Seeing the winners of this year’s congressional race, the more I am convinced that for the opposition to truly win the war (so to speak), it must win both houses of Congress (as I have called for here and here). Getting both houses removes all the ambiguity of having two houses severely opposite to each other. Also, getting the Lower House means Gloria Arroyo will get her chance at clearing her much-maligned name. With everyone concentrating on the Senate, the House remains in administration hands. (Kudos to the Black and White Movement for attempting to campaign for an opposition House via their Black List/White List.)

Anyway, here is a partial list of winners (from ABS-CBN):

Mandaluyong City – Neptali Gonzales II, Lakas-CMD
Makati City
1st District – Teodoro Locsin Jr., PDP-Laban
2nd District – Mar-len Abigail Binay, PDP-Laban
San Juan – Ronaldo Zamora, PMP
Valenzuela City
1st District – Rexlon Gatchalian, NPC
2nd District – Magtanggol Gunigundo III, LP
Las Piñas – Cynthia Villar, NP
Pasig City – Roman Romulo, Kampi
Pasay – Jose Antonio F. Roxas, LDP
Paranaque City
1st District – Eduardo Zialcita, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Roilo Golez, Kampi
Quezon City
1st District – Vincent P. Crisologo, Lakas- CMD
2nd District – Mary Ann Rosa Susano, Lakas – CMD
3rd District – Matias V. Defensor, Jr., LP
4th District – Nanette C. Daza, Lakas-CMD
Caloocan City
1st District – Oscar Malapitan, NP
2nd District – Mary Mitzi Lim Cajayon, LP
Muntinlupa City – Rozzano Rufino Biazon, LP
Marikina City –
1st District – Marcelino R. Teodoro, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Del R. De Guzman, LP
Manila
1st District – Benjamin D. Asilo, PDP-Laban
2nd District – Jaime C. Lopez, Lakas-CMD
3rd District – Ma. Zenaida B. Angping, NPC
4th District – Ma. Theresa B. Bonoan-David, Kampi
5th District – Amado S. Bagatsing, Kampi
6th District – Bienvenido M. Abante, Lakas-CMD-LP
Taguig City
1st District – Ma. Laarni Cayetano, NP
2nd District – Henry Dueñas, Jr., Kilusang Diwa ng Taguig
Malabon City-Navotas – Alvin Sandoval
Ilocos Norte
1st District – Roque Ablan Jr., Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Ferdinand Marcos Jr., KBL
Ilocos Sur
1st District – Ronald V. Singson, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Eric D. Singson, Lakas-CMD
La Union
1st District – Victor Francisco Ortega, Lakas – CMD
2nd District – Thomas Dumpit Jr, Kampi
Pangasinan
1st District – Arthur Del Fierro Celeste, Kampi
2nd District – Victor Aguedo Elizaga Agbayani, Lakas-CMD
3rd District – Rachel Arenas, Lakas – CMD
4th District – Jose de Venecia Jr., Lakas – CMD
5th District – Marcos Cojuangco, NPC
6th District – Conrado Estrella III, NPC
Batanes – Carlo Oliver D. Diasnes
Isabela – Georgidi Aggabao, UNO
Quirino – Lone District – Junie Cua, LP
Nueva Vizcaya – Carlos M. Padilla,
Aurora – Juan Edgardo M. Angara, LDP
Bataan
1st District – Herminia Batista-Roman, Lakas – CMD
2nd District – Albert Garcia, Kampi
Bulacan
2nd District – Pedro M. Pancho,
4th District – Reylina C. Nicolas
Pampanga
1st District- Carmelo Lazatin, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Juan Miguel Arroyo, Lakas – CMD
3rd District – Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Kampi
4th District – Anna York Bondoc, NP
Nueva Ecija
1st District – Eduardo Nonato Joson, BALANE
2nd District – Joseph Violago, Lakas-CMD
3rd District – Czarina Umali, Lakas– CMD
4th District – Rodolfo W. Antonino, Kampi- BALANE-TU Coalition
Tarlac
1st District – Monica Louise Prieto Teodoro,
2nd District – Jose Villa Agustin Yap
3rd District – Jecsi Lapus
Zambales
1st District – Ma. Milagros A. Magsaysay
2nd District – Antonio Diaz
Batangas
1st District – Elenita Ermita Buhain
2nd district – Hermilando Mandanas
3rd District – Victoria Reyes
4th District – Mark Leandro Mendoza
Cavite
1st District – Jose Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, LP
2nd district – Elpidio Barzaga, Kampi
3rd District – Jesus Crispin Remulla, Lakas-CMD
Quezon
1st District – Mark Enverga,Kampi-ME
2nd district – Proceso Alcala, LP
3rd District – Danilo Suarez, Kampi
4th District – Lorenzo Tañada III, LP
Rizal
1st District – Jack Duavit, NPC
2nd District – Adelina Rodriguez,
Antipolo City – Roberto “Robbie” Puno, Kampi
Palawan
1st District – Antonio C. Alvarez,Kampi
2nd district – Abraham Kalil B. Mitra, NPC
Occidental Mindoro – Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa,Kampi
Oriental Mindoro
