Pahayag ng BMP sa iligal na pag-aresto sa 11 magsasaka sa Negros Occ.

PAHAYAG NG BMP SA ILIGAL NA PAG-ARESTO SA 11 MAGSASAKA SA NEGROS OCC.

Pagsipi: Luke Espiritu, National President, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

Nakarating sa amin ang balita na noong Abril 1, 11 magsasaka ang iligal na inaresto ng kapulisan at militar sa Barangay Sebucauan, Isabela, Negros Occidental sa maling akusasyon na New People’s Army (NPA) raw sila. Siyam sa mga magsasakang ito ang kinulong sa asuntong murder sa napaslang na konsehal Jolomar Hilario ng bayan ng Moises Padilla (Magallon) sapagkat ang dalawang iba pa ay mga menor de edad.

Nangyari ang pag-aresto habang hinahabol ng mga militar ang mga nakaengkwentrong ARMADONG mga kalalakihan na diumano'y NPA matapos makipagpalitan ng putok. Ang 11 magsasaka ay naglalakad patungo sa bahay ng kanilang lola ng may-ari ng tubuhan para kumain matapos ang maghapong pagsaka. Wala silang dalang anumang armas—tanging mga kasangkapan lamang sa pagsasaka ang kanilang tangan.

Mismong ang Barangay Kapitana ng Sebucauan na si Amy Locsin ang nagpatotoo sa pamamagitan ng isang sertipikasyon na mga lehitimong residente ng barangay ang 11 magsasaka at sila'y mga ordinaryong mamamayan lang doon.

Ayon kay Denmar Recto, isa sa mga menor de edad na inaresto, “inimbitahan” lang sila ng mga pulis na nagpakilalang taga-Bacolod sa Barangay Hall ng Sebucauan para “beripikahin” ang kanilang pagkakalilanlan. Ang mga pulis ang nagsilbing blocking force habang nagaganap ang bakbakan sa pagitan ng militar at diumano’y NPA.

Ayon sa salaysay ni Recto, nang makarating sila sa Barangay Hall, sapilitan silang isinakay sa trak ng pulis. Pinatotoo ng lahat ng mga kagawad ng barangay na ang mga inaresto ay hindi NPA kundi mga lokal na residente at sila ay mga tapasero ng tubo. Ang sabi ng pulis dadalhin sila sa istasyon ng Isabela. Doon naman nagtungo at sumunod ang mga kagawad ng barangay. Ngunit, dinala ang 11 sa police station ng bayan ng Moises Padilla.

Bandang alas siyete ng gabi, dumating ang isang babae at dalawang lalake na pawang nakatakip ang mga mukha at nagturo na tila’y mga makapili. Napansin ni Recto na nag-uusap ang mga nakamaskarang tao at mga pulis subalit hindi niya marinig ang kanilang pinag-uusapan.

Bandang alas otso ng gabi, dumating si Kapitana Locsin at tinanong ang mga pulis kung makakauwi na ang mga dinakip na magsasaka. Ang sabi ng mga pulis, makakauwi sila matapos ang imbestigasyon. Hindi ito nangyari sapagkat agad silang isinailalim sa inquest proceedings sa piskalya ng probinsya ng Negros Occidental at inasuntuhan ng kasong murder. Matapos nito, ikinulong sila sa himpilan ng Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office sa Bacolod.

Diringgin sa mga susunod na araw ang kasong murder sa piskalya ng Bacolod. Kapag nakitaan ng "probable cause," makukulong nang walang piyansa ang 9 na magsasaka.

Kasalukuyang tinutulungan ng pinagsanib na pwersa ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), at PLM - Partido Lakas ng Masa party-list ang mga nakulong na magsasaka.

Magsasaka ang nagpapakain sa mamamayan! Wag nating hayaan ang gobyerno na sila'y paglaruan!

