing
questioning at past 11 am today. The warrant reportedly provides for
Beltran's release only on condition that he provides proof of clearance in
a sedition case filed against him under the Marcos administration.

Atty. Romeo Capulong has already arrived at the CIDG in order to provide
legal assistance to Beltran.

Anakpawis Vice-President Carmen Deunida soundly denounced Rep. Beltran's
illegal arrest and detention, saying that the spate of warrantless arrests
of progressive party list leaders this morning, along with reports of the
government raid on the Daily Tribune, were all part of a 'systematic
crackdown aiming to suppress all avenues and personalities actively calling
for Pres. Arroyo's just ouster'.

'This is all part of a mad, desperate and vain attempt of a corrupt and
illegitimate head of state to prevent the surging tide of people's
righteous anger and protests and a pro-people military rebellion to cling a
little longer to the presidency in her insatiable lust for power,' Deunida
said.

'This crackdown on progressives is bound to fail and will only hasten her
downfall. It will not save her skin at all. She will fall more ignominiously
than Marcos sooner than later, everyone should defy and fight her and her
shameless and unthinking cohorts who are mindful only of their privileges in
her coattails,' Deunida said.

'Manghuli siya kung gusto niya, mas matinding lagapak ng bagsak ang aabutin
niya kapag tuluyang napoot ang taongbayan sa kanyang pasistang pamamahala,'
Deunida said.

'The emergency declaration has sealed the early downfall of the gma regime
it speaks in thousands of words how vile, repressive, corrupt, and power
greedy this regime has become,' Deunida added.

Deunida called for the immediate release of Rep. Beltran and a halt to the
illegal mass arrests of civilians critical of the Arroyo administration. s

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran is currently under the military'scustody after being arrested without warrant.

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *
* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. *# (+632) *931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http:// www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

*February 25, 2006*

11:45 AM – Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran is currently under the military's
custody after being arrested without warrant.

Rep. Beltran was summoned to Camp Crame without a warrant presented prior to
his arrest and is currently undergoing questioning by the CIDG under the
Office of the Anti-Organized Crime and Businessmen Concerns Division, barely
a day after Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of a state of
emergency yesterday via Proclamation 1017.

Beltran, along with his wife Rosario and four other companions, were
accosted by a certain Maj. Rene Corpuz and another unidentified person, both
reportedly from the CIDG, at the gate of Francisco III Subdivision in Muzon,
Bulacan around 10 am today.

Both inviting officers did not present a warrant and were both in uniform
and armed.

Rep. Beltran and his group were escorted by two armed personnel in Rep.
Beltran's van, followed by a black van bearing the plate number GRP-134, to
Camp Crame.

Rosario Beltran, who is currently at the CIDG, says that the CIDG under Maj.
Corpuz presented a warrant of arrest only while Beltran was undergoing
questioning at past 11 am today. The warrant reportedly provides for
Beltran's release only on condition that he provides proof of clearance in
a sedition case filed against him under the Marcos administration.

Atty. Romeo Capulong has already arrived at the CIDG in order to provide
legal assistance to Beltran.

Anakpawis Vice-President Carmen Deunida soundly denounced Rep. Beltran's
illegal arrest and detention, saying that the spate of warrantless arrests
of progressive party list leaders this morning, along with reports of the
government raid on the Daily Tribune, were all part of a 'systematic
crackdown aiming to suppress all avenues and personalities actively calling
for Pres. Arroyo's just ouster'.

'This is all part of a mad, desperate and vain attempt of a corrupt and
illegitimate head of state to prevent the surging tide of people's
righteous anger and protests and a pro-people military rebellion to cling a
little longer to the presidency in her insatiable lust for power,' Deunida
said.

'This crackdown on progressives is bound to fail and will only hasten her
downfall. It will not save her skin at all. She will fall more ignominiously
than Marcos sooner than later, everyone should defy and fight her and her
shameless and unthinking cohorts who are mindful only of their privileges in
her coattails,' Deunida said.

'Manghuli siya kung gusto niya, mas matinding lagapak ng bagsak ang aabutin
niya kapag tuluyang napoot ang taongbayan sa kanyang pasistang pamamahala,'
Deunida said.

'The emergency declaration has sealed the early downfall of the gma regime
it speaks in thousands of words how vile, repressive, corrupt, and power
greedy this regime has become,' Deunida added.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

GMA's days could be numbered now

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE***

*23 February 2006*

*GMA's days could be numbered now, solon says of fast-rising discontent *

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should shelve her delusions of remaining in
the Palace until 2010 or beyond as her days could be numbered anytime with
the fast-rising discontent against her administration, Anakpawis Rep.
Crispin Beltran said today.

"The events of this month indicate that the Arroyo Presidency is nearing
clinical death. The fast build-up of the people's discontent, more frequent
mass protest actions, widespread turmoil and possible eruptions and revolts
within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National
Police (PNP) seeking GMA's ouster are all coalescing into a broad and
popular movement seeking the decisive ouster of Pres. Arroyo from
Malacañang," Beltran observed of the recent events.

"Ever since the start of 2006, we have seen how Pres. Arroyo has desperately
cooked up plans left and right to preserve political power through the
dubious Council of State meet, the various schemes aimed at approving
Charter Change, and the sudden dole-outs of temporary aid, food, and
benefits to discontented societal sectors," he said.

"We have also seen how the cracks within the military and the police are
widening over discontent at the Arroyo administration, no matter how hard
the government tries to gloss over these. We are also seeing how the toiling
masses are eventually and steadily rising up to call for her resignation, as
it is the only and first step towards reversing the hardships and sufferings
brought about by GMA's anti-poor policies," he added.

