Former captive Raymond Manalo was “not telling the truth” in his previous testimony that abducted UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan were detained in a military detachment, defense lawyers said in the latest hearing for the writ of amparo on March 5.

Defense first witness Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, former commanding officer of the 24th Infantry Batallion (IB) in Balanga, Bataan, refuted before the Court of Appeals (CA) Manalo’s “inaccurate” description of the detachment camp in Limay, Bataan.

“Hindi ko nakausap [sina Cadapan at Empeño]. Hindi (sila) naka-detain. Wala akong kilalang na-interrogate na dalawang UP students,” Anotado said. He also denied that he is one of the captors of Cadapan and Empeño who have been missing for one year and nine months now.

The writ of amparo orders the military respondents to find and release the two victims, and not simply deny the accusations against them. Among the respondents are President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Gloria Arroyo, AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Ebdane, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon, and Anotado.

The Manalo brothers claimed to have seen and personally talked to Cadapan and Empeño, along with Manuel Merino and former captive Oscar Leuterio, in Camp Tecson in Bulacan and a detachment camp in Limay, Bataan. Raymond earlier told the CA that Cadapan was tortured by military soldiers when they discovered her plan to tell her mother-in-law Adoracion Paulino that she and Empeño were being held in Camp Tecson.

During the direct examination by Asst. Solicitor General Amparo Tang, Anotado said the camp has nipa huts, negating Manalo’s claim that the military detained the two in a warehouse inside the detachment. He said that the Limay detachment had no water supply system, dismissing Manalo’s testimony that the students were made to fetch water inside the camp.

Anotado also claimed he first saw Manalo in the January 18 hearing where the former military captive took the witness stand. He added that Manalo might have identified him because of his media “visibility” which makes him “more vulnerable.”

In an interview, Tang said the inaccuracies only mean that Cadapan and Empeño were not tortured and detained in the detachment. She said that Manalo was “lying” under oath after he mistakenly identified the detachment and failed to notice visible establishments such as a cemetery along the said camp.

In the cross examination, however, when Atty. Rex Fernandez, counsel of the parents of Cadapan and Empeño, asked how many times he appeared in television from 2006 to 2007, Anotado said he appeared only once. Fernandez also pointed out that a water faucet could easily be removed.

During the hearing, Fernandez tried to establish that the abduction of Cadapan and Empeño was carried out under Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), the state’s counterinsurgency program, which Anotado actively implements as a military officer. Tang, however, said that the OBL was not even mentioned in Anotado’s testimony.

Fernandez also asked the CA to issue a subpoena ordering the executives of a telecommunication company to identify the location of the alleged abductors. The abductors purportedly called Cadapan’s mother Erlinda through her and Sherlyn’s phone numbers last year. The court has yet to act on the matter.

Leuterio and Paulino have previously linked the military to the abductions. Leuterio said he was detained in Fort Bonifacio along with the two students, while Paulino identified as military soldiers the escorts of Cadapan on the night she resurfaced last year.

An army officer of Camp Tecson will be the next defense witness on March 22.# Philippine Collegian

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Pagratipika na lamang ng Kamara ang hinihintay upang maisabatas ang bagong panukalang UP Charter, matapos aprubahan na ng Senado noong Marso 5 ang bicameral conference report na naglalaman ng pinal na bersyon nito.

Nakapaloob sa panukalang bagong charter ang mga sumusunod na probisyon:

Bubuuin ang Board of Regents (BOR), ang pinakamataas na tagagawa ng palisiya sa UP ng 11 miyembro: ang Commission on Higher Education Chair at pangulo ng UP bilang mga chair ng BOR, chair ng Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, chair ng House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, at tig-iisang rehente ng alumni, mag-aaral, staff at kaguruan. Miyembro rin ng BOR ang tatlong rehenteng itatalaga ng pangulo ng Pilipinas, kung saan dapat alumni ng UP ang dalawa.

Magsisilbi ng dalawang taon ang mga rehente ng alumni, staff at kaguruan at ang mga itinalaga ng Malacañang.

Pahihintulutang lumahok at bumoto sa pulong ng BOR ang mga ex-officio member ng BOR na mula sa Kongreso sa pamamagitan ng teleconferencing o iba pang katulad na paraan.

