dfa rali

Mass and ralliy held for migrant victims

of government neglect, forced migration

October 22, 2008




Members of MIGRANTE, Anakpawis, KMU, Anakbayan and the relatives of Jennifer Viduya and other OFWs in the death row of other countries marched to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). . They called the DFA "inutil" (useless) under the acting DFA Secretary Esteban Conejos, Jr. and the Arroyo regime in responding to the situation of migrant Filipinos who suffer maltreatment and other forms of exploitation and injustice. The rallyists also lambasted the Global Forum on Migration and Development hosted by the government. The migrant workers call for Zero Remittance Day on October 29.

Photos courtesy of Anakpawis Partylist





October 15, 2008 PRESS RELEASE Ref: Gina Esguerra, Coordinator Migrants Assistance Committee Mobile: 0921-2709036 OFW beheaded while Conejos promotes global forum on migration As Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Esteban Conejos is boasting of the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that the upcoming Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) will bring about, a Filipino was executed in Jeddah yesterday. “At approximately 10 a.m. yesterday (Saudi time), OFW Jenifer Bidoya a.k.a. Venancio Ladion was executed in Jeddah, one and a half hour before Conejos was shamelessly bragging the benefits of hosting the GFMD to OFWs welfare protection”, according to Gina Esguerra, coordinator of Migrants Assistance Committee of Migrante.. Bidoya was convicted of the crime of murder of a Saudi national and sentenced to death by the Jeddah Sharia'h Grand Court in April 2007. “Conejos said the GFMD will focus on the ‘person’ itself, the migrants. But how will he explain the death of Ladion?, Esguerra said. Esguerra added that the case is just a part of the whole picture of migration’s ill effects. Migrante’s Migrants Assistance Committee receives almost a thousand of OFW cases annually ranging from illegal recruitment, human trafficking, non payment of wages, physical, mental and sexual abuse, mysterious deaths and OFWs in death row. Esguerra said her committee is currently handling other cases of Filipinos in death row like the case of brothers Edison and Rolando Gonzales in Jeddah and Cecilia Alcaraz in Taiwan. “Families of these OFWs fear for the lives of their loved ones. They handed the cases to Migrante because the government is doing nothing to save them” she added.			Esguerra slammed Conejos for saying that GFMD will focus on migrants and insisted the forum will focus really on the commodification of Filipinos as cheap and docile labor. “Aggressive marketing of Philippine government made it the biggest recruitment agency not only in the country but in the whole world. This only shows how desperate and how dependent our government is in overseas employment and remittances. They sell us in the name of so called ‘development’ at our expense”, Esguerra added. Esguerra also said Conejos should not take pride in hosting the GFMD because it is tantamount to hosting representatives of host countries who are conducting crackdown on undocumented Filipino migrants, inhumane deportation of refugees, torturing them to forcibly admit crimes they did not commit, and inflicting various human rights violations on OFWs. “GFMD is actually a gathering of anti-migrant governments and a market place for modern-day slave trading. That’s why the main stake holders, the migrants themselves, are not invited in the forum to voice out their real situation” she said. Esguerra also chided Conejos for saying that migration of Filipinos is a supply and demand thing. “It’s not a supply and demand thing. Filipinos are going abroad not out of free will but were forced to be separated from their loved ones due to their family’s need to survive,” said Esguerra. Migrante is worried that the news on the beheading of Jenifer Bidoya will only exacerbate the depression already being suffered by the families of Edison and Rolando Gonzales and Eduardo Arcilla whose death sentence where affirmed by the Tameez Appellate Court in Jeddah just a month ago. “We are afraid that the longer this government promotes GFMD, the more OFWs will come home in coffins. We demand that the millions of pesos that the government plans to spend in this international forum be re-channel instead to saving lives of OFWs and for the immediate relief of their suffering families,” Esguerra concluded.###