"Mrs. Arroyo should read the signs correctly and prepare for her exit
scenarios. Not even the deposed Pres. Ferdinand Marcos was able to push the
military into not joining the people's clamor and movement in such a short
time and given the extreme economic and political conditions of the Filipino
people. No amount of bluffing about being the best to lead the country, or
photo-ops with the poor can change the fact that the toiling masses want GMA
out now and are rising in their ranks to oust the illegitimate, corrupt,
fascist, and anti-poor President from the Palace," Beltran said.

"The President's lame pinpointing of a 'destructive opposition' and
'destabilization' as the sole bane of the country's woes is skirting the
issue of her personal faults and policy errors. She should implement her
'Calibrative Preemptive Response' on herself, as GMA is now turning to be a
better recruiter for the revolutionary movement and the number one
instigator of military rebellion against her illegitimate Presidency," he
added. ###

GMA is the best person to lead the country into disaster

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE***

*23 February 2006*

*GMA is the best person to lead the country into disaster*

*Militant solon says GMA already out of touch with reality, *

*presses for Prexy's ouster in the parliament of the streets at EDSA
anniversary rally tomorrow *

GMA is indeed the best person to lead the country into pits of poverty and
disaster if she stays until 2010 or beyond, Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
today said in response to the President's claims last Monday, adding that
Pres. Arroyo's boasts are "bordering on the delusional and the
hallucinatory".

"That claims of hers is absolutely out of touch with reality. GMA is indeed
the best person to lead the country…into infinite hardship and political
turmoil. What else can Pres. Arroyo show to prove her past five years of
so-called excellent governance? Trillions worth of foreign debt, surpassing
the Marcos, Ramos, Aquino, and Estrada administrations' borrowing rates?
Record-high levels of severe hunger, with one in three Filipinos already
scrimping on food? Internationally-condemned killings of hundreds of
activists, civilians, journalists, lawyers, human rights workers, and
clergy? Corruption scandals swarming around the Palace like flies over a
carcass? The cover-up of blatant electoral fraud in her favour?" the
militant solon said.

"Pres. Arroyo is hallucinating if she thinks that her stay in the Palace is
doing anything good for the Filipino people. Like a horse, she is wearing
blinders that prohibit her to see anything beyond her road to disaster and
hardship for the masses," he added.

'Tomorrow, at the EDSA 1 commemorative rally, we will be living up to the
spirit of People Power by invigorating the call for the ouster of Pres.
Arroyo, who is on her way to becoming the worst President so far in recent
Philippine history," Beltran said.

Beltan also reiterated the call for the institution of a transition
governing council composed of representatives from the forces involved in
GMA's ouster and from basic societal sectors as a "more viable alternative
form of temporary governance, rather than another dubious Constitutional
succession or the damning Charter Change proposal of Pres. Arroyo's allies".

"We have to look beyond the shifts in political figures that EDSAs made
possible, and finally call for a transition government that is capable for
instituting societal reforms that have long been clamoured for by our
workers, peasants, youth, national minorities, fisherfolk, and urban poor,"
Beltran ended. ###

Where did Lepanto workers' benefits go?

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE***

*23 February 2006*

*Where did Lepanto workers' benefits go? *

*Anakpawis solons seek probe on management's non-remittance of workers'
payments *

Anakpawis solons Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano are seeking a probe into
complaints that the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo) has so far
failed to remit millions worth of union workers' back benefits,
contributions and union dues.

The solons yesterday filed House Resolution No. 1161, asking the Committee
on Labor and Employment to conduct and investigation, in aid of legislation,
on the LCMC's non-remittance of their workers' Social Security System (SSS)
and Pag-ibig contributions and loan payments, union dues, and 11 million
pesos worth of overdue back wages.

The 1,683-strong Lepanto Employees' Union-National Federation of Labor
Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (LEU-NAFLU-KMU) reported early this February that
the LCMCo has not remitted the said deductions from the workers' wages, Rep.
Beltran said.

LCMC workers went on strike in June 2005 due to deadlocks in their
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), which also include the issue of
management's non-remittance of the said benefits. After three months into
the strike, the management signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the LEU,
agreeing to resolve the issues pertaining to worker's benefits.

LEU union President Christopher Bautista reported that union members have
already asked the SSS and Pag-ibig Baguio City branches for an investigation
on union members' complaints that premiums deducted from their salaries have
yet to be remitted.

Bautista also expressed concerns on the long overdue back wages amounting to
11 million pesos. The management previously stated that it is still looking
for funds to pay the workers, five months after the strike has ended.

LEU officials also have complained of the management's withholding of LEU
union dues to the workers. Baustista reported that the union had to first
secure the management's approval by writing a letter of request specifying
the amount and purpose to which the funds would be used.

KMU-Cordillera regional coordinator Lorico Espejo criticized the LCMCo for
withholding the union funds, stressing that while it was the management's
responsibility to collect union dues and submit it to the safekeeping of the
respective union, only the presence of a court order could permit the
management to withhold union funds from the LEU.