Binibigyang-kapangyarihan ang BOR na lumikha ng position classification and compensation plan, na magtutumbas sa kita at benepisyo ng kaguruan at empleyado ng UP sa nakukuha ng mga nasa pribadong sektor para sa katulad na mga posisyon.

Saklaw din ng kapangyarihan ng BOR ang pagtatakda ng matrikula at iba pang bayarin sa unibersidad, batay sa masusing konsultasyon sa mga estudyanteng maaapektuhan.

Kinikilalang nararapat magkaroon ang bawat kolehiyo ng konseho ng mag-aaral; ang mga yunit ng UP, ng university student council; at ang UP System, ng isang pangkalahatang asembliya ng lahat ng konseho ng mag-aaral.

Ibabatay sa isang masusi at komprehensibong konsultasyon sa mga mag-aaral ang pagkakaroon ng pahayagang pang-mag-aaral sa bawat yunit at kolehiyo, at pagpondo rito sa pamamagitan ng student fee.

Pinagbabawalan ang UP na ibenta ang mga bahagi ng lupang pag-aari nito. Pinahihintulutan naman ang BOR na ipaupa ang lupa ng UP, sa kondisyong mapananatili ang misyong akademiko ng UP at hindi maaapektuhan ang “academic core zones” ng mga yunit.

Bubuuin ang isang independent trust commmittee na gagabay sa pamamahala ng pondo ng UP at pamumuhunan nito.

Hindi papatawan ng buwis ang anumang kita at ari-arian ng UP na gagamitin sa mga pang-akademikong layunin.

Lalaanan ang UP ng P100 milyon kada taon sa susunod na limang taon bilang centennial fund, bukod pa sa regular na pondo na nakukuha ng UP.# Philippine Collegian

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Pormal nang pinasimulan ang imbestigasyon ng pamunuan ng UP Diliman ukol sa kumalat na mga larawan na nagsasangkot sa mga miyembro umano ng Upsilon Sigma Phi (USP) sa isang hazing.

Pinangungunahan ng Diliman Legal Office ang imbestigasyon upang matukoy ang fraternity na nasa likod ng pagsasagawa ng hazing, ani Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Elizabeth Enriquez.

Ani Enriquez, inilunsad na ng pamunuan ang pangangalap ng impormasyon at paghahanap ng testigo na makapagtuturo sa pagkakakilanlan ng mga mag-aaral. Tumanggi namang magbigay pa ng detalye si Enriquez upang hindi mapangunahan ang resulta ng imbestigasyon.

Papatawan ng pagpapatalsik o suspensyon sa pamantasan ang sinumang kasalukuyang mag-aaral na mapatutunayang sumailalim at sumali sa hazing batay sa Revised Rules Governing Fraternities, Sororities and other Student Organizations, ani Enriquez. Aniya, maghahapag ng kasong administratibo ang pamunuan sa Student Disciplinary Tribunal laban sa mga mag-aaral na sangkot sa hazing.

Maaari ring patawan ng pagkakabilanggo ang mga mag-aaral, kasama ang alumni, na nanguna sa pagsasagawa ng hazing ayon sa Republic Act 8048 o Anti-hazing Law, dagdag ni Enriquez.

Ayon sa isang sulat ng USP Alumni Association (USPAA) sa Collegian, “The fellowship is not aware as to the source of these photos posted in the internet… We have no initiation rituals recently.” Bagaman hindi pinatotohanan o itinanggi ng Upsilon ang hazing, nagsisiyasat na rin umano ang fraternity lalo pa’t madali lamang umanong baguhin ang digital photos sa pamamagitan ng mga software tulad ng Photoshop.

“The authenticity of the questioned photographs is doubtful… These photos have been leaked in an attempt to torpedo the looming victory of Brod Third Bagro as Chairman of the UP Student Council in Diliman,” dagdag ng USPAA.# Philippine Collegian

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Around 12,000 women from various sectors intensified their calls for the ouster of Arroyo and raised their major concerns to the government as they celebrated the International Women's day (IWD) on March 8.

Led by women's groups Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) and Babae Laban sa Katiwalian (BABALA), protesters waving placards which read "She is Evil" and "GMA, oust now!" marched from Welcome Rotonda to Plaza Miranda, and gathered in Mendiola, the closest place they could get near Malacañang as policewomen manned the frontlines against the rallyists.

