Ang Caviteno Newsweekly February 19-25, 2018 Issue | Page 3

BALITA
Pebrero 19-25, 2018
PRRC and representatives from partners agencies pose for a soveinir photo after the “Urban Wetland Appreciation & Site Inspection”
at the Estero de San Miguel in Manila. The activity is part of the observance of the 2018 World Wetlands Day. (Photo by Nelson Ortiz/
PIA-NCR)
How...
Lawless Groups (ALGs), and
the communist terrorists (CTs)
and their coddlers, supporters,
and financiers,” the President
stated in his letter to Congress.
With a supermajority of Partido
Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng
Bayan (PDP-Laban) members in
Congress, the second extension
was approved.

Aside from the Maute
group, the Duterte administration
included the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Turaife
Group, the Abu Sayyaf Group
(ASG), and the New People’s
Army (NPA). The BIFF and the
ASG have existed even before
martial law was imposed in
Mindanao, and the NPA has
been waging a revolutionary
struggle for almost fifty (50)
years — despite and in spite of
the intense militarization of areas
and declaration of martial law in
1972.

In its decision, the SC
admitted that the NPA was not
included in the list of rebel groups
that triggered the first declaration
of martial law in Mindanao. With
the turn of events, however, citing
that the NPA continued operations
during the peace talks and took
advantage of the military’s
distraction with the Maute
fighters, they are now included as
one of the reasons for the second
extension of martial law.

Although all petitioners
questioned the factual grounds
upon
which
the
Duterte
administration proposed the
extension, the Court decided to
go back to its decision in Lagman
vs. Medialdea, on the first
extension of martial law, and said
that “the Court will have to rely
on the fact-finding capabilities of
the [E]xecutive [D]epartment; in
turn, the Executive Department
will have to open its findings to
the scrutiny of the Court.”

“Even during the joint
session, human rights victims
and survivors of martial law in
Mindanao were not allowed to
speak in the halls of the Congress
to tell the horrors’ they faced
under martial rule. And now the
SC believes that it is just to extend
the martial rule for another year.
This decision is an insult to their
continued from page 10
plight and to the terror they have
to face every day,” said Gabriela
Women’s Partylist (GWP) Rep.
Arlene Brosas.
2. No nexus between human
rights violations and declaration
of martial law

“The alleged violations
of the petitioners’ civil liberties
do not justify the grant of
injunctive relief. The petitioners
failed to prove that the alleged
violations are directly attributable
to the imposition of martial law,”
the SC decision read.

In declaring that there is
no nexus between the record of
human rights violations and the
imposition of martial law, the SC
chose to ignore the reports of the
Commission on Human Rights
(CHR), various fact finding
missions conducted in Marawi
City during the period of Martial
Law, and news reports about
aerial bombings, illegal arrests
and detention due to mistaken
identities, and other human rights
violations.
Kabataan
Partylist
Rep. Sarah Elago, one of the
representatives of the Makabayan
bloc in Congress, questioned
the AFP about the human rights
violations committed by the
military. Upon reading reports
of human rights workers during
her interpellation, Department
of National Defense (DND)
Sec. Delfin Lorenzana merely
said, “Hindi ako naniniwala na
naghahasik kami ng lagim sa
Mindanao. Hindi po nakarating sa
amin ang report na iyan.” (“I do
not believe that the military sows
terror in Mindanao. Those reports
did not reach us.”)

When
Anakpawis
Partylist Rep. Ariel Casilao
offered to have residents of
Marawi City and Mindanao testify
on the human rights violations
committed in Mindanao, he was
not permitted by Congress.

“We cited a long and
heart breaking list of human
rights violations during the joint
session and the proponents of the
martial law extension just fell
silent about it,” said Brosas.

With
this
decision
seemingly absolving or ignoring
the human rights violations,
Bayan Muna Partylist Rep.
Carlos Isagani Zarate warned
that the AFP would be “further
emboldened to commit atrocities
against Lumads and other
Mindanaons.”

“Terrorism does exist
in Mindanao — a terrorism
perpetrated by the Duterte
administration itself in order to
sow fear among the people and
suppress their dissenting and
grieving voices, to suppress the
exercise of their rights,” Elago
said in a statement.
3. Safeguards, laws still exist to
protect the people

Similar to its decision
regarding the constitutionality
of the first extension of martial
law, the SC declared that civil
liberties and human rights were
still protected because existing
laws provided recourse for those
who fall victim to the atrocities of
the military.

The SC cited the Anti-
Torture Act of 2009, Writ of
Amparo, Bill of Rights, the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, and other safeguards
that will serve as protection to
the rights of the people. Instead
of issuing an injunction, the
SC declared that the victims
could instead lodge individual
complaints
against
the
perpetrators.

Instead, as Karapatan
warned, the legitimization of
martial law for another year in
Mindanao furthers the culture of
impunity.

