News

‘Best, most courageous’: ABS-CBN journalists honored by media, arts group

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Dec 07 09:31 PM

ABS-CBN journalists were honored Thursday by an alliance of artists and media practitioners for reaping international acclaim while facing "rising tyranny." Read more »

Filipina journalist dedicates Reporters Without Borders award to colleagues

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 09 05:42 AM

Filipina journalist Inday Espina-Varona who was honored in London by international media watchdog Reporters Without Borders dedicated her prize to colleagues facing threats, censorship, and violence.   Read more »

OPINION: The President stripped bare

Inday Espina-Varona --scaRRedCat
Posted at Oct 25 04:29 PM

This emperor has been stripped bare. Underneath the flag he loves to huddle under is blood and more blood. It will take generations to scrub the stain off our nation.  Read more »

Filipino journalist in shortlist for Reporters Without Borders Independence Prize

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Oct 24 05:39 PM

Filipino journalist Inday Espina-Varona is included in the shortlist for international organization Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) Press Freedom Awards. Read more »

Upsurge in 'harassment’ cases reported by some churches, labor, rights groups

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Sep 30 11:51 AM

MANILA - Leaders of some churches, labor and human rights organizations on Sunday vowed to continue challenging alleged abuses of President Rodrigo Duterte’s government amid what they claimed to be a sudden upsurge in surveillance and public vilification. Read more »

OPINION: Why Sereno turned her back on elections

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Sep 28 08:10 AM

SHE had offers from political parties and donation pledges from people rich and poor. Read more »

OPINION: Lies so brazen, something must be afoot

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Sep 25 08:57 AM

There is no separating the Armed Forces’ frenzied redbaiting game plan from President Rodrigo Duterte’s avowed desire to see the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos as successor to his bloody rule. Read more »

'Hanggang kailan?' Moms of Duterte drug war victims find hope after Palparan conviction

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Sep 18 12:56 PM

Mothers of drug war victims have found a sliver of hope after a Malolos regional trial court sentenced former Army general Jovito Palparan and 2 other military officers to life imprisonment for abduction and illegal detention. Read more »

Under Duterte, Philippines ranked Asia's most dangerous country for environment defenders

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Jul 25 10:05 AM

President Rodrigo Duterte campaigned with a promise to halt environmental destruction and protect besieged indigenous communities. But he enters his third year in power with the Philippines still ranked as Asia’s most dangerous for environmental defenders. Read more »

As Duterte offers dialogue, church leaders bare detention of Christian missionary

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Jun 28 03:32 AM

They expressed serious concern over the state crackdown on foreign missionaries helping human rights organizations. Read more »

OPINION: New anti-terror measure legislates de facto tyranny

Inday Espina-Varona
Posted at Jun 25 10:33 PM

A working draft of legislation seeking to strengthen the Philippines’ anti-terror legislation expands the definition of “terrorism” while dropping the burden of proof for state agents. Read more »

OPINION: Boracay highlights Duterte’s plans for indigenous homelands

Inday Espina-Varona -- scaRRedCat
Posted at Jun 14 05:21 PM

If the long history of indigenous land sacrificed in Duterte’s home island of Mindanao is any gauge, the fate of Boracay will likely be greater environmental destruction or the rich lording it over as the original residents get poorer. Read more »

Mga banat ni Duterte sa kababaihan, posibleng 'labag' sa batas: propesor

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 26 01:56 AM

Nag-post ng mga retrato at video ang netizens bilang pagkondena sa misogyny o sexism matapos sabihin ng Pangulo na ayaw niyang magtalaga ng babae para sa isang mataas na posisyon. Read more »

OPINION: Why Mayo Uno 2018 is historic

Inday Espina-Varona -- scaRRedcat
Posted at Apr 30 04:02 PM

A confluence of broken promises and tragedies are poised to make Labor Day 2018 a watershed in Philippine protest history. Read more »

OPINION: Duterte gov't penchant for ‘golpe’ traps Filipino workers in Kuwait

Inday Espina-Varona -- scaRRedcat
Posted at Apr 26 05:34 PM

On the same day the Duterte administration cancelled the missionary visa of an Australian nun known for her human rights advocacy, Kuwait expelled the Philippine ambassador for illegal actions justified as defense of human rights. Read more »

Veterans of Chico River Dam struggle join grandkids’ generation in new fight

Inday Espina-Varona
Posted at Apr 23 07:00 PM

BAGUIO CITY -- Lakay Banag Sinumlag remembers losing friends and mentors four decades ago as tribes of the lush, rugged Cordillera region in the main Philippines island of Luzon battled the army of dictator Ferdinand Marcos to prevent construction of the Chico River dam. Read more »

OPINION: 'Chief Justice’s fight is our fight,' say kin of Duterte drug war victims

Inday Espina-Varona -- scaRRedcat
Posted at Apr 16 07:10 PM

The High Court now stands at the edge of a cliff, says the mother of one of the victims of the Duterte administration's war on drugs.  Read more »

Secrecy over PNP ‘nanlaban’ records hampering search for justice of families

Inday Espina-Varona
Updated as of Nov 08 01:37 PM

The Duterte government’s insistence on keeping secret records of thousands of police operations that ended up with dead suspects is major proof of extra-judicial killings (EJKs), according to different groups of lawyers. Read more »

Justices' goal of insulating SC from toxic politics a pipe dream

Inday Espina Varona, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Oct 31 08:29 PM

The Supreme Court's decision sends an earth-shaking message: the court of last recourse has decided expediency trounces that most basic of Constitutional tenets: that everyone is considered innocent unless found guilty (in this case, by a Senate impeachment court). Read more »

OPINION: Crackdown on media reeks of fear

Inday Espina Varona, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Feb 23 07:26 AM

Mocha Uson insisted Malacanang’s ban on Pia Ranada has no bearing on press freedom. She leaves out one of the most important duties of a journalist – to ask the tough questions. Read more »