GWP Representative Liza Maza also called on the people, especially the women, to unite and join the movement for a change in leadership.

In a statement, Gabriela cited as reasons for Arroyo’s ouster the extreme corruption under the Arroyo regime as shown in such anomalous projects as the Cyber-education deal, the South and North Rail projects, the fertilizer scam, the "Hello Garci scandal," and the national broadband deal.

Abandonment of social services
Regiene Pangahas, chairperson of Gabriela-UP Diliman (UPD), said the money lost in corruption should have been spent for social services like education and health. Pangahas also slammed Arroyo for violating their rights and failing to provide the needs of millions of women, like education and employment.

“Nagugutom ang mamamayan dahil tinatakasan ng gobyerno ang responsibilidad nitong tugunan ang problema sa kagutuman. Marami ang walang trabaho; kung meron man ay ‘di sapat upang matustusan ang pang-araw-araw nilang mga pangangailangan,” added Mikas Matsuzawa, secretary-general of Gabriela-UPD.

Yolly Mabaquiao of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Women (KMU) also called for an increase in workers' wages, saying that the minimum wage of P362 is not enough for the daily requirement of P806 for a family of six to live decently.

Unemployment
In their joint statements, KMU and Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan stated that amid claims of a "strong peso" by Arroyo, about 20,000 workers lost their jobs due to closure of companies like Kelseat Garment, Cris Garment, Laws Textile and Ajinomoto. Female workers were also being displaced in big companies like PLDT, Asahi, NXP Electronics, and Dole Philippines, according to the statement.

Maita Santiago, secretary-general of Migrante International, an international alliance of Filipino migrant organizations, also dislosed that 500 of the 124,665 female overseas Filipino workers are imprisoned, while five were already sentenced to death.

Human rights violations
Records from Karapatan show that since 2001, there are 1,010 female victims of the around 4,969 incidents of human rights violation under Oplan Bantay Laya I and II, a government insurgency program of the Arroyo administration.

Reports also showed that 98 women were victims of political killings, 48 of attempted killings; 124 of illegal arrest and detaining; and 28 of forced abduction.

"Hindi tinitingnan ni GMA ang kagalingan ng mga kababaihan. Maraming mga pinipirmahang panukala laban sa diskriminisasyon ngunit magpahanggang ngayo'y laganap pa rin ang mga ito," Samahan ng Babaeng Magsasaka Vice Chair Zen Soriano said.# Philippine Collegian

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Bunsod umano ang krisis ng kakulangan sa pagkain, patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin at ng langis, global warming, at paghina ng dolyar. Patuloy rin ang pagdami ng mga nabubuhay sa matinding kagutuman at kahirapan. Sa Pilipinas, ayon sa pinakahuling survey ng Social Weather Stations (SWS) para sa 2007, 34 na porsyento ng mga pamilya ang nagsabing nadarahop sila sa pagkain. Sipatin ang kanilang kalagayan sa pamamagitan ng mga bilang:

Kabuuang bilang ng tao sa mundo noong Hulyo 2007, ayon sa UN: 6.7 bilyon
Pinakamababang halagang kailangan ng isang tao para mabuhay sa isang araw, ayon sa UN: $1
Tinatayang bilang ng tao sa buong mundo na nabubuhay sa ganitong halaga, ayon sa International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): 1 bilyon
Tinatayang bilang ng tao sa buong mundo na nagugutom at kulang sa tamang nutrisyon, ayon sa WFP: 854 milyon
Nadaragdag na bilang ng mga taong nagugutom sa buong mundo kada taon, ayon sa WFP: 4 milyon

Itinaas ng presyo ng mga batayang pagkaing ikinakalakal sa buong mundo noong 2007, ayon sa UN: 37 porsyento
Itinaas ng presyo ng mga pagkain sa buong mundo simula 2000, ayon sa World Bank: 75 porsyento
Itataas pa ng presyo ng mga pagkain sa buong mundo hanggang 2015, ayon sa IFPRI: 20 porsyento

Bilang ng bansang nahaharap sa “krisis sa pagkain” ayon sa Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ng UN: 36
Bilang ng bansang nasa Africa na nahaharap sa “krisis sa pagkain”: 21
Bilang ng mga taong umaasa sa rasyong pagkain ng WFP: 73 milyon

