LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday, February 24, 2010 a delegation of over 20 leaders representing the Filipino, African-American, and Iranian communities, along with United Methodist Church pastors sent a delegation to speak with representatives of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer to appeal for her continued commitment to human rights and to demand the release of the 43 health care workers.

L.A-based groups seek U.S senators’ help in Morong 43 case

Let’s keep writing, calling, and appealing for representatives and groups to support the demand to Free the 43! We need more signatures to show our representatives and senators that their constituents are concerned and that we demand that the Philippine military Free the 43 health workers!

Sign the Petition here!

Say NO to using our tax payer dollars to support human rights violations in the Philippines. Say NO to more military aid to the Philippines!

Important legal documents on the FREE the 43 campaign now available here:

http://bayan.ph/free%20the%2043.php

Please circulate widely!

From the Frontlines of Camp Capinpin
Update from Kuusela Hilo, BAYAN-USA Vice Chair

Tuesday, February 16, 2010.

Dear friends and supporters of the 43 Philippine health workers -

Delegates of the 2010 UMC CAL PAC Pastoral and Solidarity visit spent the day in solidarity with the families of the 43 health workers that were illegally arrested, detained and tortured by the Philippine military in Rizal, Philippines on February 6, 2010. Joining more than 30 family members of the detained health workers, various church organizations including the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, KARAPATAN and Committee for Health and Development (CHD), we held a liturgical service outside the gates of Camp Capinpin. Solidarity messages from various organizations including the UMC CAL PAC Conference and BAYAN USA were offered to the families, colleagues and friends of the 43 who are still being held in the military camp.

We traveled more than 2 hours away from the Metro Manila area to get to Camp Capinpin, coursing through the ups and downs of the highway cutting through the province of Rizal. One of the family members had traveled all the way from the Middle East in order to be able to support his loved ones. Another family was only able travel to Camp Capinpin today, after more than 10 days of their child being detained and tortured by the military. This family was only able to come now because they did not have the means to travel from their province to the camp. And despite the sacrifices of the 43 health workers’ families, the lack of sleep, the hardships of financing their visit to their loved ones, the military continued to bully the families by purposely delaying these families from seeing their loved ones until the last few minutes of the allowed visiting hours. And after having been assembled in front of the military camp since 10 AM, it was only at 4 PM, after another round of protest started, that the military chaplain allowed the families to start coming inside. If it this hard for families to see their loved ones, imagine the difficulty of these 43 detained health workers to see their legal counsel.

I will write more about our day yesterday, but I wanted to let you all know that we need to keep up the pressure to enforce our basic human rights. The military and the Arroyo government have been able to get away with anything as long as it is in the name of the war on terror. This harassment and witch hunt in the Philippines must stop. The people that dedicate their lives to serve the poor, the majority of the Filipino people, should not be persecuted in a so-called democratic country.

###

Also:
Article: International outrage growing over ‘Morong 43’ case

February 16, 2010

Dear Friends,

I want to urge you to help us in the effort to demand that the Philippine military release the 43 healthcare workers that were illegally arrested and detained on February 6, 2010 in Morong, Rizal, Philippines.

This issue is close to my heart because I know what it feels like to be held incommunicado, in solitary confinement, denied of my right to legal counsel, and denied access to my family and loved ones. I know what it feels like to be blindfolded and handcuffed, threatened, and not knowing what will happen next. I also know what it means to be tortured. It is as harrowing of an experience as it is traumatic.

Just a few weeks ago I was in New York City to talk about my experience of abduction and torture perpetrated by the Philippine military and to condemn the continuing human rights violations in the Philippines. Now there is news again of the arrest of the 43 healthcare workers, amongst them doctors and nurses. This just shows that the Arroyo government has every intention on escalating the violence against the people and committing gross human rights violations.

These doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers are the ones that go to poor and underserved communities and volunteer their time to provide much needed healthcare services and have saved lives. They are health workers affiliated with the Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) and Council for Health and Development (CHD). They help train healthcare workers and they work with Community Based Health Programs (CBHPs) that have been present in most parts of the rural communities all over the Philippines since the 1970’s. CBHPs are present in areas where government services lack or are simply nonexistent. They provide primary healthcare and train and organize communities to set-up alternative healthcare systems that are people-managed and self reliant.

The Philippine government has paid back their thanks to these doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers by arresting, detaining, and torturing them. To justify their acts—despite the invalid search warrant and pretense used to raid the farmhouse of Dr. Melecia Velmonte where the health training was held—the military has accused the healthcare workers of being NPA rebels. It seems that every time the Philippine military is caught committing human rights violations they label anyone “NPAs” and plant evidence and witnesses against them to file false criminal cases. As if this would justify the torture and the violation of their rights, but the fact is that regardless, they are still protected under the Geneva conventions and International Human Rights Laws.

The military is getting caught in its web of lies and deceit in their attempt to justify the illegal arrest, detention, and torture of the 43 healthcare workers. This allows them to continue to act with impunity and to target civilians and anybody that is critical of the government. This incident further shows the arrogance, brutality, and ruthlessness of the Arroyo government.

It is reported that some of the 43 healthcare workers, 26 of whom are women, have experienced sexual abuse while detained. Also, when the Philippine military finally presented the 43 healthcare workers before the Court of Appeals on February 15, 2010 due to the petition of habeas corpus filed by the families of the 43 and the mounting public pressure, Dr. Alex Montes gave his testimony. He described the inhumane conditions he endured, about being handcuffed and blindfolded for 36 hours, held in solitary confinement, and not being able to utter another word after being asked how this experience has affected him, witnesses said he returned to his seat seemingly broken.

I am afraid for what Dr. Montes was unable to say, and about the other torture he and others probably endured. After all, he still has to go back to the military camp after his testimony and he is still at the mercy of his captors. Let us prevent any further violation of his rights, let us demand the end to the torture of the 43 healthcare workers and demand their immediate release.

No one has been prosecuted for human rights violations and the Philippine government continues its brutal policy unabated even as international condemnation of the Philippines for its gross human rights record has been expressed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other international bodies. What is especially disturbing to me is that our taxpayer dollars here in the United States are being used to fund and train the Philippine military who is guilty of committing these human rights violations. We can say “no to more human rights violations in the Philippines” by saying “no to more military aid” and urging our government to cut military funding to the Philippines. We can also bring these human rights violations and the case of the 43 healthcare workers to the attention of our local representatives and Senators by writing to them and signing petitions like the one below.

The 43 healthcare workers include doctors like Dr. Montes and Dr. Merry Mia Clamor who chose to stay in the Philippines instead of going abroad. In a country where 7 out of 10 Filipinos do not even see a doctor before they die, and where the majority of the people lack access to public health services and facilities, these doctors and healthcare workers that have dedicated their time and skills to serve the poor and marginalized communities of the Philippines are doing their heroic duty and sworn mandate to serve and attend to the medical needs of the poor and the most vulnerable in society. They deserve not only our praises, but they need our continued support and our outcry for justice.

FREE THE 43 HEALTHCARE WORKERS NOW!
NO TO IMPUNITY IN THE PHILIPPINES!
STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES!
STOP TORTURE NOW!
STOP MILITARY AID TO THE PHILIPPINES!

Sincerely,

Melissa Roxas

Please sign the petition

For more information and to find out what you can do please visit:

www.karapatan.org
www.bulatlat.com

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro
Secretary-General, BAYAN-USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

The alliance of 14 Filipino American organizations known as BAYAN-USA strongly condemns the Philippine police and military’s illegal raid and abduction of 43 community health workers and doctors who were conducting health skills training in Morong, Rizal, Philippines on Saturday, February 6.  The health workers and doctors administer health services to poor communities, and were participating in a First Responders Training, sponsored by the Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (COMMED) and Council for Health and Development (CHD). Their personal belongings, as well the training materials used, were all confiscated by the military.