1st District – Rodolfo G. Valencia,Lakas-CMD
2nd district – Alfonso V. Umali, Jr.,LP
Marinduque – Carmencita Reyes
Romblon – Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Lakas-CMD
Camarines Sur
1st District – Diosdado Arroyo, Kampi
2nd District – Luis Villafuerte, Kampi
3rd District – Arnulfo Fuentebella, NPC
4th District – Felix Alfelor Jr., Kampi
Camarines Norte – Liwayway Chato, LP
Masbate
1st District – Narciso Bravo Jr., PDSP
2nd District – Antonio Kho, Lakas – CMD
3rd District – Rizalina Seachon Lanete, NPC
Catanduanes – Joseph Santiago, NPC
Sorsogon
1st District – Salvador Escudero III, NPC
2nd District – Jose Solis, Kampi
Albay
1st District – Edcel Lagman
2nd District – Al Francis Bichara, Nacionalista Party
3rd District – Reno G. Lim
Aklan – Florencio Miraflores, LP
Capiz
1st District – Antonio del Rosario, LP
2nd District – Fredenil H. Castro, LP
Iloilo City – Raul Gonzalez Jr., Lakas-CMD
Iloilo
1st District – Janette Garin, Lakas – CMD
2nd District – Judy Syjuco, LP
Negros Occidental
1st District – Julio Ledesma IV, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Alfredo Marañon III, Kampi
3rd District – Carlos Lacson, Lakas-CMD-UNA
4th District – Jeffrey Ferrer, NPC
5th District – Ignacio Arroyo Jr., Kampi-UNA
6th District – Genaro Alvarez, NPC-UNA
Bacolod City – Monico Puentevella, Lakas-CMD
Cebu City
1st District – Raul del Mar,Lakas-CMD-BOPK
2nd District – Antonio Cuenco,Lakas-CMD-BOPK
Cebu
1st District – Eduardo Gullas
2nd District – Pablo Garcia
3rd District – Pablo John Garcia
Mandaue City – Nerissa Soon Ruiz
Negros Oriental
1st District – Jocelyn Limkaichong, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – George Arnaiz, NPC
3rd District – Henry Pryde Teves, Lakas-CMD
Siquijor – Orlando Fua Sr., LDP
Biliran – Glenn Chong,LP
Samar
1st District – Reynaldo Uy,Lakas-LP
2nd District – Sharee Ann Tan, Kampi
Eastern Samar – Teodolo Coquilla, PMP
Northern Samar
1st District – Paul Daza, LP
2nd District – Emil Ong, Kampi
Leyte
1st District – Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Kampi
2nd District – Trinidad Go Apostol
3rd District – Andres Dalde Salvacion, Jr
4th District – Eufrocino C. Codilla
5th District – Carmen L. Cari
Southern Leyte – Roger Mercado, Lakas-CMD
Zamboanga del Norte
1st District – Cecilia Jalosjos-Carreon, Kampi
2nd District – Rosendo Labadlabad, Lakas-CMD
3rd District – Cesar Jalosjos, Kampi
Zamboanga del Sur
1st District – Victor Yu, Independent
2nd District – Antonio Cerilles, NPC
Zamboanga Sibugay
1st District – Belma Cabilao, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Dulce Ann Hofer
Cagayan de Oro City
1st District – Rolando Uy
2nd District – Rufus B. Rodriguez
Bukidnon
1st District – Candido Pancrudo Jr. Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Teofisto Guingona III, NP
3rd District – Jose Ma. Zubiri III, Lakas-CMD
Camiguin – Pedro Romualdo, Lakas-CMD
Misamis Occidental
1st District – Marina Clarete, Kampi
2nd District – Hermina Ramiro, Lakas-CMD
Misamis Oriental
1st District – Danilo Lagbas, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Yevgeny Vicente Emano, Lakas-CMD
Compostela Valley
1st District – Manuel E. Zamora, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Rommel C. Amatong, Lakas-CMD
Davao del Norte
1st District – Arrel R. Olaño, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Lakas-CMD
Davao del Sur
1st District – Marc Douglas Cagas IV, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Franklin Bautista, Kampi
Davao Oriental
1st District – Nelson Dayanghirang, Independent
2nd District – Thelma Z. Almario, Independent
Sarangani – Erwin Chiongbian – Lakas-CMD
South Cotabato
1st District – Darlene Antonino-Custodio, NPC-AIM
2nd District – Arthur Pingoy, NPC
Sultan Kudarat
1st District – Pax Mangudadatu, Kampi
Agusan del Norte
1st District – Jose Aquino II, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Edelmiro Amante, Kampi
Agusan del Sur – Rodolfo Gallido Plaza, NPC
Surigao del Sur
1st District – Philip A. Pichay, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Florencio C. Garay, UNO
Dinagat Islands – Glenda B. Ecleo, Lakas-CMD
Maguindanao – Simeon Datumanong, Lakas-CMD
Sulu
1st District – Yusop Jikiri, Lakas-CMD
2nd District – Munir Arbison, Lakas-CMD
Shariff Kabunsuan – Didagen Dilangalen, Independent
Tawi-Tawi – Lone District – Nur Jaafar, Lakas-CMD
Baguio City – Mauricio G. Domogan,
Mt. Province – Victor Dominguez, Independent
Benguet – Samuel Dangwa, Lakas-CMD

