Protestors chase ‘spy',
gov't property destroyed
BY ADRIAN NEMES III

The sliding glass door of the provincial government's Economic Enterprise Development Department warehouse facing Gatuslao Street in Bacolod City was destroyed when several protestors allegedly smashed it while they were chasing an unidentified “intelligence asset” who took pictures of their rally yesterday morning.

About 500 KARAPATAN and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan protestors staged a rally in front of the Commission on Human Rights office calling for the ouster of CHR-Negros chairperson Romeo Baldevarona.

Jessiemar Gabihan, one of the employees of the EEDD, said that he saw the man, who took the pictures, rushing into their warehouse because three of the protestors were chasing him.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should be held liable for the 1,118 extra-judicial killings in the country, Karapatan secretary general Fred Caña said during a 61 st International Human Rights Day rally at the Bacolod public plaza yesterday.

There is nothing to celebrate under the Arroyo regime because of the continuous human rights violations being committed against the people, Caña said.

Arroyo should be charged for these human rights cases and for plunder and cheating in the last election, he said.

A sugar leader yesterday slammed Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila for warning of a possible price freeze on sugar because of a perceived supply shortage that is driving up retail prices.

“What is this, the whole country under martial law? We are in a democratic country, there should be free market forces,” Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation, said.

“It is not the producers, but the traders, re-packers and retailers of sugar who are making the money, why punish the whole industry?” Lamata asked.