According to reports by the media and the human rights alliance KARAPATAN, approximately 300 soldiers and police of the Southern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Rizal Philippine National Police (PNP) forcibly entered the farmhouse of Dr. Melecia Velmonte at 6:15 AM. The training participants were then lined up, violently frisked, blindfolded, and taken to Camp Capinpin, headquarters of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, AFP.  The health workers have been held incommunicado since then, and have been denied their right to legal counsel.  A team from the Commission on Human Rights was also blocked from seeing the detainees.

“We denounce the PNP and AFP’s illegal abduction and detention of health professionals,” stated Bernadette Ellorin, BAYAN-USA Chair. “It is contemptible that the government arrested these health care providers while they were undergoing training in ‘first response,’ especially in light of the government’s failure to provide this type of critical care during disasters like typhoon Ondoy.”

KARAPATAN reported that the AFP and PNP illegally used a search warrant naming a person who was not the owner of the home, nor specifying an exact address.  Moreover, the military declared that the victims were members of the New People’s Army because of explosives allegedly found inside the compound, even though witnesses said that the military conducted the search of the compound’s premises only after all of the victims and residents were already outside the buildings. Witnesses also said that the military brought in with them plastic bags with the GMA Kapuso logo printed on it.

“The government is sending the message that Filipino doctors and nurses are welcome to go abroad to work, but they are labeled rebels if they stay in the Philippines to serve the poor,” said Ellorin.  “This falls right in line with President Arroyo’s bloody counter-insurgency program Operation Plan Bantay Laya 2, which has terrorized innocent people with extra-judicial killings, abductions, disappearances, torture and mass arrests.”

BAYAN-USA makes the following demands:

1. The immediate release of the health workers who are illegally arrested and illegally detained at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.
2. The government to ensure the safety of the victims and that they are not harmed; their belongings be returned immediately to them.
3. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into raid and illegal arrest of the health workers conducting health skills training in Morong, Rizal.
4. The military to stop the labeling and targeting of human rights defenders as “members of front organizations of the communists” and “enemies of the state.”
5. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of these instruments’ provisions.

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro
Secretary-General, BAYAN-USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

BAYAN USA Urges Phil. Congress to Revoke Proclamation 1959, Demands Obama Withdraw Support

The US Chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, or BAYAN USA, an alliance of 14 Filipino organizations across the United States is urging Filipinos in the United States and around the world to heighten their vigilance and resolve against the Arroyo government’s recent declaration of a State of Martial Law in the Southern Philippine province of Maguindanao. Following Arroyo’s signing of Presidential Proclamation 1959 last Friday, the Philippine Congress is set to resume on Monday, will review Arroyo’s action, and will vote on it.

“This is not about seeking justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. This is about taking advantage of what is perhaps the most insolent election-related act of violence in recent Philippine history to justify abuse of executive powers,” states BAYAN USA Chair Berna Ellorin. “Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo does nothing but dishonor the 64+ massacred last November 23rd in Maguindanao by riding on the tragedy to serve her own narrow interest to cling to power, especially when her Presidential term must end next year.”

No Justice for Maguindanao Massacre Victims Under Arroyo

The alliance chided the Arroyo government’s delayed handling of the Maguindanao massacre as intentional and supported growing calls for a third party to conduct an impartial, thorough investigation of the crime scene and ensure swift arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators. But the lack of timely effort on the Arroyo government’s part to go after the obvious suspects– the Ampatuan family, a powerful political dynasty that has ruled Maguindanao for over a decade– clearly posed roadblocks to justice.

Nearly two weeks after the massacre, and with only one suspect in custody who voluntarily surrendered, Arroyo signed Proclamation 1959, placing Maguindanao province under a State of Martial Law, under the auspices of arresting the other members of the Ampatuan family and calling them in for questioning.