Based on the list, here is the breakdown:

Lakas-CMD: 57
Kampi: 30
LP: 18 (both wings)
NPC: 17
Independent: 5
NP: 5
LDP: 4
PDP-Laban: 3
UNO: 2 (Those who list themselves as UNO with another party are excluded from this count)

NOTES:
1. In order for Luis Villafuerte to wrest the speaker’s seat away from Jose de Venecia, he needs to get all Kampi votes, plus those from its Coalition allies.
2. This list does not reflect the areas where Coalition allies fought and beat each other.
3. If you know the party affiliation of those winners with no parties listed after their names, please leave a comment (list the name and the party).

(With apologies to MLQ3’s Congressmen of the Caribbean and that movie.)

The pirates of the House of Reprehensibles have begun their intramurals. What does this mean? Three views:

* The Philippine Experience thinks its payback time.
* Uniffors believes its all about the money (or the jockeying for key positions).
* Atty. Punzi thinks it’s all for show.

I always believed that the Kampi raid on Lakas CMD was more on insurance. Again, we return to 2005, back when Gloria Arroyo almost fled the Fortress by the Pasig. Back when everyone wanted her to resign, Lakas CMD stalwarts Fidel Ramos and Jose de Venecia propped her up, in exchange for her support for Charter Change.

But she is a wily politician, and she knows the Ramos-de Venecia support is conditional. And she knew that Chacha Choochoo train was doomed even before it left the station. She needs majority support in the House to make sure an impeachment will not prosper. So if she chose not to support Chacha, she will lose Lakas.

Hence, the Kampi raid on Lakas CMD.

And now, as Luis Villafuerte flexes Kampi to wrest away the speaker’s seat from de Venecia, are we going to see the end of the Rainbow Coalition?

The fact that Villafuerte et al are jockeying for position means they have the numbers. My question is this: why settle for getting committees when you can get the speaker’s seat? Unless, of course, Villafuerte is bluffing.

When you negotiate, you always make sure you have the upper hand. If you don’t, you bluff. You lose if the opponent has better cards. I see Villafuerte as a veteran political player. I do not think he is bluffing. Kampi must have the numbers.

On another plane, maybe Kampi is sounding out for possible allies within the Coalition, trying to find out if it can get the numbers to install a Kampi for speaker. Again, a dangerous gamble.