October 24, 2008 Press Release For reference: Garry Martinez, 09217229740 Eni Lestari, 09082964020 Family, supporters offer prayers for OFW in death row Pinay's case to be submitted to visiting UN Special Rapporteur The family and sympathizers of Cecilia Alcaraz today gathered in prayer as her death sentence was scheduled to be appealed in Taiwan courts. Alcaraz, a.k.a Nemencia Panaglima Armia, an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) working as an English tutor in Taiwan, was sentenced to death by firing squad in 2007 for allegedly killing and robbing a Taiwanese. Alcaraz' family believes that she was framed. According to Garry Martinez, Migrante International spokesperson, "We renew our demand to the government to do everything it can to prevent Cecilia from the suffering the same fate as Jenifer. We are also gathered here today to offer our support to the Alcaraz family." Martinez also held accountable the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the 29 OFWs in death row who are yet to receive assistance from the Philippine government. Earlier, Migrante demanded the resignation of DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos for abandoning OFWs facing charges abroad. Martinez also urged Conejos, who is currently co-chairing the task force on the Global Forum on Migration and Development set on October 27-29, to resign from his post in the GFMD. Indon migrant leader Eni Lestari, IMA chairperson, said, "The case of Alcaraz is one glaring example of how governments view migrants as milking cows but abandon them when their lives are at stake." "Conejos will be convicted and sentenced in the eyes of migrants worldwide for condoning and promoting the further exploitation and oppression of migrants through the mechanism of the GFMD," said Martinez. Alcaraz' case will be one of the priority cases that the IAMR will submit for immediate recommendation for action and review to United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights of Migrants Jorge Bustamante. Bustamante arrived in Manila last night to give an inspirational speech at the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR). The IAMR will be held on October 28-29 to counter the GFMD. ###




			October 19, 2008 PRESS RELEASE For reference: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Secretary-General International Migrants Alliance (IMA) / Mobile- 09272157392 MASS HELD FOR MIGRANT VICTIMS OF GOV'T NEGLECT, FORCED MIGRATION The families of Filipino migrant workers Jenifer Beduya and Cecilia Alcaraz today led the “Misa Para sa Hustisya sa mga Biktimang Migrante”, an ecumenical service with migrant advocates and families of other overseas workers to pray for justice for the two migrant victims. The ecumenical service was held at the Migrante office in Quezon City where members of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) joined in solidarity with the families of the victims and denounced government's neglect in protecting Filipino migrants. The families of brothers Edison and Rogelio Gonzales, Filipino workers in death row in Saudi Arabia, also attended the mass for justice. Overseas worker Jenifer Beduya a.k.a. Venancio Ladion was beheaded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on October 14, while Cecilia Alcaraz a.k.a. Nemencia Panaglima Armia was sentenced to death for the murder of a Taiwan national in 2007. According to Connie Regalado, secretary general of IMA, "Migrants and migrant advocates gathered today to give strength to the families of Jenifer and Cecilia, and other migrant victims who are now suffering because government's efforts to protect OFWs like them are blatantly lacking." Regalado added that Jenifer and Cecilia depict the picture of many Filipino migrants around the world who are forced to find work abroad, made to work long hours with insufficient pay, endure abuses and discrimination, and face crimes they did not commit. Aside from Cecilia and the Gonzales brothers, Migrante International says that there are approximately 23 overseas Filipino workers in death row. One of them is Rodelio ‘Don Don” Lanuza, who is currently languishing in jail in Jeddah for allegedly killing a Saudi Arabian national. Since his detention in 2000, Lanuza has been actively seeking ways to bring public attention to his case, including sending letters to the media and members of Congress describing how the government grossly neglects the plight of migrants in the Middle East such as himself. The families of other migrant victims have vowed to expose the lies and accountability of DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, who claimed that the Philippine government has provided enough measures and had done its best to protect the victims. Conejos is currently co-chairing the taskforce on the upcoming 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), whose central theme is ironically the protection and empowerment of migrants. Eleneo Tejoras, cousin of Jenifer, said of Conejos, “Gagawin kong misyon ang ilantad ang kanilang kasinungalingan. Sinabi nilang huwag naming kausapin ang kahit sinaman—iyon pala ay para di mahalata na wala silang ginawa.” Anita Manota, aunt of OFW repatriate Joel Agana also criticized the failed promises of the DFA. “Ipinabagpabalik-balik nila ako sa kanilang opisina, pero walang humarap sa akin. Kaya natulak akong dalhin na ang kaso naming sa publiko o lansangan,” she said. "The Philippine government is in its height of insensitivity because it flaunts OFW remittances as key to keeping the economy resilient to global recession and continues to promote labor export policy-- as if blind to the sufferings of the country's own migrant workers," said Regalado. IMA chairperson Eni Lestari, an Indonesian domestic worker, and Eman Villanueva of Filipino Migrant Workers Union in Hong Kong also attended the 'Misa para sa Hustisya'. The ecumenical service was followed by a cultural tribute organized by Migrante International. # ----- The International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees is a gathering of migrants of various nationalities around the world who will gather in Manila on October 28-30 to speak out and oppose the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). The IAMR is led by the International Migrants Alliance, the largest alliance of migrants worldwide, and Migrante International with the cooperation and support of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, IBON Foundation, Bayan Philippines, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, and Caram Asia.