#FreeSebucauan9

Senate bet bats for “industrial and logistics policy” to generate jobs for new grads

Press Release

03 April 2019

Senate bet bats for “industrial and logistics policy” to generate jobs for new grads;

7-month low in manufacturing growth, alarming – De Guzman

Labor Senate bet Leody De Guzman calls for legislation for a “logistics and industrial policy” to address the country’s manufacturing woes, citing the latest IHS Markit/Nikkei survey report of a 7th-month low in manufacturing growth.

The survey found that the seasonally-adjusted Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), a weighted index representing output, employment, orders, inventories, and other measures of manufacturing performance, dropped from 51.9 in February to 51.5 in March, following reports of port congestion in Manila.

“This is an alarming statistic, considering that the ‘Build Build Build’ initiative should have increased demand for the manufacturing sector specially with the hundreds of thousands who recently graduated and has officially entered the country’s labor pool, on top of the steady increase in the number of unemployed,” De Guzman said.

Official income accounts of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier reported a deceleration in manufacturing growth in 2018, with 4th quarter growth hitting 3.2 percent compared to 7.9 percent at the same quarter in 2017.

“Amid the election noise, the government should follow through with the President’s rhetoric of national industrialization and begin the process of developing a clear industrial policy that will generate jobs for our new graduates and invigorate the local economy,” the sole Partido Lakas ng Masa candidate said.

Revamp DTI Charter, GOCC Code, LGC

De Guzman also scored the “Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy” or the i3S program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), insisting that the program is “toothless unless major reforms are made in the DTI charter and the GOCC governance act".

“If we won’t remove the straitjacket on the DTI and government corporations, then all we can promote are small-scale businesses and we will be forever relegated to a small-economy status,” De Guzman said.

The labor leader calls for revisions in the DTI charter under Book IV, Title X of the Executive Order 292 or Revised Administrative Code of 1987 to give the agency more powers to “promote and regulate industry via import substitution strategies and direct subsidies to industrial champions.”

De Guzman clarified, "Hangga't ang ating bansa ay nakatuon bilang exporter ng isang global assembly line at umaasa sa importasyon para sa ating pangangailangan, hindi uunlad ang bansa. Dapat pinag-aaralan kung anong mga produkto at serbisyo ang kaya at kakayanin nating likhain upang dito ituon ang suporta. Imbes na inaangkat natin ang naturang mga pangangailangan, likhain ang kondisyon para sila ay likhain”.

He added that, “At kung dadami pa at uunlad pa ang kalidad ng trabaho, kung saan krusyal na usapin ang sahod at benepisyo ng kanilang mga manggagawa, ang mga produkto at serbisyong ito ay hindi na lamang para sa domestic market kundi para sa pandaigdigang merkado".

De Guzman also called for revisions in the Republic Act 10149, so as to promote “creating government-owned corporations that act as pace-setters in innovative industries such as pharmaceuticals, high-tech agriculture, and artificial intelligence”.

"Hindi tayo kinakapos sa skilled workers para sa mga makabagong mga teknolohiya. Katunayan, sa iba't ibang manupaktura sa maraming bansa, matatagpuan doon ang ating mga OFW," he continued.

Finally, De Guzman called tweaking the Local Government Code (LGC) so as to mandate Local Government Units (LGU) to draft “local industrial plans” on top Comprehensive Development Plans (CDP) and Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) they are currently required to produce.###

De Guzman to Duterte: Heads must roll if anomalies found

Press Release

02 April 2019

De Guzman to Duterte: Heads must roll if anomalies found

Include Congress, civil society, private sector in audit

Manila, Philippines – Labor Senate bet Leody de Guzman challenged President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to fire Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Economic Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and Solicitor General Jose Calida if the government’s investigation on loan agreements with China will reveal anomalies and irregularities.

“The fact that it is the administration itself which promoted and signed these deals show that the President’s men themselves are accountable for any treasonous and anti-people provisions that will be found in the agreements,” De Guzman said.

De Guzman cited the lack of transparency and onerous agreements in the Kaliwa Dam project, a “centrepiece project” of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Philippines.

“For instance, the loan agreement for Kaliwa Dam would not have been signed without endorsement and tacit approval from Dominguez, Pernia, and Calida. If it is found to be anomalous, then these men should be fired,” De Guzman demanded.