“The Arroyos and Ampatuans are close political allies, therefore the Arroyo government is in no rightful position to present itself as capable of enacting swift justice, especially in light of key witnesses coming forward confirming their long-time political patronage included the sales of arms, arms that were used to kill last week,” Ellorin added.

“Declaring martial law does not negate the Arroyo government’s policy of impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses,” Ellorin continued. “It is a means to mask the Arroyo government’s own culpability in the massacre itself and consolidate power through military rule under a military well-documented for sowing the country’s human rights crisis with the assistance of US military aid.”

Obama Standing on the Wrong Side of History?

Since it’s founding in 2005, BAYAN USA has been actively campaigning for the withdrawal of US military aid to the Philippines, which account for the training, advising, and arming of the Philippine military under Arroyo. A US Senate hearing in 2007 raised concerns that funding from the US government was directly linked to rampant pattern of state-sponsored killings and disappearances of critics of the Arroyo government.

Referring to his now-famous inaugural words criticizing world leaders who “cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent,” the alliance also welcomed the Obama administration last January in Washington DC with calls to withdraw all forms of support to the Arroyo government for its proven track record in corruption, fraud, and gross human rights violations.

“If Obama stands with Arroyo’s proclamation of Martial Law, he is no different than Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan whose support for the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos fostered and enabled a dark period in Philippine history when warrantless arrests, torture, and assassinations were routine for the ruling military but terrorizing for the Filipino people,” Ellorin claimed. “The international community, especially US tax payers, play a role in pressuring both the US and Philippine governments to ensure the lifting of martial law in Maguindanao, an end to policy of impunity for human rights abusers in the Philippines, and that justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre is truly obtained void of the Arroyo government’s handling.”

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro
Secretary General, BAYAN-USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

BAYAN-USA casts suspicion on the upcoming visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Philippines this Thursday, November 12, saying that the so-called goodwill gesture could really be a Trojan Horse that unleashes a new wave of U.S. military troops and funding into the Philippines at a time when human rights violations are at an all-time high.  “Obama pledged support to the Visiting Forces Agreement when he met with Arroyo, Gates announced the indefinite presence of at least 600 U.S. troops in Mindanao when he came to the Philippines, so why should we expect anything different from Clinton?” said BAYAN-USA Chair Berna Ellorin.  “The Obama administration is clearly reinforcing the existing neo-colonial relations between the two countries, despite its rhetoric of change.”

Clinton’s visit comes on the heels of mixed messages emanating from the State Department in recent days; on October 27, Raymond Richhart, head of the State Department’s East Asia desk, told to Philippine Congressman Neri Colmenares that the U.S. would be withholding $2 Million in military aid to the Philippines this year because of the Arroyo government’s failure to comply with human rights conditions set on the aid.  However, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo reported yesterday that the Obama administration requested that Congress lift the human rights conditions on the $2 Million in military aid for the Philippines in the proposed U.S. appropriations act for next year.

“The restrictions on even that small amount of aid were fought for by Filipino Americans, the faith community and human rights advocates.  Clinton needs to explain why the administration would defy the will of its constituents and ignore the 1,093 dead bodies of people slaughtered by the Philippine military under Arroyo,” stated Ellorin.   BAYAN-USA expects Arroyo to press for the maximum amount of military aid to prop up her presidency and continue carrying out Oplan Bantay Laya 2, just as Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro lobbied for both the VFA and more military aid when he visited the U.S. in September.  “The fact is that the Oplan Bantay Laya 2counterinsurgency operation is fueling the military’s human rights atrocities.  Congress and the State Department should think twice before they release any aid to the Philippines, if they don’t want innocent blood on their hands,” said Ellorin

