October | 2008 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

James Balao is alive — CPA

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) received information from a “reliable and credible” source saying that missing activist James Balao is alive and is detained in one of the detention facilities of state security forces.

According to Beverly Longid, CPA chairperson, the information they received Thursday came from a “very reliable and credible” informant who is among the ranks of state security forces. Read the rest of this entry →

Int’l mission slam gov’t inaction on Balao case

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights, international

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Delegates of the International Solidarity Mission (ISM) to Surface James Balao conducted Wednesday, were frustrated and disappointed on the government inaction in resolving the case of missing activist James Balao.

NO ENTRY. Delegates of the International Solidarity Mission to Surface James Balao were denied entry to Camp Allen in Baguio City and were frustrated to have a dialog with Military Intelligence Group (MIG) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Photo by Cye Reyes/NORDIS

ISM, which gathered 19 international and national delegates from 20 organizations, was organized by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Monitor (IPRM) to look into what is being done by the concerned government agencies and people’s organizations in the search for Balao. Read the rest of this entry →

World churches, IPs urge gov’t to surface Balao

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights, international

BAGUIO CITY — Strengthening church and indigenous partnership, representatives of world churches and indigenous peoples inked their partnership and condemned the abduction of James Balao, an indigenous Ibaloi of Benguet province.

Fifty participants from various regions of the world gathered at the Igorot Lodge of Camp John Hay here on October 21 to 26 at the International Consultation and Social Visions of Indigenous Peoples, a first activity with indigenous peoples sponsored by the Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC). Read the rest of this entry →

Kalinga geothermal energy exploration contract signed

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, energy, general

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — The Department of Energy (DoE) signed recently the Kalinga Geothermal Service Contract (GSC) with Aragorn Power and Energy Corporation (APEC) and the Guidance Management Corporation (GMC) for the exploration of geothermal power source in the municipalities of Lubuagan, Pasil, and Tinglayan.

The GSC was signed on September 24 this year, in Manila by Secretary Angelo Reyes for DoE, Willy Ocier and Joaquin Rodriguez for APEC and GMC respectively. Read the rest of this entry →

NFA not buying farmers’ produce

October 26, 2008 in agriculture, Cordillera, general

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Private traders of palay (un-husked rice) here get a lion’s share in the subsidized palay procurement of the National Food Authority (NFA) enjoying large profits while rice farmers find it hard to get their produce qualify with government standards.

In an interview with palay farmers at the rice summit here last week, Kalinga farmers said their produce have been often rejected by NFA buying stations, thus, incurring more losses. Read the rest of this entry →

Rice farmers producing barely to sustain family

October 26, 2008 in agriculture, Cordillera, general

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Rice is a labor-intensive family endeavor farmers here told Nordis, saying they are only farming to sustain themselves.

“Farming is a family enterprise. Everybody work the fields, including the teenagers and in some cases, children,” said Zenaida Gumayon, a woman farmer from Barangay Agbannawag. Read the rest of this entry →

Pederasyon ng taxi operaytor at drayber bubuuin

October 26, 2008 in Baguio City, general, transport

BAGUIO CITY — Nagkaisa ang mga drayber at opereytor ng taxi ng Baguio-Benguet sa pagtatayo ng pederasyon sa idinaos na unang pangkalahatang pagtitipon noong Oktubre 19 sa auditorium ng Baguio City National High School.

Dinaluhan ito ng 148 na mga drayber at opereytor mula sa 19 organisasyon sa Baguio-Benguet. May mga dumalo ring indibidwal na walang grupo. Read the rest of this entry →

Mining town folk fear more landslides, asks bishop to intercede

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, general, mining

BAGUIO CITY — Some 300 residents of nearby Itogon, Benguet appealed to Roman Catholic Bishop Carlito Cenzon to intervene following the mining accident that trapped 16 indigenous miners in a mine tunnel last month.

“Your Excellency, a big landslide threatened the communities around the Benguet Corporation (BC) Antamok mined-out area. That incident is very revealing as to the current status of the land in that area,” the petition of the people of Barangays Ucab and Tuding in Itogon states. Read the rest of this entry →

Small scale mining beefs up RP economy by P3B

October 26, 2008 in Cordillera, economy, general, mining

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Benguet small scale miners, often regarded as illegal due to their inability to obtain necessary permits, contribute to gross national product (GNP) and gross domestic product (GDP) some P3 billion pesos in gold production.

In a press conference at the Benguet provincial capitol Tuesday, Engr. Lomino Kaniteng, chair of the Benguet Federation of Small Scale Miners, said while most mining activities are not covered by permits, the records of the Central Bank (CB) shows a large contribution from the traditional miners. Read the rest of this entry →

Ilocos court junks rebellion charges vs. peace consultant

October 26, 2008 in general, human rights, Ilocos

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 23 Candon City, Ilocos Sur dismissed Wednesday the rebellion raps filed against National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Consultant Elizabeth Prinsipe.