All loan agreements require the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), endorsement from the Department of Finance (DOF), and should have been reviewed by the Office of Solicitor-General (OSG) for infirmities.

Include Congress, Civil Society, Private Audit Firms

The labor leader also asked for an “unbiased audit” by expanding to audit initiative to include participants from the Senate, House of Representatives, civil society, and private audit, legal, and accountancy firms.

““There is a clear conflict of interest in the case of Calida investigating loan agreements which were approved by his office. Chances that these agreements will be whitewashed is highly probable,” De Guzman asserted.

He recalled that the Senate under former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III already expressed interest in auditing loan agreements, so they should be included in the audit initiative.

“Senate President Pimentel and (Sen. Risa) Hontiveros already filed Senate Resolution No. 253 directing the Senate committees to review foreign loans entered by the Philippine government in aid of legislation. They should be allowed to continue this initiative,” De Guzman said.

Citizen’s Debt Audit

De Guzman also recalled the “citizen’s debt audit initiative” which reviewed “illegitimate China loan agreements” during the time of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The citizen’s debt audit initiative included De Guzman, former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, former Senator Wigberto Tañada, former Representatives Barry Guitierrez, Rene Magtubo, and JV Bautista, former economic chief Sixto Roxas, and academics Randy David and Grace Jamon, among others.

“We were interested then into auditing Arroyo’s questionable agreements with the Chinese government, particularly the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with ZTE and the Cyber Education Project deal, and other projects funded by the Chinese EXIM banks,” he explained.

De Guzman calls on citizens to “conduct their own audit initiative and submit their findings to the public and Congress” to “countercheck Calida and his colleagues who might want to use the audit as an opportunity to save themselves”.###

De Guzman to Chinese Creditors: Prepare for Repudiation

Press Release

30 March 2019

De Guzman to Chinese Creditors: Prepare for Repudiation

Manila, Philippines – Labor’s senatorial bet Leody de Guzman, said that "onerous and unfavorable loans by Chinese creditors may pendulum swing in favor of an exasperated people who will pursue debt repudiation in the near future".

“This administration may be accommodating to their demands, but no regime lasts forever, and so the debts contracted today might be subjected to an audit later,” De Guzman, the sole senate bet of Partido Lakas ng Masa said.

He recalled that the 14th Congress under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided to suspend loan payments for debt worth P25.9 billion for “fraudulent, wasteful and or useless” loans.

The ratified Bicameral Conference Committee Report for House Bill 2454, the proposed 2008 General Appropriations Bill, included a special provision for the interest payment suspension for 14 loan-funded projects, plus all remaining unsecuritized loans incurred during the dictatorship of former President Marcos.

“May karapatan ang Kongreso na isuspinde ang mga utang dahil ang badyet taon ay makukunsiderang bahagi ng lehislatura. Kaya nitong bawiin ang otomatikong pagbabayad ng utang para sa ilang taon,” he explained.

The labor leader stressed the importance of due diligence not just on the part of the debtor governments like the Philippines but also for the creditor governments.

Beyond Amounts

De Guzman also reacted to the claims by Chinese Embassy Commerical Counsellor Jin Yuan that claims of debt trap is “meaningless and nonsense”, saying that "a big dam could collapse from a small crack”.

“We know how it starts – one or two unreasonable loan agreements would lead to another until we are submerged in debt. Then fast forward to their maturity periods when the government could only pay a portion of its past loans until the compounded interest becomes bigger than the original loan applied for. That was the debt trap worked under the Marcos regime.

Our Chinese creditors may be literally laughing all the way to the bank today but, in the future, we are certain the our local finance managers would display patriotism and intellectual honesty by not compromising the welfare and interest of the future generation of Filipinos,” he expounded.

De Guzman also told Yuan that he plans to push in Congress a “comprehensive audit” of Chinese loans made during the administration of Arroyo and President Rodrigo Duterte, so the embassy “might want to start assembling their legal team now”.

