Category Archives: Stories
China Resisted U.S. Pressure on Rights of Nobel Winner
In the two months since the Nobel committee honored Mr. Liu, China has waged an extraordinary and unprecedented campaign, domestically and internationally, to discredit the award and to dissuade other governments from endorsing it.
Philippine Court Rules Anti-Corruption Panel Illegal
By CARLOS H. CONDE The New York Times Published: December 7, 2010 MANILA — The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday declared as unconstitutional President Benigno S. Aquino III’s creation of a commission to investigate corruption allegations against his predecessor. In … Continue reading →
An Uncounted Victim, a Year After Philippine Massacre
By CARLOS H. CONDE
The New York Times
Published: November 22, 2010
MANILA — Every day, Maria Reynafe Momay-Castillo has been in the courtroom — following the proceedings; grasping other women’s hands at emotional moments; quietly crying with them, as witnesses testified that their loved ones had died at the hands of one of the most powerful political clans in the southern Philippines.
Prosecutors say 57 people died a year ago Tuesday in a massacre that shocked even this country, which has long been accustomed to political violence: the gunning down of a convoy of people on their way to file candidacy papers for a rival of Andal Ampatuan Jr., scion of a family that has long dominated the strife-torn province of Maguindanao.
Clan in Philippines Accused of More Killings
By CARLOS H. CONDE
The New York Times
Published: November 16, 2010
MANILA — Members of a powerful political clan in the southern Philippines whose leaders have been charged in the massacre of 57 people last November are implicated in dozens of other killings dating back decades, Human Rights Watch alleged in a report released Tuesday.
Some of the 56 earlier killings detailed by the New York-based rights group occurred with the knowledge, if not the complicity, of members of the police and the military, according to the report. No one in the Ampatuan family, long a dominant political force in Maguindanao Province, was charged in the earlier killings, whose victims included political opponents and their relatives, public officials, people whose land the family wanted and members of the Ampatuans’ own organization who disobeyed orders, the report said.
‘Faltering judicial system’ hinders Ampatuan massacre case
By CARLOS H. CONDE
The New York Times
Published: Nov. 11, 2010
MANILA — Nearly a year after 57 people, including dozens of journalists and media workers, were massacred in the southern Philippines, prosecution of the case has been jeopardized by a ‘‘faltering judicial system,’’ with forensic evidence mishandled, the trial unreasonably delayed and witnesses offered bribes and subjected to violence, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
A report from the New York-based organization said President Benigno S. Aquino III ‘‘must follow through on commitments to ensure justice’’ in the killings that took place on Nov. 23, 2009, in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao Province.
Philippine Troops Kill Wanted Militant
By CARLOS H. CONDE
The New York Times
Published: September 19, 2010
MANILA — Philippine troops killed on Sunday a top Abu Sayyaf militant who helped plan and carry out the 2001 kidnapping of three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a popular Philippine resort, military officials said.
Abdukarim Sali, who also went by the names Benjami Sali and Ben Rafy, was killed during a 10-minute firefight with soldiers and police, said First Lieutenant Jinky M. Perez, a military spokesperson in the southern Philippines. The incident occurred in Lantawan town, on the province of Basilan island where the Abu Sayyaf was founded in the early ‘90s and maintains a presence despite the nearly decade-old U.S.-backed campaign to flush them out.
Charges in Manila Hostage Crisis
By CARLOS H. CONDE
The New York Times
Published: September 16, 2010
MANILA — At least 10 people, including police officers, government officials and journalists, will face charges in the deaths of eight Hong Kong residents who were held hostage on a bus in downtown Manila last month, the Philippine justice secretary said on Thursday.
Speaking at a news conference in Manila, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she would recommend criminal and administrative charges but declined to elaborate on the accusations or identify who would be charged. Ms. de Lima, who is overseeing a panel investigating the Aug. 23 hostage standoff, said a report would be submitted to President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday.
Philippines Leader Faults Police Over Hostage Crisis
By CARLOS H. CONDE The New York Times Published: September 9, 2010 MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III of the Philippines acknowledged Thursday that he could have taken a more hands-on approach in orchestrating police tactics during a hostage … Continue reading →
Anger Remains Over Killings of Chinese Hostages in Philippines
By KEVIN DREW and CARLOS H. CONDE The New York Times Published: August 27, 2010 HONG KONG — A rift between China and the Philippines deepened Friday, with protests and rallies planned for the weekend to demand an investigation into … Continue reading →
Philippines Criticized Over Hostage Standoff
By CARLOS H. CONDE and KEVIN DREW The New York Times Published: August 24, 2010 MANILA — The Philippine government faced a wrenching public discussion on Tuesday over how its police handled a 12-hour hostage standoff that unfolded on live … Continue reading →
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