Yaman para sa iilan
Halagang kailangan ng WFP para maipagpatuloy nito ang pagrarasyon ng pagkain ngayong taon: $500 milyon
Kinita ng Starbucks Corporation noong 2007: $672.6 milyon
Kinita ng Coca-Cola Company noong 2007: $5.98 bilyon
Kinita ng McDonald’s Corporation noong 2007: $22.79 bilyon
Bilang ng taon na makapagrarasyon ng pagkain ang WFP gamit ang kinita ng tatlong kumpanya: halos 59

Halaga ng pinagsama-samang net worth ng pinakamayayamang tao sa mundo noong 2007, ayon sa Forbes: $3.5 trilyon
Net worth ni Warren Buffet, ang pinakamayamang tao sa mundo noong 2007, ayon sa Forbes: $62 bilyon
Halaga ng isang toneladang bigas sa pandaigdigang pamilihan: $500
Bilang ng taong mabubusog mula sa isang toneladang bigas: 4,000
Bilang ng taong mabubusog sa isang kainan kung ipambibili ng bigas ang yaman ni Buffet: humigit-kumulang 496 milyon

Nagdarahop na Pilipino
Tinatayang kasalukuyang populasyon ng Pilipinas, ayon sa National Statistical Coordination Board: 90 milyon
Bahagi ng populasyon ng Pilipinas na nabubuhay sa kulang sa P100 kada araw, ayon sa IBON: 80 porsyento
Bahagi ng populasyon ng Pilipinas na nabubuhay sa kulang sa P40 kada araw, ayon sa IFPRI: 13.5 porsyento

Bahagi ng populasyong ipinapalagay ang kanilang sarili na “mahirap,” ayon sa survey ng SWS noong Disyembre 2007: 41.4 milyon
Bilang ng Pilipinong “mahirap” noong 2006, ayon sa NSCB: 27.6 milyon
Bilang ng Pilipinong “mahirap” noong 2003, ayon sa NSCB: 23.8 milyon

Halagang kailangan ng isang Pilipino sa isang araw upang hindi kilalaning “mahirap” noong 2006, ayon sa gobyerno: P41.25
Halagang kailangan kada araw ng isang pamilyang may limang miyembro noong 2006, para “makaahon sa kahirapan”: P202

Pag-ahon sa kahirapan?
Pinakamababang halagang kailangan kada araw ng isang pamilyang may limang miyembro noong 2006, para makakain nang may tamang nutrisyon, ayon sa gobyerno: P134
Bilang ng Pilipinong kulang ang kita para makakain nang tama noong 2006: 12.2 milyon

Minimum na pasahod sa Maynila: P350
Average na bahagi ng kita ng mga Pilipino na napupunta sa pagkain: 33 porsyento
Halaga ng isang kilong NFA rice sa Maynila, ayon sa Bureau of Agricultural Statistics: P18.25
Halaga ng isang kilong manok : P120
Halaga ng isang kilong liempo: P170
Halaga ng isang kilong galunggong: P120
Halaga ng isang kilong asukal: P38
Halaga ng isang lapad na boteng mantika: P28

Itinaas ng presyo ng mga produktong pagkain sa Pilipinas mula 2003 hanggang 2006: 21.4 porsyento
Itinaas ng presyo ng damit at footwear: 10.6 porsyento
Itinaas ng presyo ng langis, tubig, at kuryente: 53.2 porsyento

Itinaas ng presyo ng mga batayang bilihin simula 2000 hanggang 2006, ayon sa gobyerno: 37.9 porsyento
Nominal na itinaas ng suweldo ng mga Pilipino mula 2003 hanggang 2006, ayon sa IBON: 18.6 porsyento
Ibinaba ng halaga ng kita ng mga Pilipino dahil sa inflation mula 2001 hanggang 2007, ayon sa IBON: 58 porsyento.# Philippine Collegian

Sanggunian: United Nations, International Food Policy Research Institute, World Bank, National Statistical Coordination Board, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Social Weather Stations, IBON Foundation, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Business World, www.bulatlat.com, www.sundayherald.com, www.msn.com

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It’s not over ‘til the final tally says so

UP’s fight for the overall championship of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 70 continues, with only one more team left pitting against other universities to clinch the top spot.

