JAMES LAYUG "MAGDALO" for Congressman

April 20, 2010

RECENTLY released Magdalo leader and Taguig congressional bet James Layug vowed to continue the fight started by his group seven years ago when they seized the Oakwood Hotel in Makati city to protest alleged corruption in the military and the government.

Layug said their prolonged detention did not diminish their desire to continue their advocacies for good governance and reform. He said these advocacies which he shares with other Magdalo officers, some of whom are still in detention, is the reason why he decided to run for public office.

“Itong pulitika na ito na aming ipaglalaban ay isang pulitika na kakatawan sa boses ng masa, ipaglalaban ang interes ng bayan, babantayan ang kalikasan at maglilingkod ng tapat sa mamamayan. Kung kaya’t kami ay aktibong lalahok sa halalan upang maisulong ang pagbabago at reporma sa pamahalaan sa parlyamentaryong pamamaraan,” he added.

Layug said his campaign is utilizing some 4,000 supporters and popular social networking sites like You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to get his message across to voters in the city’s second district. He said his priorities are improved healthcare, access to education and a drug-free community.

Taguig’s second district has 13 barangays, including Fort Bonifacio where military personnel and retirees live. – Ashzel Hachero

By Dateline Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – A freed Oakwood mutineer on Monday vowed to continue espousing the advocacy of the Magdalo group, but this time, through parliamentary means.

James Layug, former member of the elite Navy Special Warfare and Operations Group (Swag), is running for congressman in the 2nd district of Taguig City.  He is one of ten Oakwood mutineers ordered freed by the Armed Forces (AFP) leadership after a military tribunal issued a ‘time-served’ verdict in a plea bargain agreement.

“And this is why we will actively participate in the coming elections to forward our goals of changing and reforming the government in the parliamentary way,” Layug said in a statement, a day after he was released from military custody.

The other members of the Magdalo seeking public office are former Air Force Captain Ashley Acedillo who is running as representative in the 1st district of Cebu and Gary Alejano, a mayoral bet in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.

“Sa aming paglaya ay dala namin ang commitment upang ipagpatuloy ang aming mga ipinaglabang adbokasiya sa Oakwood at isulong ang Bagong Pulitika [In our freedom, we bring with us our commitment to continue our advocacy in Oakwood and to push for new politics],” Layug said.

A product of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Layug explained their “new politics” is anchored on the principles of nationalism, patriotism, idealism and altruism.

“Our politics will truly represent the voice of the people; (politics) that will fight for the interest of the nation, safeguard our environment and create faithful public servants,” Layug said.

Layug and Alejano were among the Magdalo members that were released from the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo. The other eight are still detained and awaiting bail at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

General Delfin Bangit, AFP chief, ordered the release of the 10 Magdalo soldiers on Sunday, a week after a military tribunal converted to “time served” the eight months prison term for the 10 soldiers who admitted before the tribunal that they were guilty of violating the Articles of War in connection with the Manila Penn siege in late 2007.

“I would like to give credit to the present AFP leadership for their professionalism in accepting and respecting the decision of the General Court Martial on our case,” Layug said.

Layug and several others have been in detention for six years and nine months since the short-lived Oakwood mutiny ended on July 27, 2003.

The other Magdalo soldiers awaiting bail are LTsg Eugene Gonzales, Ltsg Andy Torrato, LTsg Manuel Cabochan, Air Force Capt Dan Orfiano, LTjg Arturo Pascua, Air Force Lt Billy Pascua, Lt Jonneil Sangalang, and Lt Armand Pontejos. (Anthony Vargas)

Taguig City political campaign
April 12, 2010

DETAINED Magdalo congressional candidate James Layug believes that his campaign is gaining grounds and that “People Politics” is breaking the hold of the traditional political campaigning in the second district of Taguig City.

With his campaign slogan “Ikaw at Ako ang Lakas ng Pagbabago” he explained that the ultimate source of power is the people. “We empower the people by getting them involved in this political exercise. The change that we want is in our hands. If we want a better future for our children then we should act and do something about it now.” Layug said.

