Legislative bills, hospital bills
Since am so dead tired (but very, very happy), so I can’t really think straight much less creatively right now. Yesterday, July 10, 2007, is definitely a red-letter day, and I’ve been told my friends that the mass movement was most inspired by the developments. In lieu of a rambling account of the exciting, tension-filled but ultimately happy events that took place, I will instead post these two news releases:
Newly-released Beltran calls for unity between all sectors
and politicians in opposing anti-terror law; says his ordeal pre-HSA 
already a
preview of what could take place when law is imposed
Newly-released Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran in a
press conference this morning in Quezon City reiterated his thanks
to his supporters, allies and friends who stood by and
supported him throughout his 16-month ordeal as a political detainee charged
with rebellion. He also repeated his
thanks to the Supreme Court for standing firm in its decision to junk the
charges and ordering his immediate release; and to the Makati Regional Trial
Court Branch 150 judge Elmo Alameda for immediately expediting the decision.
Beltran cited senators Jamby Madrigal, Ramon Magsaysay Jr.,
Mar Roxas, Joker Arroyo, Juan Flavier, Francis Escudero, Manny Villar as
lawmakers who helped fill the ‘massive gap between my hospital bill and my
personal capability to pay’
“As for my colleagues in the House of Representatives, there
are far too many of them to mention here, but I long forward to the opportunity
to personally make known to them my gratitude for their moral and financial
support. Despite the differences in political advocacies, they all supported me
in my time of need in one way or
another.”
“I sincerely pray and
hope that there will be more venues for all of us to unite. My case was a case
of blatant political persecution, and it
was no secret to anyone, especially not to the Macapagal-Arroyo government. Now
that I have regained my liberty, I continue to seek the help and support of my
colleagues both in the House of Representatives and the Senate in protecting
and defending the civil rights of other Filipinos by opposing the Human
Security Act or the anti-terror law. I was arrested and detained for 16 months
on false testimonies, fabricated evidence and fraudulent allegations, and this
was before the implementation of the anti-teror law. I gravely fear that what
was done to me – even in my advanced age—will be done again and again to
hundreds of pther Filipinos who choose to take a stand against political
repression, government corruption and economic exploitation,” he said.
The activist lawmaker in the meantime repeated his desire to
attend and participate in the July 16-17 summit of the Supreme Court on civil
rights and the issue of extrajudicial killings. He said that he wished to give
his personal support and thanks to SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno and the rest
of the SC judges for their courage to stand up for civil rights in the country.
“There are very dark
clouds overhead because of the impending implementation of the anti-terror law.
Now is a time for unity against worsening authoritarianism. For the sake of
millions of civilians who who will be further victimized by a most paranoid,
vindictive and repressive government and its armed forces and so-called
intelligence agencies, all sectors of society must unite against the
anti-terror law. I extend a hand in unity with other progressive political
forces as well as the the leadership of the Catholic church and other religious
formations in opposing the HSA,” he said.
Beltran said that later this afternoon his office will file
four bills – the first seeking the repeal of the HSA; the second repealing the
expanded value added tax law; the third calling for the legislation of a P125
across-the-board wage hike for workers in the private sector; and the fourth a
measure increasing the salaries of government employees by P3,000
across-the-board.#
2) Legislative bills
and hospital bills comprise immediate concerns of freed Anakpawis Party-List solon
Newly-released Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and his
party-list are facing two kinds of bills these days – legislative bills that
the third-termer will file in the 14th Congress, and his exorbitant hospital
and medical bills which accumulated during his 16-month stint as a political
detainee/patient at the Philippine Heart Center.
Beltran filed four measures today, two bills repealing the
Human Security Act (HSA) and the expanded value-added tax; and two increasing
wages and salaries of workers and government employees. He is also scheduled to
refile bills repealing the oil deregulation law and the privatization in the
energy sector.
As for his other bills, he has no definite schedule.
“I am thankful to the administration, medical and
non-medical staff of the PHC for taking care of me the last 16 months. My
doctors led by Dr. Raymundo and the nurses – as well as the janitors and other
staff helped make my detention less depressing. As for the administration, they
have been very lenient and understanding when it came to my hospital bills.
They understood my personal and political circumstances and allowed a system of
delayed payment,” he said.
Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Women’s Rep. Liza
Maza negotiated with the PHC administration last night so Beltran would be
given a hospital pass and allowed to leave the hospital despite the outstanding
bills. Ocampo said that the administration as ‘understanding. They said that
there was no problem if Ka Bel would leave a promisory note in lieu of
payment.”
Anakpawis secretary-general Cherry Clemente said that
Beltran’s hospital bills and medical expenses (medicine, food and other related
expenditures) amounted to
P1,362,340.70 as of last night when the
lawmaker was released 9:30 pm. The total is the combined hospital charges
and medical expenses.
Of this amount, outstanding charges are pegged at
P757,140.70, but Anakpawis has so far been able to give a downpayment of
P75,000.00. Donations from friends and allies through trust funds and guarantee
letters amounted to P548,576.00. The hospital’s reader’s fee amounted to
P4,424. The P757,140 was reduced to P143,188,70.
“When we add the professional fee of Ka Bel’s 10 doctors, we
have to add at least P300,000 if the fee stands at P30,000 per doctor. Hospital
bills plus professional fees amount as a whole to P443,188.70. This P443,
188.70 is what we have to pay now,” she said.
Clemente said that they are not embarrassed to ask for help to settle Beltran’s oustanding bills.
“Quite honestly, we are wiped out. Our party-list never had much to begin with
– pangalan pa lang, Anakpawis nga. When Ka Bel was arrested, we had no one else
to turn to but allies, friends and
supporters. The May 14 elections also ate up a lot of our party-funds – we were
even forced to dip into the funds for Ka Bel’s hospitalization-detention so we
could bolster our electoral campaign. This is all the doing of the
Macapagal-Arroyo government, from Ka Bel’ incarceration, to these financial
problems our group is having due to these enormous bills. All this because we continue to fight for the
rights of the poor and marginalized sectors of society.”
“We continue to solicit the financial support of sympathetic
individuals and groups to help settle Ka Bel’s hospital bills. We would very
much welcome support even from the leadership of the House of Representatives
who once promised that they would pass the hat for Ka Bel,” she said.
Among the lawmakers
who released guarantee letters and cash
to cover Beltran’s bills are Sen. Jamby Madrigal (P100,000), Sen. Ramon
Magsaysay Jr (P50,000), Sen. Franklin Drilon (P50,000), Sen. Mar Roxas
(P50,000); Sen. Serge Osmena III (P25,000); Sen. Pia Cayetano (P20,000), former
congressman and now Sen. Francis Escudero (P20,000), Sen. Juan Flavier
(10,000). Some P56,488 was covered by
Beltran’s benefits as a government employee, and P156,788 came from Philhealth.
Other donations also came in from friends in the international community allied
with the Free Ka Bel Movement.
Beltran’ ‘kumpare’
Atty. Romeo Capulong and the lawyers of the Public Interest Law Center Attys.
Rachel Pastores and Amylyn Sato as well as te PILC staff rendered their
services gratis et amore.#