In for the semifinals is UP’s baseball team, playing in the only ongoing game this semester, and set to play against Adamson on February 21. UP has to beat Adamson twice before advancing to the championship.

While the official tally is yet to be released, Edwin Barber, director of UP Diliman Varsity Sports Program, said UP is still “relatively safe” in the second place in the overall tally, following the University of Santo Tomas (UST). He, however, said the race for second place is “tight” as UP holds a slim lead over Far Eastern University and De La Salle University.

In the previous season, UP placed second, while UST held the overall championship title.

Teams that competed during the second semester, according to Barber, “gave their best effort, from the coaches to the athletes.”

The softball team bagged the championship title with a 10-game sweep. This season’s most valuable player for softball, Dione Macasu, is from UP.

Women and men’s team for track and field both ranked fifth. Notable is Javier Gomez’s setting of a new UAAP javelin record at 60 meters, beating the 40-year record of 57 meters. Gomez also broke the decathlon record with 5,900 plus meters, against the previous 5,700 plus meters.

Women’s fencing team finished at third place, while the men’s team, fourth. Joshua Paunil of the UP fencing team was Rookie of the Year.

The tennis team for men and women won the third and fourth places, respectively. The badminton team had the women’s team at fifth place, and the men’s team at fourth.

“Maganda naman ‘yung performance na ipinakita natin,” said Barber, saying the previous season held no championship title for UP in any event. # Philippine Collegian

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Amid the UP community’s joyous celebrations for the university’s centennial, trajectories of contention reveal clashing interests both in the local and the national fronts.

New UP charter
June 7, 2007
The UP Charter failed to be ratified during the third regular session of the 13th Congress due to a lack of quorum at the House of Representatives (HOR). The UP Charter was the reconciled version of Senate Bill (SB) 1833 and House Bill (HB) 5008.

January 28, 2008
The 14th Congress’s bicameral conference committee approved the reconciled versions of SB 1964 and HB 2845, both of which seek to replace the 100-year old charter and aim to recognize UP as the national university.

March 5, 2008
The Senate ratified the bicam report on the UP Charter bill. Senator and former UP President Edgardo Angara said that should the charter be approved by Gloria Arroyo, he would file a bill granting the outright sale of UP land assets. Yet to be ratified by the HOR, the UP Charter retains the Malacanang-dominated Board of Regents (BOR), UP’s highest decision-making body, as opposed to the proposal of the UP-Wide Democratization Movement for a System Assembly composed of different sectors in UP.

Mendez’s death by hazing
August 27, 2007
Graduating public administration student Cris Anthony Mendez died in initiation rites allegedly conducted by the Sigma Rho (SR) fraternity, as subsequent medico-legal reports confirmed he suffered heavy beating consistent with hazing.

August 31, 2007
Cris’s mother Cristina filed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) a complaint asking for the investigation of her son’s death. She identified the SR fraternity as responsible for Mendez’s slay. Meanwhile, the UP administration ordered a 30-day preventive suspension against SR’s four top officials. The National College of Public Administration and Governance Student Council removed its chair Paolo Ante, who allegedly recruited Mendez, from his office for abandonment of service.

September 3, 2007
The SR fraternity threatened to sue the UP administration if suspensions against the fraternity’s officials are not withdrawn.

September 7, 2007
Eleven fraternities, including SR, signed a manifesto vowing to denounce all forms of violence. President Emerlinda Roman also asked fraternities to “justify their existence” through essays.

September 13 and 14, 2007
For the second time, 11 SR members failed to appear before the NBI to clear their involvement in Mendez’s death.

September 28, 2007
The UP administration filed formal complaints with the Student Disciplinary Tribunal against 14 members and officers of SR on charges of violating the university rules on hazing and misconduct.

October 22, 2007
Cristina Mendez charged Dr. Francisco Cruz and his wife Myrna, parents of SR member Francisco Miguel Cruz, with an P8-million civil case. The case stemmed from Cruz’s failure to notify the family of Cris’s death and his approval of the release of Cris’s body without the family’s consent. Cruz, who was later charged with obstruction of justice, brought Mendez’s body to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

February 15, 2008
SR member John Fajardo, one of the respondents, revived his previously junked complaint before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court asking to halt the ongoing SDT investigation.

