Press Statement  

December 14, 2010                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Contact Person: Isabelita D. Vinuya,  Malaya Lolas Chairperson

Impeachment Is Our Only Recourse Now against the SC Justice Who Betrayed US

We, the members of the Malaya Lolas have waited for the corrective measure we hoped the Supreme Court (SC) would make after we complained about the plagiarism and the misuse of the plagiarized parts in the SC’s decision regarding our petition for mandamus.  But instead, what we observed were excuses, cover-up and worse, harassment and threats against those who attacked the plagiarism committed including our lawyers and the law faculty of UP.

We are old and weak but we cannot take this sitting down.  We decided to file this impeachment complaint before the House of Representatives against the justice who primarily plagiarized and misused the articles written by foreign experts.

We have therefore asked KAISA KA, the women’s organization that has been assisting us in our fight for justice since 2002, to assist us once more in this act.

By doing this, we hope that deliver a strong warning to those who betray the trust of the people and discourage them from fighting for what is just.

As we do this, we also appeal to the present administration not to wait for the final outcome of our mandamus.  Even now, if the president wills it, his government can press for redress from the Japanese government.  He can also work for a national legislation to set aside funds for the wellbeing of these victims who stood to condemn war crimes and help win back our dignity as a nation

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			June 30, 2009   Malaya Lolas Thankful for the City Resolutions in Japan But Await Justice from Japan’s National Government   Told of the news yesterday that the City Council of Mitaka became the sixth city with a resolution urging the national government of Japan to settle its responsibilities to women victims of sexual abuse during world War II, the Malaya Lolas, through a phone call said they are very thankful to the various groups in Japan that worked for this resolution to be passed.     According to Isabelita Vinuya, president of the organization in Mapanique, Candaba, Pampanga of victims of mass rape committed by Japanese soldiers, the news gives them a glimmer of hope even as the number of surviving victims has been reduced to 57 as of this day.   The latest resolution was passed on June 23, 2009.  The Mitaka City Council strongly asked the government of Japan to take sincere action on the following demands: that it sincerely listens to the voice of each victim and get the facts; that it acknowledges official responsibility on the issue of “comfort women” and should publicly apologize; and it should teach the youth the truth through education in history and in every opportunity               From March in 2008, similar resolutions have also been passed by other City Councils.  These are the City Councils of Taraduka City in Hyogo Prefecture,  Kiyose City in Tokyo Prefecture, Saporo City in Hokkaido Prefecture, Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture and Mino-o City in Osaka-Hu prefecture.               According to Vinuya, they “do not want to lose hope that justice will be won” even as they lament the dying of a number of them without seeing what they have been working for.  Just this May, another rape victim of the Japanese soldiers,Petrolina Dela Cruz died from cardiac arrest.  More than 30have died from the Malaya Lolas’ original membership of ninety (90).               “We are sad that sixty four years after the war ended, the Japanese government has not even apologized to us,” Vinuya concluded.

 Press Statement  

Ika – 20 ng Hulyo, 2010     

Dangal ng Bayan ang Ipinaglalaban Naming mga Lola Huwag Sana Kaming Lalong Kinakawawa

          Hinahayaan na naming an gaming mga abogado ang siyang magsuri at makipagdebate tungkol sa mga batas at sa kinalaman nito sa aming kaso.  Ang sa amin po ay ito:

Mula po sa  sa dating 90 mga lola sa Mapaniqui na tumindig para ipaglaban ang katarungan, 53 na lang po kami ngayon.   Taun-taon po ay padami ng padami ang namamatay sa amin.  Hinihintay lang ba ng gobyernong ito na maubos kami para tuluyan nang maibaon sa limot ang karahasan at mga krimen ng Japan? 

Sa pagbasura ng aming petisyon sa Supreme Court na ang layo’y pagalawin ang ehekutiba para ariin ng gubyernong Pilipinas ang aming laban, tila pinahihiwatigan kami ng gubyerno na tiisin na lang naming ang inhustisya at ang higit na isinasaalang-alang ng gobyerno ay ang mabuting relasyon nito sa gobyernong Japan.

Peke yang magandang relasyon sa Japan na gustong ipreserba kung ang mga kasalanan nito sa mga mamamayang sinakop, lalo na sa kababaihang inabuso ay hindi naman mabibigyan ng karampatang pagtutuwid.  Hindi maganda ang relasyong iyan kung nagmumula ang ating gobyerno sa paninikluhod para sa mga pautang at ayuda samantaang ang mga kasalanang dapat pagbayaran ay di totoong kinikilala.  Walang dangal ang Pilipinas sa relasyong yan.

Sige, hindi nga nanindigan ang gobyernong Arroyo.  Pangulong Noynoy, sabi mo makikinig kayo sa taong bayan.  Ang taongbayan ang iyong amo.  Ngayon po, ipakita mo sanang ibang-iba ka sa nauna sa iyo.  Tulungan mo kaming ilaban ang aming kaso.

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