During the period of
martial law in Mindanao, terror-
tagging and ‘wanted’ posters of
progressive leaders, activists, and
human rights advocates circulated
in Davao. How the SC expects the
people to get a favorable decision
at a time when all institutions
are either controlled or heavily
influenced by the Executive
Department is ludicrous and
insensitive to the victims of
human rights violations who have
been denied justice for too long.
“Just as the Duterte-controlled
super majority in Congre ss
colluded to approve the extension
of martial law last December
2017, the SC followed through
with a rubber stamp to legitimize
martial rule, completing the
ingredients for a full-fledged
3
PRRC raises awareness on the
importance of urban wetlands
QUEZON CITY-- In celebration
of the World Wetlands Day,
the Pasig River Rehabilitation
Commission (PRRC) conducted
an “Urban Wetlands Appreciation
and Site Inspection” in various
tributaries (esteros) in Manila last
Wednesday, 7 February 2018.

Representatives
from
partner agencies, Philippine
Information
Agency
NCR,
Maynilad Water Services, Inc.,
Manila Water, DENR, and
students from Bulacan State
University joined the PRRC
to boost their awareness and
appreciation on the importance of
wetlands in an urban setting.

PRRC
spearheaded
in 2017 the installation and
introduction of floating wetlands
systems in key urban areas within
Metro Manila’s waterways that
are draining to the Pasig River.

Two of tributaries that
has been rehabilitated by the
PRRC are the Estero de Concordia
and Estero de San Miguel in
Manila. They were also converted
into linear parks together with the
help of partner private companies
and government agencies. In
the process of rehabilitation, the
PRRC was able to claim 3-meter
easement to prevent proliferation
of wastes from the informal
settlers into the waterways.

Another
well-known
wetland in Metro Manila is the
Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical
Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area
(LPPCHEA), a 175 hectare
ecosystem located at South of
Manila Bay which is also a
sanctuary of both endemic and
migratory birds.

The PRRC has scheduled
SM...
after SM City Bacoor, SM City
Dasmariñas, SM City Rosario,
SM City Molino and SM City
Trece Martires plus the SM
Marketmall also in Dasmariñas.

The
mall’s
12,800
square-meter building is a simple
cube shaped modular design that
houses its major anchor, SM
Supermarket and other familiar
stores like SM Appliance Center,
Watsons and Miniso.

Imuseños will also find
fashion boutiques, bookstores,
jewelry stores, eyewear stores as
well as stores of major electronic
gadget brands like Samsung,
Vivo, Huawei and Cherry Mobile
to satisfy their special needs and
wants.

Food buffs will enjoy
food trips to well-known local and
tyranny,” Palabay said.

Following
the
Marcosian template of having
the SC legitimize the ratification
of the 1973 Constitution, the
Duterte administration is near the
completion of its process toward
dictatorial rule.

“This SC will go down
in history as the Court that chose
to turn a blind eye to the reality
of the political situation, allowing
another fascist leader to rise into
dictatorship. This SC will repeat
more similar events for this
year to strengthen the advocacy
on environment protection and
preservation especially Metro
Manila. A study proved that
urban wetlands make cities
more liveable in various ways
as it reduce flooding, replenish
drinking water, filter waste,
provide urban green spaces, and
it is also a source of livelihood.

There
are
various
types of wetlands. Floating
Wetlands are rafts that contain
phytoremediating plants that
absorb water pollutants. There are
two types of wetlands: the Trap
Type and Edge Type Wetlands.

Trap Type Wetlands are
installed aligned with the bridges.
It is usually L-shaped rafts that
help in trapping the garbage
that pass through the waterway
preventing them from spreading
even more, which makes the
garbage easier to get collected.

The Edge Type Wetlands
are installed beside the esteros to
filter the wastewater from canals,
houses, and streets before it goes
through the bridge.

The plants used in the
floating wetlands also function
as insect repellents, help improve
the water quality, lessen the foul
odor in esteros, and serve as
indicators of water acidity. Some
of the plants that can be found in
wetlands are: Tanglad (Lemon
Grass), Umbrella Plant, Vetiver,
and Bandera Española.

World Wetlands Day
is celebrated every year on
2nd of February to raise global
awareness about the value of
wetlands for humanity and the
planet. (PIA-NCR/EPC/MAPA)
continued from page 1
international food chains, coffee
shops and specialty restaurants
like Umeya, Big Ben’s, Weet
Cake
Solutions,
Bianca’s
Firebrick Chicken and Saddle
Ranch Sizzling Steakhouse to
name a few.

SM Center Imus is a
community friendly mall that
with 24 hour services like a
pharmacy, full-service primary
clinic and a wellness center.

A park-like town plaza
with a playground, café’ and food
stalls provide a place for families,
kids of all ages and even old folks
to gather and enjoy spending time
with each other.

Imuseños need not leave
their place because with SM City
Imus, everything’s here. (Ruel
Francisco, PIA-Cavite)
the mistake of its seniors made
four decades ago in allowing the
Marcos dictatorship to change
the Constitution and thereafter
declare Martial law,” Elago
criticized.

And just as history
repeats itself, the people are
once again reminded that while a
person in power has all the tools
of oppression, the power of the
people will always be stronger
than the strength of an isolated
tyrant.