Ang Ladlad: Hate crimes against the LGBT community in the Philippines rises

Do you know that at least 209 gays and lesbians have been killed over the past five years due to their sexuality? And according to a study conducted by Ang Ladlad, there are thousands more unreported because victims are afraid. 


Hate crimes against members of the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals Community in the Philippines, should be stopped once and for all, says Ladlad Political adviser Boy Abunda.


" Hate crimes against gays and lesbians should not be tolerated. It should be stopped. And one of the most effective ways of countering such hateful crimes is for people's minds to be changed." says Abunda in a press conference held last Wednesday at the Astoria.


I was one of a few journalists invited by Ang Ladlad, the other one, Inquirer columnist Rina David. I've been supporting Ang Ladlad eversince.

Go, fight for the LGBT rights!

Fact is, the very first people who encouraged the formation of what we call "pink collectives" happens to include me. I am straight. Yet, I share their struggle, simply because I am a human rights advocate.


Hate crimes are usually unreported in such a chaotic country such as the Philippines. For one, gays are discriminated here. When they are beaten to a pulp, those beatings constitute slight physical injuries, but never attributable to gender.


Women and children are being taken cared of by cops. When somebody beats them or kills them, they are charged based on the Revised Penal Code and the special law. Meaning, their crimes are given special focus.


Here, there's no gay or lesbian crime desk. A law is needed to be able to establish one. 


There are so many violations of gays and lesbian rights in the Philippines and they go unnoticed. No one ever did a serious study on hate crimes in the Philippines. What Ang Ladlad did was monumental in the sense that it was the very first study on hate crimes.


Yet, the study have gaps because PNP records show no distinction between genders. The PNP only recognizes two genders. 


If Ladlad wins, surely, the rights of this disfranchised group will be recognized. It is time for us to do just that.

Wag the dog and Hello Garci 2

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Dangerous Times Ahead

There are three things which we need to watch in the coming days and weeks. First, last ditch attempts at charter change. Second, possible administration measures to justify extra constitutional means to perpetuate the status quo and third, eventual outbreak of dissent due to public frustration of a non-election scenario.

This administration should not risk a no election scenario. For the past weeks, there is a noticeable increase of prep activity for the elections. Through this ingenious events, it successfully prepared the public to expect an elections to happen in May 10, 2010. People are desirous already of change next year and to frustrate them would definitely mean big trouble. As I wrote in previous entries, wide-spread aggression is possible if this government frustrates the people's desire for change.

Two signs that lead people to surmise a no-election scenario: one, the failed bidding of the automation of the elections at COMELEC and the charter change deliberations next Tuesday.

Though there may have been legitimate reasons, one fact remains that the bidding failed. COMELEC has until May 30 to come up with a new set of bidders and a new bidding process. They can't allow the previous bidders to re-bid. That's a no-no. If they do that, the entire process will be perceived as tainted and it would definitely affect the entire conduct of the coming elections.

It's already May 14 and is 16 days enough to re-do the bidding? COMELEC should speed it up otherwise, public support for a constitutional means for change would surely crumble and justify an extra-constitutional way out of the Arroyo mess.

While prospects of automation hangs in the balance, Arroyo supporters at the House are expediting charter change. So, both--the COMELEC bidding and charter change--are heading towards one deadly deadline.

If charter change succeeds, they'll be elections anyway, albeit, not presidential, but parliamentary. Yet, if automation fails, and it's back to manual counting, the entire integrity of the whole electoral process is definitely suspect and renders the entire constitutional process void ab initio.

That justifies a term extension that would probably be backed up by a pro-Arroyo military. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales already suggested this some months ago.

Now, is this is a possibility? Yes. Remember that come 2010, class 1978 will be the dominant player in both the AFP and the PNP. With a pro-Arroyo class as the ascendant class, the possibility of either Martial rule or a term extension is there.

How to handle a true Abu Sayyaf kidnap coverage

As a former journalist who covered the Sipadan and the Dos Palmas kidnapping capers by the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu and survived, let me give those colleagues of mine some tips on how to handle this situation:

1. If you're assigned in Jolo, it is best to live inside the PNP camp, a few meters away from the city center or the capitol town. The camp is gated. It is safer there.