Do you still want a unicameral parliament where these buffoons will sit as, er, poker players?

An email is circulating, alleging the reasons why many wanted to be a senator, even thanking Miriam Santiago for her candidness. I wonder no one’s spamming about the pirates of the Batasan. Makes you wonder.

UPDATE: It seems it’s too early to speculate. This news report makes things more unclear.

Saturday being the special elections day in Lanao del Sur, I opened the TV for news.

Channel 2: Regular programming.
Channel 7: Regular programming.
ANC: Regular programming.

After the two big TV stations’ marathon coverage of May 14 (2 days almost), they did not even bother having live points at Lanao del Sur and hourly updates (except on ANC). Heck, even DZMM TeleRadyo did not have live updates. I was very much disappointed.

The thirteen towns of Lanao del Sur is said to be worth 90,000 votes, so the special elections are crucial for the last three positions in the Senate race. View the Comelec tally this lunch time and see what I mean.

Yet the TV news organizations only paid lip service in their coverage of the special elections. Yes, ANC had live updates, but at best their coverage was a mess (via MLQ3). Was it so much for ABS-CBN to have a live news van at Lanao del Sur? It was jarring to view those video showing confusion and riot while Ricky Carandang was reporting on something else.

Panig sa bayan. Serbisyong totoo. Words that a true traditional politician would say in a campaign sortie. Disappointment to people who wanted information.

—

MLQ3’s column for today is again, wacky. And I hope he has a good lawyer. Zooberry might sue him for libel.

Today’s Inquirer issue reports about how “Christian” north exploits “Muslim” south. An article in ABS-CBN News reports the same thing.

To be honest, exploitation is not the right word. It is two-way, so the right term is symbiosis. Or to be more blunt, it’s scratch-my-back-and-I-scratch-yours. And that is a hard thing to stop. It is corruption at its best worst.

As I try to put myself into the shoes of a lowly citizen in a village in Mindanao, given the conditions being described in news reports, the more bewildered I become. If I am an unschooled or a dropout person, given the culture, what would I do? It would be hard to go against the elder, right? Would I become an outcast? Would I still live if I go against the local warlord? What would become of my family? So many things to consider, and I no longer wonder if no one would dare. So the cycle continues. Eventually, they have to learn that what is being done to them by their elders and warlords are wrong, and may wisen up.

But there is something that can be done on our end. That is, punish those who exploit the Muslim culture to their advantage. Easier said than done, but it must be done. We start by reforming Comelec, giving it motu propio powers, making sure that only the right individuals get to be appointed to staff it. Then we reform the electoral system itself, by any means possible, be it automation, or streamlining, or whatever. And of course, voters education that must begin at the primary level; give equal emphasis on civics/citizen education, math, science, and English.

Unfortunately, it will probably take several more generations before the much needed changes take effect. So it is imperative that we must begin immediately.

How I wish media reports this year’s senatorial elections. Like this ABS-CBN News report: It’s still 8-2-2 in latest NAMFREL tally.

It should be 8-3-1. Why? Read this.

Talk about being independent. He is showing his true colors, even if he is not officially a winner. Votes for him are wasted votes, IMHO.

I find this Inquirer story funny:

“I feel very sad,” Norberto Gonzales said Thursday. “I’m the national security adviser and then suddenly [I] don’t get the protection of the police. The police are involved [in vote-buying]. Hindi ko naisip na lolokohin ako ng pulis (I never thought they’d deceive me).”

Three things why this is funny:

1. The candidate is his daughter, not him.
2. He is speaking as if the Bataan PNP is his own private army.
3. He only found out now that some PNP personnel are corrupt (and he is the National Security Adviser).

Well, at least he gets to feel how to be screwed. He screwed the country through that Venable contract. Karma, heh.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2007
The state of the world’s human rights

23 May 2007: AI Pilipinas – AI Annual Report Media Launch
Summary of Statements by Tim Parritt (AI Deputy Director, Asia Pacific Program) and Sergio Zamorano (AI International Mobilization Program)

TIME TO END THE POLITICS OF FEAR AND UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL

As Amnesty International launched its annual assessment of human rights worldwide, the organization decried how both governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to create an increasingly dangerous and polarized world.

Through fear-mongering and divisive policies, governments have undermined the rule of law and human rights, fed racism and xenophobia, divided communities and intensified inequalities.