"It's disappointing to hear of how the management is continuing to deny its
workers their access to their hard-earned benefits and back payments,
despite the LCMCos prior commitment during the strike period. We are hoping
that a Congressional probe will shed more light and bring affirmative action
into the management's failure to remit these back payments and contributions
to the LEU," Beltran said. ###

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

NEW RESOLUTIONS FILED

House Resolution No. 1129 (Filed on February 6, 2006)
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE FOR THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS ON THE POVERTY-INDUCED STAMPEDE AT THE PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION ARENA ON FEBRUARY 4, 2006 AND CALLING FOR RECOMMENDATORY MEASURES TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE SAID TRAGEDY
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

House Resolution No. 1161 (Filed on February 22, 2006)
CALLING ON THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE LEPANTO CONSOLIDATED MINING COMPANY’S NON-REMITTANCE OF THEIR WORKERS’ SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AND PAG-IBIG CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOAN PAYMENTS, AND THE MANAGEMENT’S THE NON-REMITTANCE OF UNION DUES, AND NON-PAYMENT OF 11 MILLION PESOS WORTH OF OVERDUE BACK WAGES OF LEPANTO WORKERS WHO WENT ON STRIKE ON JUNE 2005
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

House Resolution No. 1162 (Filed February 22, 2006)
CALLING ON THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY TO CONDUCT AN IMMEDIATE INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY’S DISCRIMINATORY PRICING FAVORING INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSUMERS OVER RESIDENTIAL CONSUMERS, AND RECOMMEND MEASURES TO PROTECT THE WELFARE OF SMALL-SCALE CONSUMERS
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Four Anakpawis members killed since January 2006; breakdown of civil liberties under Arroyo administration

*From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran *

* Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE***

*21 February 2006*

*Four Anakpawis members killed since January 2006, Rep. Beltran says,
deplores breakdown of civil liberties under Arroyo administration ***

Four members of Anakpawis have been murdered since January 2006, Anakpawis
Rep. Crispin Beltran reported today, saying these cases were "indicative of
the deplorable breakdown of civil liberties under the Arroyo
administration".

Since January 2006, four (4) Anakpawis members or leaders throughout have
been murdered under suspicious and similar circumstances, Beltran said. At
least 22 members or leaders of Anakpawis have been similarly killed in 2005
alone.

Anakpawis Camarines Norte coordinator Abner Galan was shot dead by
motorcycle-riding men early January this year. Anakpawis member and Tritran
Bus Lines union leader Robert dela Cruz was also shot dead by
motorcycle-riding men in Lucena, Quezon last January 25.

Anakpawis-Burgos member Romeo Lleovet was abducted on February 8 by
suspected members of the 74th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army
along with two other farmers in Brgy. Burgos, Mulanay, Quezon and was found
dead the following day.

Latest in this list of suspicious summary executions was farmer-leader and
Anakpawis volunteer organizer Jay Allunar. Allunar, was shot at close range
by three armed men wearing bonnets and combat boots last February 5 in his
residence at Malasila, Makilala, Cotabato, according to reports from the
human rights group KARAPATAN.

Beltran condemned the murder of former Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Timog
Katagalugan (BAYAN-Southern Tagalog) staff Jensen Cristobal last Sunday
morning. Cristobal is also a member of Bayan Muna Partylist and works at the
Santa Rosa City Mayor's office as a Public Information Officer. Cristobal,
31 years old, single, just alighted a passenger bus from Santa Rosa, Laguna
when he was gunned down by 4 unidentified men in front of a Honda Center in
Paseo de Magallanes, Pasay City, at around 9 this morning. Cristobal died
from 6 bullet wounds from .38 and .45 caliber guns. The assassins aboard a
Honda Civic, with plate number UHD 416, immediately fled the crime scene.

"All these continuing killings of Anakpawis, BAYAN, and Bayan Muna members
and leaders in the provinces are alarming in their frequency and brazenness.
And up to now, Pres. Arroyo has maintained an ominous silence towards the
issue of political killings, despite alarms raised by peoples'
organizations, the Church, civil society, human rights organizations, and
the international community," Beltran said.

"It is high time that the Arroyo administration register its position on
these political killings of progressive party list leaders and members. The
President's continuing silence only affirms her tolerance of the killing of
activists," Beltran ended. ###

Protest rally for GMAs ouster, not 'low-key celebrations', more befitting for EDSA 1 commemoration

From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran
Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

* *

*NEWS RELEASE*

*21 February 2006*

*Protest rally for GMAs ouster, not 'low-key celebrations', more befitting
for EDSA 1 commemoration—solon *

A massive protest rally calling for the ouster of a corrupt and dictatorial
President, and not the Administration's so-called 'low-key' commemorative
celebrations, is the more fitting way for the Filipino people to celebrate
the EDSA anniversary, Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran said today.

"On these days commemorating the just ouster of an anti-people regime, it is
only right that we show our collective disgust and rejection of President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who has bastardized the masses' aspirations for EDSA
as a means for social change, and fed upon the gains of People Power like a
vile bird of prey, a rabid dog, or a parasitic leech," Beltran said.

"As a direct 'beneficiary' of the political shifts brought about by People
Power, GMA has miserably failed to deliver the social reforms that she
promised during EDSA 2: access to free education, housing, nutrition and
health services, land and labor reforms, and the like. In fact, she has
quickly morphed into an anti-poor, fascist, and illegitimate excuse for a
head of state—a monster in the Palace," he said.

The EDSA 1 and 2 veteran said that he would be one of the solons supporting
the February 24 (Friday) rally spearheaded by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
(BAYAN) pressing for Pres. Arroyo's removal from office.

"It is only apt that we expose Malacañang's mockery of EDSA by a dose of
People Power from the toiling masses," he said.

Beltran reiterated the call for GMA's ouster in 2006 and the institution of
a peoples' governing transition council as the most viable alternative to
Pres. Arroyo's plan to remain in power until 2010 or longer.