RTC Branch 23 Presiding Judge Gabino Balbin Jr. dismissed the rebellion charges filed against Prinsipe, citing the end-result of the preliminary investigation conducted by Ilocos Sur Provincial Prosecutor Redentor Cardenas that “no probable cause of the crime rebellion shall likewise be entered against her.” Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 26 October 2008

October 26, 2008 in editorials, general, opinion

Editorial: He leads by example

October 26, 2008 in editorials, general, opinion

Fear. The word fear in the “Fear God” as used in the Bible is used to describe the awesome and the highly held sacred respect people have for Him. It is definitely very different for the word fear used to describe the reaction to a curse or as in the fear of death.

In an organized memorial held for the late Bishop Richard Abellon last week before his remains were brought home to Sagada, Mt. Province, friends and family shared their stories at the Cathedral of the Ressurection, of how the so-loved Bishop touched their lives. It was not the usual ‘forced to speak” or empty eulogies of propriety some politicians deliver especially during campaign time. Read the rest of this entry →

Brutally Frank: Beware! Criminals inside a van

October 26, 2008 in columns, general, opinion

By MARY ANN MANJA BAYANG

This earth is no longer a safe place to stay. Criminals abound our neighborhood. They come in all colors, sizes and creed. Criminals have been creative beyond imagination in their scheming methods to pounce on their prey.

This week, one senior citizen was almost victimized by a group of criminals plying the city. After we reported the incident to the police, we were informed that similar incidents were reported in the past weeks. So everyone, beware! Read the rest of this entry →

Economics and Society 101: Origin of the ongoing global financial crisis

October 26, 2008 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR BOQUIREN

Free marketeers cum analysts assert that the ongoing US crisis (escalating today as a global financial crisis) emerged when the US real estate market began to decline in late 2006. Analysts are unanimous on the following chronology of the crisis (verifiable with several on-line articles):

• March 2007: Second biggest US sub-prime lender New Century Financial Corporation laid off 300 employees and stopped making new loans in view of defaults. The corporation extended US$59.8 billion loans in 2006. Sub-prime lenders lend to sub-prime borrowers or people with imperfect credit history that make up 25% of the US population. Read the rest of this entry →

From Under This Hat: The Star and the hero of the day

October 26, 2008 in columns, general, opinion

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO

At least, in the minds of people, any lawyer can be made to look like entertainment to a waiting crowd in a court hearing.

The crowd in the hearing for the issuance of the writ of amparo were ready to withstand a whole day’s court proceedings. It was not as if they suspended the actual search but more because they wanted to exhaust all means available to them. They were deep in prayer that it be granted immediately and that they could go on and search without any malicious impediments or impunity from the uniform and that maybe they have something in legalese that reduces the difficulties they have encountered in their search for James Balao. Read the rest of this entry →

Statements: Tribute to Bishop Richard Abellon

October 26, 2008 in general, opinion, statements

By BENEDICT SOLANG
Executive Director
Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC)

October 19, 2008

It is a privilege to pay tribute to a Church leader who has been a source of sound and consistent support for human rights and for people based community development. For the progressive people’s movement in the CPA – CDPC network, we have special reason for paying tribute to Bishop Abellon.

To start our story, let us look back to the decade of the 70’s and 80’s . This was Martial Rule where armed opposition to the regime intensified and an active anti-Marcos dictatorship movement started to form. Read the rest of this entry →

Statements: Surface James Balao

October 26, 2008 in general, opinion, statements

By NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES

October 10, 2008

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) reaches out in solidarity of the family and relatives of James Balao. Words can neither express sufficiency nor fathom the anxiety stemming out of the sudden disappearance of a leading member of the family and the defeaning silence on his whereabouts. The agony becomes more unbearable at the thought that military or police intelligence units are involved.

NCCP also joins the outrage of the various cause-oriented groups in the Cordillera including that of the city and provincial governments of Baguio,Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao , their call to surface James Balao and for a more proactive police investigation. Reports indicate that James was under surveillance by the military intelligence groups a few weeks before his disappearance. Read the rest of this entry →

Streetlight: Days of terror

October 26, 2008 in columns, general, opinion

By MARIANNE LORENZO*

Following is a story from a friend of mine, which I want to share with Northern Dispatch readers. In the past several days, local newspapers carried the story of James Moy Balao, who has disappeared like a soap bubble since September 17.

My activist friend says:

“I ran as fast as I could, heeding to no specific direction – palpitating, horrified and helpless. I knew the man meters away from me was the one I saw in the market, in the park and in the jeepney terminal. I was few meters away from my house but he was still tailing me. There was nobody beside me, no other people on the road and in the dark, I pulled all my energy to open the gate and the door and immediately locked up. I was gasping and trembling. I knew he was still there across the road but I did not have the courage to look at him.” Read the rest of this entry →