BAYAN-USA contends that the restriction of a token amount of aid will never seriously address the human rights crisis as long as the Visiting Forces agreement remains in place.  After its enactment in 1999, the Visiting Forces Agreement ushered in tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers, advisors, and special operatives, who have been accused of engaging in illegal combat operations under the guise of military exercises, a claim substantiated by eyewitness accounts, Philippine military personnel, and U.S. military publications themselves.  Nearly $1 billion worth of military aid and materiel has flowed into the Philippines under the auspices of the Visiting Forces Agreement.  “Withholding $2 Million is like taking away a single bullet from a gunman you’ve armed with a whole arsenal of ammunition,” commented Ellorin.

“By maintaining the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Obama administration is guaranteeing that the human rights crisis will continue,” said Ellorin.  “It is criminal that President Obama called Arroyo to pledge his support for the VFA this year and that Senator Inouye requested an increase in military aid to the Philippines next year, when the extrajudicial killings are on the rise and an American citizen, Melissa Roxas, was abducted and tortured by the Philippine military.”

“A year ago, the American people voted for change.  When it comes to U.S. policy toward the Philippines, all we’ve gotten is more of the same,” said Ellorin.  “The change we will fight for is an end to U.S. military presence and intervention in the Philippines, the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, and the complete termination of military aid for the Philippines.”

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro
Secretary General, BAYAN-USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

Philippine Congresswoman Liza Maza distributing relief packages

DAGUPAN CITY, PHIILIPPINES–Filipino-Americans under the banner of BAYAN-USA, a US-wide alliance of 14 Filipino organizations, have been actively responding to the needs of the victims of typhoons Ketsana (Ondoy) and Parma (Pepeng) that slammed through the Philippines in the past few weeks killing hundreds and devastating thousands. In addition to conducting on-the-ground emergency relief operations in the Philippines, the alliance reached its projected goal of $15,000 for BALSA (Bayanihan Alay Para Sa Sambayanan), a broad, multi-sectoral disaster relief organization affiliated with its mother alliance, BAYAN Philippines, in addition to gathering dozens of boxes across the US filled with in-kind donations of clothes, food, and medicine.

This week, members of BAYAN-USA traveled to the Philippines to deliver their monetary donations and participate in relief operations. In Dagupan City, Pangasinan, BAYAN-USA joined Congresswoman and Senatorial Candidate Liza Maza of the Gabriela Women’s Party and MAKABAYAN Coalition for one day in handing out over 2,000 sacks of food to long lines of families who had been devastated by the typhoon’s destructive force, but met with the inadequate response of the Philippine government in providing relief. Pangansinan, one of the most impacted provinces in the nation, was 80% submerged due to the man-made disaster of the San Roque Dam opening that unleashed more than 8 million cubic meters of water.

“We have seen with our own eyes how the Philippine government has neglected the needs of the typhoon victims at a time of tremendous need for basic necessities like medicine, food, and shelter,” commented Bernadette Ellorin, chair of BAYAN-USA and one of the members of the relief team. “It has been the responsibility of people’s organizations, like BAYAN-USA, to provide the emergency response needed for our families and loved ones back home who are suffering and will continue to suffer from the Arroyo government’s greedy, disaster-creating policies.”

Relief Distribution Plans

In relaying its monetary and in-kind donations, BAYAN-USA expressed distrust over the Arroyo government’s recent directive for all donations from abroad to be coursed only through accredited organizations with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or face taxation and other types of penalties and fees.

Furthermore, Philippine Consular offices in the U.S. have imposed restrictions on courier services from shipping relief goods collected by organizations whose efforts are not affiliated with the Philippine government. Courier services face high penalty fees should they choose to ship goods from people’s organizations collecting donations such as BAYAN-USA.

“In this time of calamity, it is unconscionable that the Arroyo government sees this as an opportunity to make money off of suffering,” Ellorin added, “especially when its own corruption of the National Disaster Relief Funds to pay for Arroyo’s lavish lifestyle is at the root of this disaster.”