At the global level

The ‘war on terror’ and the war in Iraq, with their catalogue of human rights abuses have created deep divisions that have cast a shadow on international relations, making it more difficult to resolve conflicts and protect civilians, commented Sergio Zamorano from AI’s International Mobilization Program.

Scarred by distrust and division, the international community was too often impotent or weak-willed in the face of major human crises in 2006, whether in forgotten conflicts like Chechnya, Colombia and Sri Lanka, or high profile ones in the Middle East.

Other unresolved human rights crises include the conflict in the Lebanon and the Occupied Territories, and the continuing suffering in Darfur.

In Asia Pacific

In the Asia Pacific region despite enviable rates of economic growth, the pressures of globalization and poverty including migration and the urban/rural divide, became more apparent than ever. Unemployment increased in rural areas of India, and in China estimated earnings in rural areas was four times less than urban areas, with life expectancy for urban residents 10-15 times higher than rural residents.

Across Asia Pacific some of the most marginalized groups, including indigenous communities, were displaced and their human rights abused by industrialization, resource extraction and development projects.

In addition migrant workers across the region and beyond often faced dangerous conditions of work and were particularly vulnerable to discrimination and other human rights abuses. Philippine and other migrant workers had their rights abused in the Middle East amid a mix of inadequate legal protection, exploitative employers and government complacency.

In the context of the ‘war on terror’, enforced disappearances continued in Pakistan, while in Afghanistan the Taleban deliberately targeted civilians in order to control areas under their influence. Violations committed by the US and Afghan forces in the name of the ‘war on terror’ added to resentment felt by many Afghans against the international security presence as justice and reparation for violations of international humanitarian law appeared out of reach. Beyond Guantanamo, the US detention centre in Bagram military base outside Kabul deserved international attention.

In the Philippines

Commenting on the national situation, Tim Parritt, Deputy Director of AI’s Asia Pacific Program, described how in the Philippines as elsewhere in the world, “The politics of fear fuelled a downward spiral of human rights abuse in which no right was sacrosanct and no person safe.”

In the Philippines, a national security agenda and calls for “all out war” led to the repeated labeling of civilians belonging to the legal political left as “enemies of the state” and members of “communist terrorist” armed groups. Such vilification and intimidation fuelled the conditions within which a pattern of political killings of leftist political activists, including marginalized community leaders, journalists and human rights workers, took place – at times with the involvement or complicity of military personnel.

“Increasing polarization and heightened fear about national security reduced the space for tolerance and dissent, and as human rights abuses persisted the prospects for a revival of the long-established peace process with communist armed groups became increasingly remote” said Tim Parritt.

Despite welcome government initiatives to address political killings, including the establishment of the Melo Commission of Inquiry and PNP Task Force Usig to investigate, only a limited number of people were arrested and few cases filed in court, and no one was held accountable for political killings stretching back to 2001.

“The political killings and a recent spate of electoral-related murders have again emphasized the urgent need for sustained political will to drive forward a substantive, long-term investment in a properly functioning system of rule of law” said Tim Parritt.

Reforms, including the strengthening of independent institutions able to conduct both impartial, effective investigation and speedy prosecutions leading to fair convictions, along with a beefed-up witness protection program, are essential to combat impunity, ensure accountability and safeguard human rights.

Amnesty International is calling on President Arroyo’s government and emerging new leaders in the Senate and Congress to seize this post-election opportunity to commit to a determined human rights agenda. A loud and clear signal must again be sent that the right to life of all in the Philippines will be protected, and that political killings and impunity will never again be tolerated.

The challenge is not only to ensure that all can cast their ballots free from fear at election time, but also to promote enduring good governance, an effective legal and judicial structure, the rule of law based on human rights, and the safe participation of a free press and vibrant civil society peacefully representing all voices in society.

In addition, as elsewhere in the region, the rights of the most vulnerable in society including the urban poor and indigenous communities must be protected as economic development projects leads to evictions, displacement from traditional lands and the loss of means of livelihood. Marginalized communities must be consulted and give consent to development projects that fundamentally effect their economic and social rights.

The challenges posed by a pattern of political killings, the lack of effective accountability, and the unequal impact of economic growth, demand responses based on universal human values – values that unite rather than divide. Principled leadership and the courage and commitment of civil society can overcome fear and address division. Hope is still very much alive.