"The past two EDSAs have taught us to not place our trust in individual
politicians such as GMA who do not intend to institute genuine social
change. A transition governing council, composed of representatives from the
forces involved in the ouster of GMA and basic societal sectors—such as the
workers, peasants, fisherfolk, urban poor, women, youth, migrants, and
national minorities—would be a more viable venue for instituting social
reforms," he said.

Beltran also said that he will continue "calling for all patriotic forces in
the military to withdraw their support for GMA and join the broad and
welcome ranks of the toiling masses who want GMA out of the Palace as a
first step towards social change ". ###

Monday, February 20, 2006

De-Venecia's "Congressional Medal of Achievement" a scam

From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran **

*
Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

News Release February 20, 2006

*De-Venecia's "Congressional Medal of Achievement" a scam, Anakpawis solons
say*

*House Speaker's initiative is an appropriation of pro-poor legislation for
dubious purposes*

Anakpawis Representatives Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano expressed
"outrage at the monkey business going on inside the Lower House with reports
of fake Congressional medals being handed out using the name of pro-poor
legislation".

The Anakpawis solons were reacting to revelations by former Senator Kit
Tatad this weekend that House Speaker Jose de Venecia has been giving out
fake "congressional awards" to visiting heads of state and high officials
from other countries for the past two years, including President Musharraf
of Pakistan, President Kalam of India, Secretary-General Anders Jonson of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), IPU President Sergio Paez of Chile, and
former Prime Minister Aznar of Spain. Inquirer columnist Neal Cruz revealed
this in his column today.

However, the citation on the "Congressional Medal of Achievement", solely
signed by de Venecia reportedly states that "this Award is bestowed on
behalf of the Filipino nation and in accordance with Resolution (HR) No. 453
of the House of Representatives, Congress of the Philippines".

This HR No. 453, partly authored by Reps. Beltran and Mariano, is entitled
"Resolution Directing the Committees on Labor and Employment and Foreign
Affairs to conduct a joint congressional inquiry on the status of
implementation of the government's ban on deployment of overseas Filipino
workers to Iraq and to look into the alleged neglect of duty of officials of
the Department of Labor and Employment and Foreign Affairs tasked to
implement the said ban".

"We have no problems with the House Speaker handing out awards like candies
to other heads of state. Our problem is the obviously anomalous origins of
this Congressional Medal of Achievement. As evident from the title of the HR
itself, this piece of pro-poor legislation has absolutely nothing to do with
any award-giving initiative. The HR No. 453, in fact, has been pending at
the Committee on Labor and Employment since February 2, 2005," Rep. Beltran
said.

"We refuse to accept that this anomalous citation may be due to a
typographical error or oversight. An erroneous citation is at the very
least, the sign of uncritical haste in which the measure was approved. The
conspicuous absence of the concurrence of Senate President Franklin Drilon's
signature on the citation is also an ominous sign of de Venecia's unilateral
approval of such an award," Beltan added.

"If HR No. 453 is indeed the House Resolution mentioned in the citation,
then Speaker de Venecia has certainly a lot of explaining to do. Why is he
giving out fake and unilaterally-approved awards to foreign legislators, and
citing as a basis for this a House Resolution that has absolutely nothing to
do with the nature of such an award? It is an anomalous and deceitful act,
to say the very least," Beltran said.

"We condemn how the House leadership is apparently ignoring and
appropriating pro-people legislation such as the HR No. 453 for its own
dubious interests. While anomalous initiatives such as this fake
'Congressional Medal of Achievement' and the maneuverings to railroad Pres.
Arroyo's Charter Change are being implemented left and right, pro-poor
legislation is continually being stifled, suppressed, and killed in the
Lower House. We call on the House Speaker to explain this dubious award, and
be held accountable for this," Beltran and Mariano ended. ###

Southern Leyte, Zamboanga landslides were all preventable tragedies

* From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news
*
**
*NEWS RELEASE *

February 20, 2006

*Southern Leyte**, Zamboanga landslides were all preventable tragedies, Rep.
Beltran says *

*Solon hits former DENR Sec. Defensor, says masses suffer most from gov't
tolerance of logging, mining*

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today expressed "deepest sympathy with the
victims on this tragedy of gigantic proportions", saying that "the deadly
landslides that ravaged St. Bernard in Southern Leyte and Depore in
Zamboanga del Sur were all preventable tragedies that occurred due to the
Arroyo administration's unrestricted tolerance of logging and mining
operations and its neglect of effective disaster-prevention systems".

"The toiling masses are the first to suffer and the most badly hit whenever
natural disasters, related directly or indirectly to destructive logging and
mining operations, strike. This is doubly tragic because it is usually the
government, and not the toiling masses, are not the ones who are promoting
and tolerating such operations in the first place. In fact, they are the
ones who are at the forefront of condemning and rejecting such operations,"
Beltran observed.

Beltran expressed alarm at the reports from environmental groups that the
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had already come up with a landslide
susceptibility map as early as 2004 but nothing was done to relay the
information to local government unit (LGUs).

"What were officials such as the former DENR Secretary Michael Defensor
doing all the while? Was he too busy concocting recipes for Pres. Arroyo's
political preservation and approving hundreds of environmental compliance
certificates or ECCs to foreign mining and logging corporations?" he asked.

"Why was there a severe lack of massive reforestration program and disaster
response system given the MGB data? Why was a only measly 0.1 percent of
national budget allotted to calamity funds when all the signs of impending
tragedies were in place?" he asked.