Like other donors from the U.S., BAYAN-USA is calling for the Arroyo government to lift restrictions on goodwill, including the DSWD accreditation requirement and the taxation on relief goods, as it is posing a concrete obstacle to donors to send relief to the Philippines.

“Donors from the U.S. are not responding to the directives because of clear distrust. How can they be assured that their donations will reach their loved ones and the neediest communities back home?” Ellorin questioned. “Donors are choosing to go through alternative routes to circumvent the Arroyo government’s greedy paws.”

With the approaching super-typhoon Lupit expected to hit the Philippines within the next few days, the need for long-term or permanent disaster relief efforts becomes more apparent. “In the face of government corruption and inutility, people’s organizations should develop long-term relief operations to meet the escalating needs of the people to fight off the looming threats of cholera, dengue and other health epidemics as well as widespread hunger and homelessness,” ended Ellorin.

Members of BAYAN-USA and GABRIELA-USA with Congresswoman Liza Maza

For more information on how to donate through BAYAN USA, visit www.bayanusa.org.

OFFICIAL DROP OFF SITES and CONTACT INFORMATION:

[To be updated regularly]

BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center
40-21 69th St.
Woodside, NY 11377
Open Hours: Monday – Friday, 11 AM – 8 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 12-6 PM.
Contact:
Yancy Mark: (347) 867-0330
Jonna: (646) 578-7390
filipinocenter@gmail.com

Stony Brook University
Contact:
Jun Rose: (646) 750-3489.

FIND District III college organizations
Contact:
Patricia Dayleg: patricia.dayleg@gmail.com
Isabel Marie Gomez: isabelmariegomez@gmail.com

BKPNewYork
(specifically collecting children’s books to the Philippines)
Contact:
Frederick (646) 641-7183
frederick@bkpny.org

New Jersey
Contact:
Yves Nibungco: (201) 621-3156
Nick Cordero: (917) 476-7855

Sinugba Cafe
561 Westside Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07304

Casa Victoria
691 Newark Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07306-2803

Kalusugan Coalition
591 Summit Avenue Suite 412 (Corner Summit and Newark Ave)
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Contact/Office Hours:
(201) 653-4600

Fellowship for Filipino Migrants-FFM
PO Box 901
Glenview, IL 60025-9998
Contact:
Nerissa: (224) 381-6888
ffm4outreach@gmail.com

Money, clothes, blankets, non-perishable food, medicines, toiletries and other basic necessities can be dropped off at designated BALSA locations in Southern California.

Downtown L.A
519 S. Spring (between 5th and 6th)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Contact:
Fernando Fernando: (323) 854-4478

More drop-off locations will be volunteered in the coming days.

Los Angeles BALSA Relief Coordinators:
Fernando Fernando: (323) 854-4478 (Central LA)
Kuusela Hilo: (818) 395-9207 (LA)
Daya Mortel: (206) 355-0256 (West LA)
Victor Romero: (424) 225-0322 (South Bay)

E-mail: sc@bayanusa.org

Checks can be made out to Tulong Sa Bayan. (Tax-deductible) Online donations via paypal can be made at http://www.bayanusa.org.

Cristy’s Bakery
9178 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126-4804
Contact:
(858) 271-6135

Mira Mesa Senior Center
8460 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126-2311
Contact:
(858) 578-7325

Fava Hall
2926 Market St.
San Diego, CA 92102
Contact:
(619) 234-1360

Kalasugan Community Services
1419 E 8th St
National City, CA 91950-2602
Contact:
(619) 477-3392

BALSA efforts in SD
Contact:
Anakbayan San Diego: anakbayansd@gmail.com
Eugene Gambol: (916) 296-4848 egambol@gmail.com
Ivan (619) 370-1296

Additional relief information
Patricia Guevarra: (858) 692-0785 patricia.guevarra@gmail.com

Donations in San Francisco/Bay Area
Contact:
Ryan Leano (626) 534-4971

Monetary donations can also be dropped off at these sites. Checks can be made out to “Lakasdiwa,” a non-profit organization that will send the funds directly to MIGRANTE International in the Philippines, a workers’ organization directly helping the victims in the disaster relief efforts. Please put “Typhoon Ondoy Relief” on the check’s note.

