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Philippines military court drops charges against four officers linked to 2003 mutiny
A Philippines military tribunal Wednesday dismissed charges against four military officers connected with a failed mutiny in July 2003 in which 300 soldiers from elite special forces took over buildings in Manila in an effort to overthrow the gover (More) |
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Philippines police reluctant to enforce new anti-terror law: security adviser
Philippine law enforcement officers are reluctant to use the powers allocated them in a new anti-terrorism law due to strict punishments provided for rights violations, according to a government security advisor speaking to AP Sunday. The controvers (More) |
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Philippines terror blacklist bans government critics: HRW
The government of the Philippines has used an immigration blacklist [PDF list; HRW press release], consisting of 504 people allegedly linked to al Qaeda or the Taliban, to ban its critics from entering the country, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Fr (More) |
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Children often victims of extrajudicial killings in Philippines: advocacy groups
Two advocacy groups in the Philippines said Tuesday that children are often the victims of extrajudicial killings, citing statistics compiled by Karapatan (The Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) . The Salinlahi Alliance for Childr (More) |
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Former Philippines president sentenced to life in prison for corruption
Ousted Philippines president Joseph Estrada was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after being convicted on "plunder" charges stemming from kickbacks he received while in office. Plunder was formerly a capital offense, but the Phili (More) |
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Former Philippines president facing verdict in six-year corruption trial
Ousted Philippines president Joseph Estrada maintained his innocence Tuesday and predicted he will be acquitted of corruption charges when the verdict in his six-year trial is handed down Wednesday. Estrada was removed from power in a 2001 revolt (More) |
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Philippines high court asked to block anti-terror law
Several lawyers' groups and legislators Wednesday filed a challenge against the Human Security Act 2007 [PDF text; press release] with the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The act, signed in March by President Gloria Arroyo, authorizes the 72- (More) |
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Philippines president calls for measures to curb extrajudicial killings
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo [official website; BBC profile] Monday urged lawmakers from both houses of Congress to pass legislation to curb extrajudicial killings and disappearances , adding that the Philippines must also move forward with el (More) |
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Philippines rights groups urge tougher investigations of extrajudicial killings
Lawyers and human rights advocates called for more rigid procedures governing the investigation of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines at a Monday conference organized by the Supreme Court of the Philippines . Edelina dela Paz, chairwoman of (More) |
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Philippines anti-terror law goes into force in face of protests
A controversial new anti-terrorism law took effect in the Philippines Sunday despite the objections of local Roman Catholic bishops , opposition politicians, and activists who mounted small protests across the country marking the occasion. The Human (More) |
Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance
On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools.
The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was more recently the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life offers more Pledge of Allegiance resources.
