Aa people’s petition calling on the Philippine Congress to urgently pass a bill to compensate all victims of human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship

21 April 2012

WHEREAS, the Philippines is a Charter-State of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and is, therefore, duty-bound to protect and uphold the basic rights of all its peoples;

WHEREAS, Section 11 of Article II of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines declares that the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights;
WHEREAS, pursuant to this declared policy, Section 12 of Article III of the Constitution prohibits the use of torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will and mandates the compensation and rehabilitation of victims of torture or similar practices and their families;

WHEREAS, by virtue of Section 2 of Article II of the Constitution adopting generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land, the Philippines must also adhere to international human rights laws and conventions, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), and also the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPAPED);

WHEREAS, consistent with the foregoing, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to recognize the heroism and sacrifices of all Filipinos who were victims of summary execution, torture, enforced or involuntary disappearance and other gross human rights violations committed during the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos covering the period September 21, 1972 to February 25, 1986 and restore the victims’ honor and dignity;

#Remember ML@40 – Never Again to Martial Law!

WHEREAS, the State hereby acknowledges its moral and legal obligation to recognize and/or compensate said victims and/or their families for the deaths, injuries, sufferings, deprivations, and damages they suffered under the Marcos Dictatorship;

THEREFORE, We, the undersigned human rights organizations, human rights defenders, people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and other concerned individuals, especially victims of Martial Law, do hereby call on the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives to both jointly, urgently and immediately pass a ‘Compensation Act to Victims of Human Rights Violations During the Marcos Dictatorship’; and

FURTHERMORE, We also call on all of our country’s young people, youth and students, young workers, community youth, young professionals, and together with all the other basic sectors of Philippine society, to not only sign this ‘People’s Petition Calling on the Philippine Congress to Urgently Pass a Bill to Compensate all Victims of Human Rights Violations During the Marcos Dictatorship’ but, to also help ‘Inform, Inspire and Remember Martial Law after 40 years’. The latter should be one of our primary collective missions in order to prevent any future emergence of a state and society that could once again embrace a brutal militarist dictatorship to undermine and destroy our basic human rights.

CLICK TO SIGN AND DOWNLOAD PETITION TO INVITE OTHERS TO SIGN @ A PEOPLE’S PETITION RE THE COMPENSATION BILL

Submit your signed petition @ pahra@philippinehumanrights.org