Filipino Community Center
4681 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94112

Liwanag Kultural Center
Hillside Park Clubhouse
222 Lausanne Ave.
Daly City‎, CA‎ 94014
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30 - 6 PM; Wednesdays, 3:30 - 8 PM

Asian Pacific Islander Youth Promoting Advocacy & Leadership
310 8th Street, Suite 215
Oakland, CA 94710
Monday-Friday, 10 AM - 6 PM
Contact:
Armael Malinis, AnakBayan-East Bay

Donations in San Jose/South Bay
Contact:
Melissa Nievera, Filipino Community Support (FOCUS): focus.balita@gmail.com.

Filipino Youth Coalition (FYC) & Filipino Community Support (FOCUS) drop-off sites:

Welch Park Community Building
Located at corner of Kenesta Way and Clarice Dr
San Jose, CA 95122
(open everyday from 2 - 5 PM to receive donations)

Valley Faith United Methodist Church
1251 Sandia Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Stanford’s Pilipino American Student Union (PASU)
Contact:
AV David (650) 491-4561
avhdavid@stanford.edu

Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Contact:
Claire Oliveros
portlandchrp@gmail.com
You can send CASH through Metro Bank acct. 3 189 14540 1 For BAYAN’s “BALSA” (Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan)

Contact:
Consuelo Rivera (503) 729-9449
welorivera@yahoo.com

Contact: Rhonda Ramiro
Secretary General, BAYAN-USA
secgen@bayanusa.org

European Court Ruling Removes Professor Sison from EU Blacklist

BAYAN-USA Applauds European Court Decision, Calls on U.S. State Department to Follow Suit

BAYAN-USA celebrated the landmark victory for all progressives and freedom-loving people on September 30, when the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (ECFI) annulled all previous decisions by the Council of the European Union (EU) that had maintained Professor Jose Maria Sison on an EU “terrorist list” and frozen his bank account since 2002. The Court ruled that “the procedures before the Raad van State and the Rechtbank [Hague District Court] clearly do not involve any ‘conviction’ of Mr Sison, nor do they amount to decisions to ‘instigat[e] … investigations or prosecut[e] for a terrorist act’.”

“The tactics used by reactionary governments to vilify Joma in the courts have failed because they stood on false pretenses,” said Berna Ellorin, Chair of BAYAN-USA. “No amount of smoke and mirrors could hide the truth: the only thing Joma is guilty of is serving the people and fighting for national freedom, democracy and social liberation.”

The EU’s terrorist blacklisting of Professor Sison in 2002 and the Dutch government’s subsequent arrest and detention of Sison in 2007 drew immediate criticism; well-respected organizations and individuals internationally denounced the actions as instigated by the Philippine and U.S. governments to silence dissent, particularly since the U.S. State Department had placed Professor Sison on its “terrorist list” earlier in 2002. Warrantless arrests and levying of false criminal charges against political activists are among the skyrocketing numbers of human rights violations committed since 2001 under the administration of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her military. Earlier this year, Professor Sison was cleared of the Dutch government’s charges due to lack of any credible evidence.

“Joma’s vindication underscores the absurdity of the terrorist blacklisting in the first place,” stated Ellorin. “The U.S.-backed Arroyo regime can no longer hide behind the rhetoric of ‘preventing terrorism’ to justify what is actually a campaign of political repression.”

“If President Obama hopes for the U.S. to regain any credibility among international human rights bodies, it would serve him well to ensure that the U.S. State Department removes Joma from the U.S. terrorist list.”