October 11, 2008 PRESS REALEASE For reference: Garry Martinez Spokeperson, Contact no. 09217229740 DFA officials should get their act together Govt negligence may result to beheading of 3 OFWs Migrante International condemned the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Arroyo government for negligence on the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) which may result to the beheading of three migrant workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On July 23, 2007, brothers Rolando and Edison Gonzales, and Eduardo Arcilla were sentenced to death by beheading for murdering a fellow countryman, while four others were sentenced ten years of imprisonment and 1,200 lashes as accessories to the crime. The brothers said they were tortured to admit the crime. On April 12, 2008, they filed an objection regarding the verdict but it was upheld by the Court of Appeals. "September pa lang noong nakaraang taon, idinulog na ng Migrante ang kasong ito sa DFA at sa gobyernong Arroyo, pero hindi sila kumilos. Ngayong pupugutan na sila ng ulo at saka pa lang sila kikilos," said Migrante spokesperson Garry Martinez. Migrante expressed alarm because Crescencio Relacion, executive director of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (OUMWA), denied yesterday that the verdict on the Gonzales brothers, et al. was upheld by the court.			"Itinatanggi ni Relacion na hindi kumpirmado na pupugutan ng ulo ang magkapatid pero sa sulat na ibinigay sa amin ni GFMD Chair Esteban Conejos noong September 24, 2008, malinaw na in-uphold ng Court of Appeals ang hatol sa kanila" Martinez said. "Ayusin nila ang trabaho nila. Iisa lang ang departamento nila pero magkakaiba sila ng statement. Buhay ng mga kababayan natin ang nakataya dito. Kung hindi nila kaya ang trabaho, malaya silang makapagbibitiw sa kanilang tungkulin," he added. "Hindi dapat natutulog sa pansitan itong si GFMD Chair Conejos," Martinez added. Martinez said there are more cases to attend to like the thousands of OFWs stranded in Kish Island and Oman, more and more stranded Filipina domestic workers who escaped from their abusive employers in Jordan and Kuwait, Filipino seamen being kidnap in Nigeria among other issues concerning OFWs. "Ihinto na nila ang pagpapaganda ng imahe ng migrasyon para sa Global Forum on Migration and Development na pangangasiwaan ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas ngayong Oktubre 28-30. Asikasuhin nila ang kanilang trabaho, kundi nila kaya, magbitiw na sila," concluded Martinez.###

NEWS RELEASE 24 October 2008 Reference: Cristina Palabay, Secretary General, Gabriela Women's Party (0917-5003879) Nelin Estocado, Public Information Officer (0927-6403502) Arroyo's Labor Export Policy and the GFMD Promotes the Trafficking of Filipinas – Gabriela Women's Party Gabriela Women's Party today scored the Arroyo government and the Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD) for the intensified trafficking of Filipino women and children, through a protest parade today at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City. Dubbed the "Parade of Pinays for Export (PX)," the protest action highlighted the plight of trafficked Filipinas as mail order brides, domestic workers and caregivers, and prostituted women in countries such as the US, Singapore, Japan, Kuwait, and Canada, among others. According to reports, some 300,000 to 400,000 Filipinas are victims of trafficking yearly. They are among the 12.3 million victims of forced labor or servitude worldwide. "Pres. Arroyo's labor export policy legitimizes the trafficking of our women and children to precarious and exploitative situations in host countries. Without jobs and livelihood within the Philippines, victims are lured, deceived and facilitated by profit-hungry syndicate recruiters and even government officials with promises of different jobs, good compensation, high wages and benefits," said Cristina Palabay, Gabriela Women's Party Secretary General.			According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippines belongs to the top five countries in the world as origins of human trafficking victims, 80% of the victims are female minors. The Department of Foreign Affairs reported some 238 cases of trafficking in 2007, 212 of these are cases of sex trafficking in Singapore. Despite the enactment of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in 2003, Palabay observed that there were only 8 convictions involving 11 persons out of more than 200 cases filed in violation of the law since 2003. Palabay also said that by highlighting the Philippine government as the role model among nations for exporting labor and by pursuing regular and protective forms of migration, the GFMD's role in the promotion of trafficking of women and children becomes clearer. "The GFMD sees trafficking not just mere obstacles to legal migration. With the generation of some $28 billion from the illegal industry of trafficking of women and children, it is seen as a profitable industry in the scheme of labor migration as a tool for development. It betrays the GFMD's agenda in legitimizing trafficking as well," the woman leader commented. Gabriela Women's Party will participate in the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees, a counter forum to the GFMD, on October 28-30, 2008. It will likewise participate in the Joint Consultation with the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights of Migrants and on Contemporary Forms of Slavery to share the party's views on forced migration and trafficking of women and children.

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