“The Philippines have already stood up against Spanish, American, and Japanese imperialists. We also stand up to China if it insists on being so,” he concluded.###

Senate bet wants repeal of automatic debt payments and strengthen ODA regulation

Press Release

28 March 2019

As “Best Defense” vs. “Onerous Chinese Debts”:

Senate bet wants repeal of automatic debt payments and strengthen ODA regulation

Manila, Philippines – Labor’s senatorial bet Leody De Guzman vowed to file a bill repealing the automatic appropriations act for debt payments if elected this May, insisting that “only loans transacted with due diligence, good faith, without a taint of corruption should be paid by taxpayer’s money.”

“Hindi makatarungan na parusahan ang mga susunod na henerasyon ng pagbayad sa mga utang na hindi naman lehitimo dahil lamang mas matimbang sa Pangulo ang mga bangkerong Tsino kaysa sa kapwa niya Filipino,” De Guzman said.

Section 26(B) of Book VI, Executive Order (EO) 292, or the “Revised Administrative Code of 1987”, states that principal and interest payments for government debts are automatically appropriated. The provision is copied from Section 31(B) of Presidential Decree (PD) 1177 or the “Budget Reform Decree of 1977” which also serves as the legal basis for Section 26(B).

De Guzman explained that repealing Section 26(B) of EO 292 and Section 31(B) of PD 1177 would “act as a deterrent to unscrupulous creditor countries who might want to exploit corrupt administrations.”

“One of my first bills would be to replace automatic debt payments with automatic audit of loan agreements involving stakeholders, the economic team of Congress, third party accountants, and civil society,” he pronounced.

“Automatic appropriations is debt servicing, it clips the power of the purse of the legislative branch. I challenge all senatoriables to take a position on this, unless they are unwitting accomplices of Duterte's treasonous betrayal to China,” he posed.

Senate Audit of China Loans

The lone senate bet of Partido Lakas ng Masa also asked the sitting Senate to “immediately commence a review of all the China loans transacted by the Department of Finance”, including but not limited to the Chico River deal.

“I recall that the first budget signed by (President Rodrigo) Duterte for 2017 contains a special provision calling for an audit of specific debts. The Congress and Senate would do well to include such provision in the 2020 budget,” De Guzman said.

De Guzman warns the administration to “learn from the mistakes” of former President and now House Speaker Gloria Arroyo, who was embroiled in controversies in the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) project, the $503-million North Luzon Railways Project Phase 1 and Phase 2 (Northrail), the $884-million South Luzon Railways Project Mainline (Southrail), and the $465-million Cyber Education Project (CEP).

“Duterte’s designs will be foiled by the people, in the same way Arroyo’s designs were thwarted before,” he insisted.

Strengthening ODA Regulations

De Guzman adds that it is “not enough” for existing debts to be audited; the next Congress should also move to “clip” and regulate the President’s power to contract Official Development Assistance.

“Part of my proposal would include revisions in Republic Act 8182. Specifically, I would insist on a borrowings cap as well as restoring Section 11 of the original RA 8182, which was modified by RA 8555 to allow creditors to specify modes of procuring labor and other materials,” he cited.

The labor leader said that the practice of “tied aid”, wherein foreign workers and suppliers are tapped for foreign loan funded projects, should be replaced by “a system of preference and an obligation to transfer technology Filipino workers as well as competitive and transparent bidding among Filipino suppliers”.

“The Filipino people will pay for these loans. That being said, I see no reason why Filipino workers and businesses should not benefit from these loans.” De Guzman ended.###

Acierto revelation confirms Duterte proxy war on drugs – labor Senate bet

PRESS RELEASE

March 26, 2019

Partido Lakas ng Masa

Acierto revelation confirms Duterte proxy war on drugs – labor Senate bet

Senatorial candidate Leody de Guzman of Partido Lakas ng Masa today claimed that the critics of the the administration’s ‘war on drugs” have been vindicated following revelation made by former officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Illegal Drugs, Group Colonel Eduardo Acierto that implicated Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang to the illegal narcotics trade.