He described people politics to be the “Bayanihan” effort of more than 4,000 volunteers who are going around the district doing door-to-door campaigning representing him, selling the Bagong Katipunan ideals and communicating his advocacies despite his absence on the ground.

Layug advocates good governance, people empowerment, peace and order, social equity, justice and environmental protection while the Bagong Katipunan ideals is the new politics espoused by the Magdalo anchored on nationalism, patriotism, idealism, and altruism.

Aside from conveying the political message of Layug, the said volunteer campaign workers also conduct social investigation in order to grasps the needs and sentiment of the people making their campaign effort productive and more meaningful.

Layug also uses the social networking sites on the net such as facebook, youtube, twitter and his website www.jameslayug.com to reach out to his constituents on the web. He is currently detained at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City for his participation in the Oakwood 2003 and Manila Peninsula 2007 incident.

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FilAmNation
3/30/2010

The Philippine National Police (PNP) want to place under the list of election hot spots seven key cities in Metro Manila, a high-ranking police official revealed on Monday.

Police Director Roberto Rosales, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), told reporters that their assessment of the seven cities showed that the contest for the local positions up for grabs on May 10 would result be intense and could result in violence.

“It is not yet final [listing the cities as hotspots] and we are still conducting continuous assessment,” Rosales said adding that police intelligence reports could play a vital role in their recommendation that the seven cities under watch be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“We had a survey in the cities here in Metro Manila, and those hotly contested, especially for the positions of mayor, vice mayor, and congressmen—and we were able to identify these cities,” Rosales said after attending the weekly flag-raising ceremonies at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

According to Rosales, the cities in Metro Manila that they are closely monitoring are Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Manila and Quezon City.

He explained that the seven cities are habitual areas of concern during the past elections because of the “intense political rivalry” for the local posts.

The PNP leadership earlier classified 571 cities and municipalities as election areas of concern and 118 of these are found in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where Maguindanao is located.

Maguindanao gained notoriety for the massacre on November 23 of 58 people including 32 journalists allegedly perpetrated by Ampatuan clan of the province. Besides the journalists, those who were killed were supporters of a politician who intended to run against a younger Ampatuan for the governorship of Maguindanao.

BY SAMMY MARTIN Reporter

The Manila Times

VERA Files
March 29, 2010

FROM behind bars, former Lieutenant Senior Grade James Layug formally launched on Sunday his campaign to represent the second district of Taguig City in the House of Representatives with a motorcade by his supporters.

“It is my conviction to fulfill our hopes and dreams. We, the people of Taguig, should have better employment, improved healthcare, access to education and a drug-free community. These are my priorities for our district,” Layug issued the statement from his detention cell in Camp Crame.

Layug is a member of the Magdalo group of reformist junor officers who attempted to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in July 2003 in Oakwood , Makati and in November 2008 at the Manila Peninsula. He is facing charges of coup de’tat and rebellion in military and civilian courts.

Independent Layug is up against the incumbent Angelito “Jett” Reyes, who recently won his electoral protest against Henry Dueñas, who held the position for the more than two and half years; Liberal Party’s Freddie Tinga, currently Taguig mayor; Nacionalista Party’s Arvin Alit.

Reyes, who belongs to a local party, is the son of recently resigned Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who is also trying to gain a House seat through 1-UTAK, party list group of transport players.

Tinga is the son of retired Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga, who is running for mayor.

Layug said he has six advocacies that will be the foundation for his programs and policies. These are good governance, people empowerment, peace and order, social equity, justice and environmental protection and management.

Layug said, “Sana yung mga gustong mag-aral, makapag-aral. Yung umaasang makapag-trabaho, makapagtrabaho. Yung nangangailangan ng gamot ay makapagpagamot.”

In people empowerment, for example, Layug said he believes in the Filipino spirit of “bayanihan” as an instrument of change. He added that as a united citizenry, Filipinos can achieve great feats of nation building.

Layug’s campaign kicked off with a Palm Sunday mass at the Ina ng Dukha Parish Church at the Tenement area in Western Bicutan. Kabisig ni Layug community leaders, as well as Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago Movement local and national members, attended the event.

The mass was immediately followed by a motorcade and a door-to-door campaign.—Ellen Tordesillas