One dream: Remembering Ka Pepe

“There is one dream that we all Filipinos share: that our children may have a better life than we have had. To make this country, our country, a nation for our children.” — Jose W. Diokno

Do not forget: We Filipinos are the first Asian people who revolted against a western imperial power, Spain; the first who adopted a democratic republican constitution in Asia, the Malolos Constitution; the first to fight the first major war of the twentieth century against another western imperial power, the United States of America. There is no insurmountable barrier that could stop us from becoming what we want to be. – Jose W. Diokno

EXACTLY two days after the first year anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolt, a nationalist died.

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Photo from www.diokno.org

Today, February 27, 2015, is the 28th death anniversary of Jose Wright Diokno – human rights lawyer, senator, nationalist. Yesterday, he was supposed to turn 93.

Starting today, we will be featuring the three-part video of the PCIJ on the life and times of Pepe Diokno. This video was first aired on the PCIJdotOrg Youtube Channel on February 2012.

From a distance

WE ARE REPRINTING this article originally titled “MILF guerrillas watch from a distance as PNP Board of Inquiry visits encounter site” first published on the website of MindaNews on February 25, 2015.

SITIO ALILING, Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao (MindaNews / 25 Feb) –“Tingnan nyo, basta may coordinate,wala talagang problema(See, if there’s coordination, there is really no problem), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Haramen said as he and his men watched from behind a row of banana plants on Tuesday while members of the Board of Inquiry of the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Director Benjamin Magalong walked across the cornfields where 35 of the 44 slain members of the Special Action Force (SAF) were found on January 25.

Unknown to the newly-arrived visitors, Haramen, operations commander of the 7thBrigade of the 105thbase command of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), and his men – all of them armed – were, earlier that morning, mingling near the river with members of the PNP who were serving as the advance security team. By noon, across the river, elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who helped escort Magalong’s team would line up to stand guard when the BOI team arrived.

Click on the photo to read the full article on the MindaNews website.

A MEMBER of the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces watches from a distance from under the shade of a banana plant the arrival of the Philippine National Police's Board of Inquiry on Tuesday, February 24, at the cornfields where the bodies of 35 of the 44 slain SAF members were found. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

A MEMBER of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces watches from a distance from under the shade of a banana plant the arrival of the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry on Tuesday, February 24, at the cornfields where the bodies of 35 of the 44 slain SAF members were found. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

From a distance

WE ARE REPRINTING this article originally titled “MILF guerrillas watch from a distance as PNP Board of Inquiry visits encounter site” first published on the website of MindaNews on February 25, 2015.

SITIO ALILING, Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao (MindaNews / 25 Feb) –“Tingnan nyo, basta may coordinate,wala talagang problema(See, if there’s coordination, there is really no problem), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Haramen said as he and his men watched from behind a row of banana plants on Tuesday while members of the Board of Inquiry of the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Director Benjamin Magalong walked across the cornfields where 35 of the 44 slain members of the Special Action Force (SAF) were found on January 25.

Unknown to the newly-arrived visitors, Haramen, operations commander of the 7thBrigade of the 105thbase command of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), and his men – all of them armed – were, earlier that morning, mingling near the river with members of the PNP who were serving as the advance security team. By noon, across the river, elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who helped escort Magalong’s team would line up to stand guard when the BOI team arrived.

Click on the photo to read the full article on the MindaNews website.

A MEMBER of the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces watches from a distance from under the shade of a banana plant the arrival of the Philippine National Police's Board of Inquiry on Tuesday, February 24, at the cornfields where the bodies of 35 of the 44 slain SAF members were found. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

A MEMBER of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces watches from a distance from under the shade of a banana plant the arrival of the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry on Tuesday, February 24, at the cornfields where the bodies of 35 of the 44 slain SAF members were found. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

VIDEO: EDSA People Power Revolt

WE TAKE a look back at the EDSA People Power Revolt in this video short of images and interviews by the PCIJ of 20 people who took part in the campaign to remove former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. For the first episode of “Balik Tanaw,” let’s listen to former defense secretary, now Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, human rights lawyer Rene A.V. Saguisag, singer-songwriter Jim Paredes, newspaper publisher Eugenia Apostol, and broadcast journalist Atom Araullo – all key players in the uprising that changed the course of history.

View the video on our YouTube Channel.

Click on the photo to read our articles.

SENATOR JUAN PONCE ENRILE, former defense chief of then President Ferdinand E.  Marcos | Photo by Lilen Uy

SENATOR JUAN PONCE ENRILE, former defense chief of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos | Photo by Lilen Uy