He also called for the immediate termination of the administration’s ‘war on drugs’ after the president himself admitted that despite its brutality, the drug trade has worsened. He says it is also urgent to form an independent body to investigate the extent of the influence of Yang on the state sanctioned ‘war on drugs’.

De Guzman believes that Oplan Tokhang is contrived and elaborate scheme to eliminate the competition and monopolize the operations of the illegal drug trade. The expose, he adds, verified his contention that the administration’s ‘war on drugs’ was in reality, “a war on the poor”

“Tama ang hinala namin noon pa man. Sa simula pa lang ng Oplan Tokhang kapansin-pansin na marami sa mga biktima ay mga small-time pusher at courier. Kataka-takang wala kahit isang dayuhang drug lord ang tinutumba. Biniktima pa nila ang libo-libong mahihirap para magmukhang kapapaniwala ang kanilang gera kontra droga,” said the labor leader.

He says if Col. Asierto’s allegations are true, he finds it extremely alarming that a foreign national, with links to the ambassador of China and considered an economic adviser of the president can influence policies and programs of the government specially its anti-drugs campaign.

De Guzman alleges that, “The fact that the top brass of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were knowledgeable of the intelligence report of Col. Asierto, that Yang was operating shabu laboratories in Davao City as early as 2004 and did not act upon it shows that corruption and connivance has reached unprecedented levels”.

“Hindi na ako magugulat kung kasabwat si Pangulong Duterte sa buong iskema at kahit yung mismong kandidatura niya bilang pangulo ay dinesenyo para makontrol ni Yang ang drug trade. Mula Day One wala siyang bukambibig kundi pagpuksa sa droga. Napaniwala niyang ang marami na sinsero siya sa kanyang laban sa droga, ayun pala ay para lang kay Yang,” he deduced.

The labor leader predicts that Asierto’s expose is the “beginning of the end of the Duterte administration”. De Guzman adds that it will now be a challenge for everyone to make the president and his accomplices accountable for the tens of thousands who have fallen victim to their proxy war.###

Senate bet calls for the resignation of MWSS admin

PRESS RELEASE

March 25, 2019

Senate bet calls for the resignation of MWSS admin

Senatorial candidate Leody de Guzman of Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) today called for the immediate resignation of the entire Board of Trustees of the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for their failure to fulfill their mandate of ensuring uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of potable water.

The labor leader said that the MWSS board led by Franklin Demonteverde must have the delicadeza to step down from office and not await for the Executive branch to remove them from office.

The MWSS board, de Guzman said, “are accountable for the water shortage that hit millions of households.Their disservice is unacceptable. The public outrage generated by their incompetence should be enough reason for them to submit their irrevocable resignation at once”.

The labor leader also noted that even the composition of the Board of Trustees is not in accordance with Republic Act 6234. The law requires the MWSS board to possess specific qualifications including a duly licensed professional of recognized competence in civil engineering and/or sanitary engineering, business management and finance, and law, or recognized labor leader within the ranks.

Six of the nine members of the board are lawyers, two former police generals including Reynaldo Velasco, administrator and vice chairman of the board and a chemical engineer.

“No small wonder that it took them several weeks in order to address the water crisis and did not prepare for such an eventuality,” he said.

The same sentiment was echoed by Sonny Melencio, PLM chairperson. “It only goes on to show that political appointees are not placed for their qualifications and competence but as rewards for their loyalties to the president,” he said.

“Water is life and must be held as a top priority of the government. This kind of ineptitude and recklessness is not worthy of our taxes. The people are already overtaxed and are deserving of better services”.

PLM is campaigning for the reversal of the policies of privatization and deregulation of water and power utilities. It says that utilities are vital to the people and must be publicly owned and democratically managed.

“Sobra-sobra na ang dalawampu’t dalawang taon para husgahan ng taumbayan na palpak ang pribatisasyon ng MWSS. Dapat ibalik bilang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa mamamayan at hindi pagpyestahan ng mga negosyante,” De Guzman concluded.###