Search for Karen and Sherlyn
June 6, 2007
The families of abducted students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan filed with the Court of Appeals (CA) a motion for reconsideration of the petition for the writ of habeas corpus to surface their daughters before the court.

August 13, 2007
Farmers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo escaped military detention after six months of abduction. In their affidavits, the Manalo brothers stated that Cadapan and Empeño were being held captive by the military in two separate camps in Bulacan and Bataan.

In his affidavit, Raymond said Sherlyn visited her mother-in-law Adoracion Paulino on April 21 to inform her of their detention in Camp Tecson in Bulacan.

October 25, 2007
Erlinda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño sought a writ of amparo demanding the military to find and release their abducted daughters.

November 21, 2007
Taking the witness stand, Paulino confirmed that Sherlyn’s five escorts during her brief visit were soldiers.

January 18, 2008
In the second hearing, Raymond confirmed that Sherlyn was tortured by army personnel following the discovery of her plan to disclose her whereabouts to Paulino.

March 5, 2008
At the CA hearing, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, one of the respondents for the writ of amparo, denied that the military has been holding Cadapan and Empeno based on Manalo’s “inaccurate” description of the detachment in Limay, Bataan.

Dispalcement of UP communities
March 29, 2007
The BOR approved the demolition of Pook Ricarte, Palaris and Dagohoy (RIPADA) for the construction of the state project Circumferential Road 5 North Extension which would require around three hectares of UP land.

May 22, 2007
Despite the lack of sectoral consultations, relocation site, and a court order, the UP administration approved the demolition in Pook Amorsolo, Brgy. UP Campus. The demolition was ordered to give way to the relocation of families in RIPADA affected by the widening project of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

July 29, 2007
Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Grace Gregorio agreed to start the land survey in RIPADA headed by the MMDA.

August 14, 2007
Demanding a democratic consultation from the UP administration, around 200 RIPADA residents barricaded all entry points to the community in an attempt to prevent the MMDA technical team from formally surveying the land.

August 25, 2007
Giving in to the clamor of communityresidents, officials of the MMDA, Department of Public Works and Highways, and National Housing Authority formally talked with the residents. The residents, however, contended that the government officials failed to clarify the road widening project and address relocation issues.

November 9 and 12, 2007
RIPADA residents stopped the MMDA from surveying the land, even with a presidential proclamation declaring 84,383 sq. meters of RIPADA as part of the C5 widening.

November 28, 2007
Party-list groups Gabriela, Bayan Muna and Anakpawis sought in a resolution at the HOR an investigation of the C5 widening and demanded a halt in the project pending the completion of the inquiry.

January 16, 2008
The UP administration approved the demolition of the UP Wet and Dry Market in Philcoa for the Commonweath road widening project. Around 150 vendors and workers in the market claimed that the order was illegal due to lack of permission from court and absence of a relocation site and proper consultations.

March 5, 2008
The MMDA demolished the UP market even without prior permission from the UP administration. Eighteen vendors and students were hurt in the violent demolition.

Intensifying calls for GMA ouster
July 23, 2007
At least 10,000 people from different sectors registered their strong condemnation of Arroyo in her fifth State of the Nation Address.

November 5, 2007
Party-list groups at the HOR filed an impeachment complaint against Arroyo, citing the anomalous P329.5-million national broadband network (NBN) deal and the escalating number of political killings and abductions.

November 29, 2007
Renegade Magdalo soldiers led by Senator Antonio Trillanes staged a coup attempt at the Manila Peninsula in Makati City to denounce Arroyo’s “illegitimate and corrupt” regime. The military arrested around 30 journalists covering the takeover while Arroyo ordered a curfew, which militant groups said signify a “creeping Martial Law regime.” Meanwhile, then Student Regent Terry Ridon declared the Diliman campus as a sanctuary for anti-Arroyo groups.

February 8, 2008
NBN-ZTE scandal whistle-blower Jun Lozada testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee implicating First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and former election commissioner Benjamin Abalos in the NBN contract.

February 29, 2008
Around 75,000 people from different sectors converged in Makati City to express their strongest indignation against the Arroyo regime hounded by escalating poverty, worsening human rights situation, and issues of corruption.# Philippine Collegian

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