(London) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International today as it launched Amnesty International Report 2007, its annual assessment of human rights worldwide.

“Through short sighted, fear-mongering and divisive policies, governments are undermining the rule of law and human rights, feeding racism and xenophobia, dividing communities, intensifying inequalities and sowing the seeds for more violence and conflict,” said Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

“The politics of fear is fuelling a downward spiral of human rights abuse in which no right is sacrosanct and no person safe.”

“The ‘war on terror’ and the war in Iraq, with their catalogue of human rights abuses, have created deep divisions that cast a shadow on international relations, making it more difficult to resolve conflicts and protect civilians.”

Scarred by distrust and division, the international community was too often impotent or weak-willed in the face of major human rights crises in 2006, whether in forgotten conflicts like Chechnya, Colombia and Sri Lanka or high profiles ones in the Middle East.

The UN took weeks to muster the will to call for a ceasefire in the conflict in Lebanon in which approximately 1,200 civilians lost their lives. The international community showed no stomach to tackle the human rights disaster resulting from severe restrictions on freedom of movement of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, reckless attacks by the Israeli army and inter-factional fighting among Palestinian groups.

“Darfur is a bleeding wound on world conscience. The UN Security Council is hampered by distrust and double dealing of its most powerful members. The Sudanese government is running rings around the UN. Meanwhile 200,000 people have died, more than ten times that number have been displaced, and militia attacks are now spreading to Chad and the Central African Republic,” said Ms. Khan.

Thriving in an arc of instability, extending from the borders of Pakistan to the Horn of Africa, armed groups flexed their muscles and engaged in massive abuse of human rights and international humanitarian law.

“Unless governments address the grievances on which these groups feed, unless they provide effective leadership to bring these groups to account for the abuses they have committed and are ready to hold themselves accountable, the prognosis for human rights is dire,” said Ms Khan.

In Afghanistan, the international community and the Afghan government squandered the opportunity to build an effective state based on human rights and the rule of law, leaving the people to chronic insecurity, corruption and a resurgent Taleban. In Iraq, the security forces incited sectarian violence rather than restrained it, the justice system proved woefully inadequate, and the worst practices of Saddam’s regime -– torture, unfair trials, capital punishment and rape with impunity –- remained very much alive.

“In many countries, a fear-driven political agenda is fuelling discrimination, widening the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’, ‘them’ and ‘us’, and leaving the most marginalized people unprotected,” said Ms. Khan.

In Africa alone hundreds of thousands of people were evicted forcibly from their homes with no due process, compensation or alternative shelter –- often in the name of progress and economic development.

Politicians played upon the fears of uncontrolled migration to justify tougher measures against asylum-seekers and refugees in Western Europe, while migrant workers were left unprotected and exploited around the world, from South Korea to the Dominican Republic.

The divide between Muslims and non-Muslims deepened, fuelled by discriminatory counter-terrorism strategies in western countries. Incidents of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, intolerance and attacks on religious minorities increased worldwide.

Meanwhile, hate crimes against foreigners were widespread in Russia while segregation and exclusion of the Roma community were rampant around Europe, illustrating the blatant failure of leadership to combat racism and xenophobia.

“Increasing polarization and heightened fears about national security reduced the space for tolerance and dissent. Around the world, from Iran to Zimbabwe, many independent voices on human rights were silenced in 2006,” said Ms Khan.

Freedom of expression was suppressed in a variety of ways from the prosecution of writers and human rights defenders in Turkey, to the killing of political activists in the Philippines, to the constant harassment, surveillance and often imprisonment of human rights defenders in China, to the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and new laws regulating non-governmental organizations in Russia. The Internet became the new frontier in the struggle for dissent as activists were arrested and companies colluded with governments to restrict access to information on-line in countries such as China, Iran, Syria, Vietnam and Belarus.

Old-fashioned repression gained a new lease of life under the guise of fighting terrorism in countries like Egypt, while loosely defined counter-terrorism laws posed a potential threat to free speech in the United Kingdom.

Five years after 9/11, new evidence came to light in 2006 of the way in which the US administration treated the world as one giant battlefield for its ‘war on terror’, kidnapping, arresting, arbitrarily detaining, torturing and transferring suspects from one secret prison to another across the world with impunity, in what the US termed ‘extraordinary renditions’.