Beltran said that "past and present administrations have done virtually
nothing to reverse the environmental effects of rampant logging in the
forests and mountainous areas of Southern Leyte since the 1970s, which have
made the province vulnerable to landslides such as the Ormoc tragedy of
1991. Even Mindanao and Luzon has not been spared from tragedies directly
related to logging, such as the massive landslides and flash floods in
Aurora and Quezon that was blamed on logging in the Sierra Madre mountain
range. We all know that unabated logging and mining ," he said.

"Given these historical precedents, the St. Bernard landslide is a tragedy
that we can not solely attribute to the random wrath of Mother Nature alone,
nor on the increased volume of rainfall. The government's consistent lack of
decisive disaster-preparedness systems and failure to implement log and
mining bans and regulations also have to be taken into account," Beltran
said.

Beltran added that the Zamboanga landslide was also "tragic but not
surprising, since the Arroyo administration has really not been decisive in
curbing environmental destruction in Mindanao". "In fact, if we recall,
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself personally announced the lifting
of the total log ban in Mindanao in March 2005, authorizing Sec. Defensor to
allow legal logging in several regions," he said.

He said that Anakpawis' regional chapters are currently soliciting goods to
contribute to the relief operations.###

Thursday, February 16, 2006

'Palace Initiative' for Cha-Cha will only entrench GMA in power

*NEWS RELEASE *

*February 16, 2006 *

* *

*Rep. Beltran: 'Palace Initiative' for Cha-Cha will only entrench GMA in
power, *

*true Peoples' Initiative is to oust Arroyo and start genuine social reforms
*

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today scored the Malacanang-sponsored
information-drive on Charter Change as a 'Politician's Initiative' or
'Palace Initiative' for political survival, rather than a genuine 'Peoples'
Initiative' for social change, during the launching assembly of the PEOPLE'S
MARCH (People's Movement against Arroyo's Charter Change) today at Mandel
Hall, Trinity College, Quezon City.

Convenors of the Peoples' March include former Vice President Teofisto
Guingona, Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez and Bishop Alberto Ramento (Ecumenical
Bishops Forum), Bsp. Godofredo David, Dr. Ruben Caragay (UP Institute of
Public Health*), Prof. Edberto Villegas, Former Human Rights Commissioner
Nasser Marohomsalic (United Muslims for Truth and Morality), Evelyn
Alcaraz-Muallil (Women March), among others.

Rep. Beltran scored the Palace's "renewed public information drive to
popularize Arroyo's Cha-Cha", saying that "Pres. Arroyo is using Charter
Change to deodorize the odious stench of her corrupt, anti-poor, and
undemocratic politics. Pres. Arroyo's allies in the Lower House and in the
local government units are doing the nation a great disservice by their
connivance in the Palace drive to have Charter Change railroaded this year".

"The Palace will benefits the most from Charter Change because it deflects
attention away from the ongoing clamor for the President's ouster from
office. They're using it to give an illusion of reform by shuffling the
existing political configurations *para panatilihin siya sa puwesto at
makalimutan ng tao na dapat patalsikin na si Gng. Arroyo,"* he said.

"GMA's allies tinkering with an already-mangled Constitution will only
result in a sell-out Charter and a *de facto* dictatorship, as the initial
drafts proposed by the House Committee and Constitutional Commission show,"
Beltran said.

"GMA and her cohorts in government are obviously trying to pass off Cha-Cha
as an acceptable option to her removal from the Palace. They are even
thinking of capitalizing on the broad appeal of celebrities and sports
champions just to make Cha-Cha acceptable to the public," he said.

"The genuine Peoples' Initiative these days is the broad call to let the
truth about the nation's state of governance be known, and remove Pres.
Arroyo from the Palace immediately as an initial step to setting up genuine
social reforms. This is the true Peoples' Initiative that Arroyo and her
allies are doing their best to stifle and suppress, whether through
repressive Executive Orders, political maneuverings in the Lower House, or
outright suppression," Beltran said. ###

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Palace pressure on Senate to pass allowance bill is malicious, unfair

From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran **

*
Reference*: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

*Tel*. *# (+632) *931-6615 *Email*: crispinbeltran@gmail.com
*URL*: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

*NEWS RELEASE *

February 15, 2006

*Rep. Beltran: Palace pressure on Senate to pass allowance bill is
malicious, unfair*

*GMA's five-year wage freeze is real cause of delay in take-home pay hikes
for govt' workers *

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today criticized Pres. Arroyo for "putting
malicious and unfair pressure on the Senate to immediately pass her
'Valentines Day' bill for government workers' allowance", saying that it was
a "Palace ploy to earn *pogi* points while distracting Senate solons from
ongoing probes on pressing anomalies involving the Arroyo administration".

"Pres. Arroyo has previously accused the Senate of foot-dragging on the
P13.1 billion supplemental budget, trying to pit government workers against
Senators critical of the Arroyo administration. She is desperately trying to
score *pogi points* at the expense of making the Senate look bad," Beltran
said.

"In fairness to the Senate, they have already conducted hearings on the
issue of government workers' calls for a wage hike. And their refusal to
uncritically pass the Palace-sponsored supplemental budget is reasonable in
the light that there are too many unanswered questions about its passage,
such as the National Treasury's failure to certify if public funds are
indeed available for the allowance," he noted.

"It is unfortunate that the supplemental budget was already railroaded in
the Lower House. Now, GMA wants to ram this through the Senate as well," he
said.

"The Palace's call for an allowance is an insincere gesture towards our
government workers. We have voted 'yes' to the supplemental budget because
we can not deny our government workers any measure―however small and
insignificant―that can raise their take-home pay. But take note that the
primary clamor of our government workers for over half a decade is for a
P3,000 salary hike, and not a P1,000 allowance. GMA insincerely flaunts her
initiative for the latter while ignoring and denying the former," Beltran
said.