2. Now, if you don't have money to spend in the air-conditioned rooms of the PNP camp, try Helen's lounge. It's cheap. It's decent and clean. However, one tip---when you wake up in the morning and you find kids asking for alms or food, give them some money. And be consistent. Make friends everywhere, even in the Jolo public market (the public market is a place where Christians just find themselves shot in the head, especially if you're a soldier or a cop).

3. Keep your distance. There are many people who will approach you and will offer assistance or information on the whereabouts of the victims. Don't be misled. These people are scammers. If the contact is legit, you'll know by your gut.

4. Never give in to the lures or demands of the kidnappers. When I covered the Sipadan hostage crisis, a known contact from the ASG demanded from us ten (10) sacks of rice as "fee" to cover the foreign hostages. I simply said no. I just reasoned that if I give 10 sacks of rice, then, the group will have food to eat and that will simply prolong the situation, ergo, I just have to stay there in Jolo longer than usual.

5. Try to understand the local culture. There are many former Christians now Muslims living in the town center. They speak Tagalog. Befriend them. Buy something from their stores. Be curious about their thoughts. Ask them the reason why all these things are happening in Jolo. Then, file your reports.

6. Live as they live. The Jolo town center teems with ASG spies and sympathizers. In fact, you'll find two kinds of people in Jolo---those legit ASG's and military spies. They mingle with the population. They pose as your friends, when they are simply spying on you. Always be attentive and mindful of your surroundings. Try to prevent from being spied on and listed as a prospective victim.

7. Never agree to go to the ASG camp. This is a very bad move. Okey if you're deeply trusted by the ASG. But, if you're not and your just there for a brief moment, don't sacrifice your life for that exclusive. It's always best to just get your news from the AFP and civilian sources. But, getting first-hand info? Nah. That's just a coverage. Not worthy to give your life to.

8. Don't get caught between crossfires. Stay clear of military operations, unless you are allowed and the military thinks that it's safe for you to cover it. Safety is your utmost concern. Don't embarrass yourself, your family and your news company if something happens to you. Publicly, they'll not reprimand you. Privately, getting injured or killed when there's actually a safer way to get the info is at most, stupid or worst, reckless.

Snipnets: Clashes

Clashes of NPA and government troops

Two rebels died while scores of soldiers were injured in a running battle between government troops and NPA rebels in Pila Laguna. The AFP said that the CPP-NPA-NDF is slowly weakening. How will they explain this? It seems that the rebels are closing in Metro Manila? Previous to this, NPA rebels attacked a convoy of soldiers in Aurora Quezon which led to the death of some soldiers. Are they really being weakened? Or this pronouncement is just braggadocio on the part of government?

Esperon finding his relevance

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said that he expects the CPP-NPA-NDF to become "irrelevant" by 2010. Basing on what he's been doing and his boss fucking up the economy, this prediction will again, fail. Remember, last 2002, they said that they'll succeed in decimating the "enemy" by 2008. Its already 2008 and still the insurgents are becoming stronger and more relevant. Is this Esperon's way of actually justifying his relevance and possible extension of term of service? Yup. You guess right.

Two camps, Two Coups

This noise is deafening. Reports are highly reliable. Two groups within the AFP are trying to neutralize each other. One group is reportedly composed of Esperon's men; the others, the Patriots. Who will win the hearts and minds of the soldiers? Last December, a survey was conducted which showed that the Patriots have the support of at least 30 percent of the AFP. This is an improvement of a previous survey where it says that only 10% support the Patriots and 10% support the administration. Now, the configuration has changed.

The question is--who will launch the first one? I believe that groups aligned with Esperon and Gonzales will try to launch a coup and point to the Magdalo as a culprit. Obviously, Esperon will crush them and earn the extension which he wants. This is dangerous. And only Arroyo is to be blamed for this.

Bhutto style

Ellen Tordesillas wrote about an alleged plan to assassinate former president Joseph Estrada. Some would brush this off. I dare say that this report should not be glossed over. The AFP and the PNP should investigate this. Why? Because if these evil men succeed in their plan, it will plunge the country into a state of perpetual destabilization, leading to a civil war. If ever some hawks in the Cabinet has this plan in their nimble brains, they better abandon this. They are digging their own graves.