“Nothing more aptly portrayed the globalization of human rights violations than the US-led ‘war on terror’ and its programme of ‘extraordinary renditions’ which implicated governments in countries as far apart as Italy and Pakistan, Germany and Kenya,” said Ms. Khan.

“Ill-conceived counter-terrorism strategies have done little to reduce the threat of violence or ensure justice for victims of terrorism but much to damage human rights and the rule of law globally.”

Amnesty International called on governments to reject the politics of fear and invest in human rights institutions and the rule of law at the national and international level.

“There are signs of hope. A momentum was created by European institutions for transparency and accountability on renditions. Thanks to civil society pressure, the UN agreed to develop a treaty to control conventional arms. In a range of countries new leaders and legislatures coming to power have an opportunity to redress the failed leadership that has plagued the human rights scene in recent years. A new US Congress could take the lead in setting the trend, restoring respect for human rights at home and abroad,” said Ms Khan.

“Just as global warming requires global action based on international cooperation, the human rights meltdown can only be tackled through global solidarity and respect for international law.”

****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International’s press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org

MLQ3 asks, can Gloria Arroyo afford to move on?

Yes and no. This really depends on her objective. If her objective is to finish her term in 2010, this will be easy. All she has to do is keep still and not rock the boat. Filipinos are forgetful anyway.

However, her political opponents are not. Once her term ends, once her immunity from lawsuit ends, it would be an open season for the opposition. And that she cannot afford. So, no, she cannot afford to move on. She needs a good exit strategy. Let’s explore her options.

Will Chacha come into play? This is a risky move; last year was a tumultuous episode that could have turned awry for her. Whether be it through Con-Ass, or PI, or Con-con, it would be risky. I believe this is in the cards, though it will not be put into play until conditions prove favorable. Her political machine (which apparently broke down at the end of the campaign) must start the groundwork now for Chacha.

The next viable option is to appoint friendlies into government positions that might be involved in lawsuits against her. That would be the Ombudsman (think Ramos-Desierto), the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. Since she will have control of the Lower House, approval of appointments will be a breeze; if not, she can always avail of the Gonzalez loophole.

Another option is to select a friendly successor. And in this she has a problem. The elections in 2010 will be “star-studded”, with the top winners in this year’s senatorial elections already gearing up for the presidency. She needs someone who the masses will support; she needs someone that businessmen can trust. Her list of choices is short. I suggest she start “packaging” Noli de Castro into a political heavyweight. Noli de Castro needs to establish his gravitas, so that the middle class, the businessmen, will be impressed enough to support him.

Again, can she afford to move on? Yes, if the goal is simply to finish her term. But that would mean criminal cases left and right, and she might end up sharing house with Joseph Estrada. That she cannot afford. So, no, she cannot afford to move on. And knowing her, she would risk everything; she had risked it all anyway, and all she got were mere scratches, so it is better than the other option.

Another letter writer at the Inquirer (yes, another one) tells a story related to the letter writer by a friend who is in Manila:

“You can imagine my surprise when I got this text message two days before the elections:
‘PLANO NG G.O. REBOLUSYON. Ayaw namin ng gulo, gusto namin ng katahimikan at kaunlaran …VOTE STRAIGHT TEAM UNITY!'” (This was followed by the names of the administration’s 12 senatorial candidates.) And you know what? The same message was sent to me from two different cell phones — +63921 2561136 and +63921 2558366. I was really bothered because (1) neither of these numbers appear in my Smart phone directory, my file of business and personal cards, my memo pad where I scribble phone numbers; (2) the tenor of the message shows it comes from a group (‘ayaw namin/gusto namin’); and (3) could this mean that there are entities — either private or public, civilian or military — who can access individual phone numbers in this country, and would the telephone companies themselves be complicit?”

Phone numbers! Spam them! Now! I suggest you use Chikka he he.

Anyway, whoever sent the spam, they must have lots of moolah. Hmm. A GSM modem. Lots of prepaid load or a Smart line with near-infinite credit limit. I wonder how they got cellphone numbers to spam. Maybe randomly-generated, as I did not get this spam message (I’m on Smart). Or maybe this is just a forward message thing.