"The Palace is being unfair in this hasty pressure, when in fact, it is
Pres. Arroyo herself who has delayed and refused to heed the call for a
P3,000 across-the-board salary hike for government workers for five long
years. Instead of finally certifying existing legislation calling for a
significant wage hike, GMA flaunts her last-ditch decision to give an
insignificant allowance," he said.

"If there is any one who should be blamed for the delay in
poverty-alleviation measures for our workers in the public or even private
sectors, it is Pres. Arroyo. She is the one who has denied our government
employees the real Valentines' gift of a P3,000 across-the-board wage hike,
for five long years," he said. ###

Beltran not surprised at Palace downplay of EDSA 1 preps, paranoia of rallies

**
* From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news
*
*NEWS RELEASE *

February 15, 2006

*Beltran not surprised at Palace downplay of EDSA 1 preps, paranoia of
rallies*

*says GMA wants to downplay attention to EDSA figures actively calling for
her ouster *

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today said that he was not surprised at Pres.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's downplay of the EDSA 1 celebrations, saying that
"the Palace's lukewarm preparations for the EDSA 1 commemoration only
betrays GMA's extreme paranoia of mass uprisings".

"PGMA's coldness is not surprising. A fledgling dictator will naturally
downplay the events such as EDSA 1, events which have historically proven
that the masses have the capacity to rise up and kick out any incompetent
and anti-people President from the Palace. She is afraid of the same thing
happening to her," the EDSA 1 veteran and labor leader said.

"GMA wants to change the face of EDSA 1 precisely because she is afraid that
another EDSA will catapult her away from the Palace," he said.

"It seems that GMA is hiding another agenda behind all this talk of wanting
to have a simple ceremony. It seems that all the Palaces downplay of the
celebrations aim to deflect attention away from figures and institutions
such as former Pres. Corazon Aquino, the Church, young, patriotic, and
anti-dictatorship military officers, most especially, and the broad united
movement of the toiling masses. These are the configurations that figured
prominently in EDSA 1 and that are now up again in discontent against Pres.
Arroyo and her fascist, corrupt, and anti-Filipino policies," Beltran said.

"The toiling masses have long been calling for Pres. Arroyo's immediate
removal from the Palace due to her anti-poor and anti-Filipino policies.
Mrs. Aquino has been vocal about her disapproval of Pres. Arroyo. The Church
has already proclaimed its negative views towards the Arroyo
administration's suppression of the truth and its total sell-out of our
national patrimony to foreign mining interests. And more young and patriotic
military officers are calling for Arroyo's removal as well. Pres. Arroyo
will do anything to downplay the role these have played in a historic event
if only to deflect attention away from their current levels of discontent
against her administration," Beltran explained.

"It's essentially a desperate attempt at political preservation," Beltran
said.

Beltran also scored the Palace's announcements that it would be closely
monitoring rallies in the net few days, saying that "GMA is afraid of EDSA
1's shadow in these mass actions against her administration".

"PGMA is incorrect in saying that the people are tired of politics. The
toiling masses are sick and tired of poverty caused by GMA's dirty politics,
which is essentially a politics where the poor have no say in governance,"
he ended. ###

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Reaction to Oakwood soldiers' statement dated February 13, 2006

*NEWS RELEASE *

February 13, 2006

*Reaction to Oakwood soldiers' statement dated **February 13, 2006** *

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran today reacted to the statement issued today
by Oakwood soldiers Captain Nathaniel Rabonza, First Lieutenant Lawrence San
Juan, First Lieutenant Sonny Sarmiento, First Lieutenant Patricio Bumidang,
saying that their just anger at the Arroyo administration was the same broad
sentiment among the Filipino toiling masses.

"The statement indicates the growing disenchantment of promising young and
patriotic soldiers with the excesses and rottenness of the Arroyo
administration. Their anger and observations at the Arroyo administration's
inability to bridge the glaring inequalities between the rich and the poor
in Philippine society has strong historical and material basis," Beltran
said.

"This righteousness indignation against the Arroyo administration is the
same growing sentiment among the Filipino toiling masses: the workers and
peasants who still live in abject misery and hardship despite their
backbreaking labor and productivity, the national minorities who continue to
be dispossessed of lands by foreign mining corporations, the fisherfolk
whose livelihood is endangered by government-allowed foreign incursions into
Philippine waters, the urban poor whose homes are being demolished. The
toiling masses are the ones at the front lines who directly bear the brunt
and sufferings caused by the Arroyo Presidency's anti-Filipino economic
policies and despicable political games," Beltran said.

Beltran said that he would "not be surprised if in the coming months, more
patriotic officers, soldiers, and military rank-and-file finally realize how
rotten, corrupt, and anti-people the prevailing administration has become,
withdraw their support as the Oakwood soldiers did, and decide to join the
broad movement of the people calling for genuine social, economic, and
political reforms starting with the removal of Pres. Arroyo from the
Palace." ###

Budget hearings for gov't shelter agencies, delayed due to 'no show' of agency heads

Valentines' Day protests by gov't workers presses for P3,000 salary hike

* From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news
*
*NEWS RELEASE *

February 14, 2006
**
*Valentines' Day protests by gov't workers presses for P3,000
across-the-board salary hike *

*Rep. Beltran hits Pres. Arroyo's 'lack of love for legislated wage hikes'*

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran hit Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "lack of
love for workers' legislated wage hikes' as thousands of government
employees today staged a Valentines' Day Rally in protest against worsening
poverty, retrenchment, and low salaries.

"Contrary to what she likes to flaunt, Pres. Arroyo has demonstrated no love
for our nation's workers, whether they be in the private or the public
sectors. This is seen in the way the Palace consistently snubs and thumbs
down our demands for a legislated across-the-board and nationwide wage hikes
of P3,000 for government employees and P125 for workers in the private
sector," the veteran labor leader said.

Beltran renewed his demand for the Committee on Appropriations "to finally
take urgent and decisive action on House Bill 1064, which legislates a
P3,000 across-the-board salaryhike for government employees".

"The call to legislate a P3,000 wage hike has been gathering dust in the
Lower House for five long years. It is high time that Congress do some
concrete action to significantly increase the take-home pay of government
workers by allowing this increase," he said.

Beltran also scored President Arroyo's "two-faced gestures towards
impoverished workers". "There is a double standard here. Pres. Arroyo has
made a great deal about her urgent call for a P1,000 monthly allowance for
government employees, which has not materialized yet. Yet, she chose to
coldly ignore the half-a-decade demand for a P3,000 salary hike increase and
has never ever attempted to certify it as an urgent piece of legislation,"
he noted.

"An increase in basic pay is one of the most concrete ways of giving our
workers their worth for their labor and skills. The President's utter lack
of love for legislated wage hikes only shows how insincere and anti-worker
she is," he said.

Earlier, the Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of
Government Employees (COURAGE) announced nationwide protests by employees
from the Department of Agriculture, including its Line Bureaus and attached
agencies such as the National Food Authority, National Irrigation
Administration, National Fisheries Council, Bureau of Animal Industry,
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Bureau of Agricultural
Statistics, Bureau of Agricultural Research, Philippine Fisheries
Development Authority, National Tobacco Administration, Sugar Regulatory
Administration.

Also participating in the Valentines' Day Rally are employees from the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and related agencies
such as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Protected Areas and Wildlife
Bureau, Environment Management Bureau, Forest Management Bureau; and the
Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Agrarian Reform, Labor and
Employment, Trade and Industry, Finance, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of
Internal Revenue, MMDA, National Housing Authority, as well as water
districts and local government units.

Congressional staff in the Lower House will also be wearing pins in support
of the passage of the HB 1064 and HB 345 (for a P125 across-the-board wage
increase for workers in the private sector). ###

Anakpawis, fisherfolk groups slap charges vs Defensor at Ombudsman today

* From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran (+63)927.871.1080

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

NEWS RELEASE

February 14, 2006

For 'heartless sell-out of national patrimony and sweetheart deals with
foreign mining MNCs'

Anakpawis, fisherfolk groups slap charges vs Defensor at Ombudsman today

Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and Rep. Rafael Mariano today joined the
nationwide fisherfolk organization Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya
ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) in filing criminal and graft charges at the Office
of the Ombudsman against former Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) Secretary Mike Defensor and other officials implicated in
at least four major environmental disasters last year.

The 20-page complaint charged Defensor, et al, with corruption in relation
to his overall involvement as DENR Secretary on the following environmental
cases:

· The granting of permission to US-based mining firm Lafayette Co. to
engage in operations in Rapu-Rapu island in Albay, resulting in the
controversial and mine spill last year.

· The granting of permission for joint foreign oil and gas
explorations by Canadian firm Forum Energy Corp. (Forum) and Japanese
Exploration Corp. (Japex) in Tanon Strait, a protected sea scape between
Cebu and Negros since May 2005. This exploration has caused danger to marine
biodiversity in the sanctuary and threatened the livelihood of small
fishermen. The fishing ban imposed by the joint exploration has already
affected at least 8,350 fishermen in San Carlos and Escalante cities in
Negros Occidental alone, threatening to reduce fish catch by as much as
600,000 tons annually in the next ten year.

· The DENR's "mass distribution" of 4,968 environmental compliance
certificates to environment-violating firms in 2005 alone.

Also charged in the complaint were Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo,
former Enegry Secretary Vince Perez, and several DENR officials in Regions V
and VII. The said government officials were charged with violations against
Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), the Code of
Conduct, and Ethical Standards of RA 6713, and other environmental
legislation.

"This is our Valentines' gift to Sec. Defensor for playing Cupid between
Pres. Arroyo and foreign mining corporations such as Lafayette. It is high
time that Mr. Defensor should be probed and be made accountable for his
heartless sell-out of national patrimony and sweetheart deals with foreign
mining MNCs," Beltran said.

"Mr. Defensor has shown no love for his country nor the Filipino toiling
masses who are foremost affected and devastated by these environmental
disasters caused by his unpatriotic kowtowing to foreign mining and oil
interests. He and other like-minded officials should be made to account for
their crimes against the people," he added. ###

Military aerial bombing in Quezon forces thousands to flee

* From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran

Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran (+63)927.871.1080

Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006

Tel. # (+632) 931-6615 Email: crispinbeltran@gmail.com

URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news
*
**
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

February 13, 2006

*Military aerial bombing in Quezon forces thousands to flee*

*Solons enraged over military's relentless harassment of civilian
communities and human rights workers, condemn abduction and murder of
Anakpawis member *

Anakpawis Reps. Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano "condemned in the
strongest terms possible, the violence against civilian populations in
Quezon province by the 74th IB of the Philippine Army incurred in the course
of their violent counter-insurgency operations."

Six barangays in the Quezon province have been ravaged by around three to
four hundred military troops waging counter-insurgency operations against
the New Peoples' Army since February 7, 2006.

Reports of human rights violations have been pouring in from Barangay Bani
in San Narciso; Barangay San Jose Anino in Catanawan; and Barangay Burgos,
Magsaysay, Anonang, and San Isidro in Mulanay, Anakpawis Southern-Tagalog
Regional Coordinator Orly Marcellana said. This week, at least one Anakpawis
member has been killed by suspected military troops. Nine other civilians
have been abducted, and thousands have been displaced.

The Anakpawis solons criticized the harassment of human rights workers
attempting to uncover more facts about the violations in Mulanay. A Quick
Reaction Team headed by KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog and around 50 members of
Anakpawis-Southern Tagalog to Mulanay last February 8 was harassed and
intimidated by a certain Col. Dulay of the Southern Luzon Command last
February 9. The fact-finding team returned to the area on February 11, yet
was again harassed by members of the 74th IB PA in Brgy. Altos, Catanauan,
Quezons reportedly under Mulanay Mayor Prudencio Maximo's orders.

Rep. Beltran criticized Mayor Prudencio's reported complicity in the
harassment of the fact-finding team. "It is atrocious that a local official
elected to serve and protect his community should side or use the military
to cover up the truth about the human rights violations occurring in his
area of responsibility," Beltran said of Prudencio.

Beltran also condemned the reports of aerial bombings of civilian
communities in Barangay Burgos, Magsaysay and Anonang in Mulanay. Residents
report that that at least eight aerial bombs and intermittent strafing by
military troops have hit the area since February 7.

"These bombings are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law,
and an outright and indiscriminate assault on the civilian population. The
Arroyo administration should immediately call for a halt to these
counter-insurgency operations," Beltran said.

Beltran and Mariano condemned the abduction and murder of another Anakpawis
member. Three farmers, Romeo Lleovet, 50 years old, married, a member of
Anakpawis- Burgos Chapter; Ariel Balcameda, 18 years old; and Frederick Ada,
18 years old, were abducted by suspected military troops in Mulanay last
February 8. Their bodies were recovered the following day. The Anakpawis
solons also condemned the illegal arrest and interrogation of Tipin Asi,
married and with children, and a member of the Mulanay Farmers Association
(MULFAS) by members of the 74th IB. Asi was detained without any charges and
interrogated in the 74th IB PA camp and was released on February 9.

Anakpawis is preparing a resolution to condemn and call for an immediate
halt to military operations in Quezon province, Beltran said. ###

125 solons sign up for legislated wage hike

From the Office of Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran
Reference: Rep. Crispin Beltran
Lisa C. Ito, Public Information Officer (+63)927.796.7006
Tel. # (+632) 931-6615
URL: http://www.geocities.com/ap_news

*NEWS RELEASE
February 13, 2006

Update on P125 wage hike bill:
125 solons sign up for legislated wage hike, Rep. Beltran urges others to
follow suit

*"We already have 125 solons strongly supporting a legislated wage hike. And
we hope to clinch more support in the coming days to clinch the 119 'yes'
votes needed to finally approve the passage of the House Bill (HB) No. 345,
or the P125 wage hike bill," Anakpawis Party List Rep. Crispin Beltan today
said.

The House Committee on Labor and Employment's January 2006 report tallied
125 legislators 'commitment of support for a legislated wage increase to
alleviate the present economic conditions of the workers in the
country'. HB 345 is currently under the period of amendments.

Beltran said that the 'best Valentines' Gift that that the 13th Congress
could give workers in the private sector is the passage of the P125
legislated wage hike, and nothing less".

"The passage of a legislated, nationwide, and across-the-board P125 wage
hike for workers and P3,000 salary hike for government employees is of the
outmost urgency in order to restore the real purchasing power of the peso
and raise incomes closer to the estimated daily cost of living," Beltran
said.

Beltran cited studies by independent think tank IBON foundation saying that
the real value of the minimum wage in the NCR has declined to P240.50 from
P256.75 in the same period last year. IBON also asserted that 8 out of 10
families or some 83% of the country's families are poor, based on the
January 2006 national average daily cost of living for a family of six of
P538.80 and the 2003 Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES).

The veteran labor leader said that workers from the public and private
sector will be pressing for the passage of two HBs as an urgent
poverty-alleviation measure. "Representatives from the Kilusang Mayo Uno
(KMU) are scheduled to lobby for the passage of HB No. 345 at the House of
Representatives today. Tomorrow, government employees in solidarity with the
Confederation of Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees
(COURAGE) will spending Valentines' Day lobbying in the parliament of the
streets for the passage of HB 1064 for an across-the-board P3,000 salary
hike," Beltran said.

"It is high time that Congress passes a significant legislated wage hike
bill for workers in the public and private sectors. Five years have passed
yet nothing has come out of previous and painstaking efforts to improve the
lives of 16 million workers and their families," Beltran said.

"The first legislative action for a P125 across-the-board wage increase
kicked off during the 11th Congress in 1998 with the filing of House Bills
1390 and 8459.The House leadership failed to calendar these bills and these
remained stagnant until the end of the 11th Congress. The P125 legislated
wage hike campaign was revived in the 12th Congress with the filing of House
Bills 2605 and 2623 which were approved at the Committee level but were
never taken up in plenary," Beltran recalled.

"Now that costs of living have risen to sky-rocketing levels, the HB No. 345
and HB 1064 should be given priority by the Lower House," he said. Come
voting time, we hope to see these 125 solons (or more) voting in favor of
the P125 wage hike," Beltran said. ###

Anakpawis News Releases