Tag Archives: State of the Nation Address (Philippines)

[From the web] Aquino’s warped sense of justice: GMA freed, torturer promoted, impunity ignored -Karapatan

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Aquino’s warped sense of justice: GMA freed, torturer promoted, impunity ignored

“And so this is justice under Aquino — torturers are given plum positions in the military, and the rich, powerful and notorious human rights violators like Palparan and Arroyo are mockingly free as preying vultures. No wonder, Noynoy deliberately omitted anything on human rights and peace in his SONA, a tacit and dangerous signal for state security forces to continue to prowl, with terror and violence against the people.”

Thus said Karapatan spokesperson Cristina Palabay, after news came out on the court resolution granting bail for former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the designation of Morong 43 torturer Col. Aurelio Baladad as acting commanding officer of the 9th Infantry Division of the Phil. Army, shortly after Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). In his SONA, Aquino heralded the state of “justice” under his administration.

Karapatan supported the Morong 43 health workers who filed criminal and civil charges against Arroyo and Baladad, and the mothers of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno who also filed criminal cases against Palparan resulting to the issuance of an arrest warrant. The group also filed an opposition to the appointments of Gen. Jorge Segovia and Baladad at the Commission on Appointments based on the pending complaints against them.

“It is reprehensible that a former President and military generals, whose notoriety on human rights violations has been condemned by the Filipino and the international community, are now both walking free from accountability. The crooked path of impunity lies under Aquino,” Palabay added.

The group also scored the series of moves to cover up the liabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the extrajudicial killing of Italian missionary Fr. Fausto Tentorio and Dutch development worker Willem Geertman. Prior to Aquino’s SONA, the PNP investigators have stated robbery as the main motive behind the killing of Geertman, while paramilitary elements were excluded by the Dept. of Justice from the list of suspects in the killing of Tentorio.

“These are among the cases of extrajudicial killings that all remain unsolved under Aquino. Again, it begs the question: what kind of justice is Aquino harping on in his SONA? Clearly, it is the kind of justice that bears upon the poor and those working for meaningful changes in society, while promoting ‘justice’ for the moneyed and powerful,” Palabay concluded.

Source: www.karapatan.org

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[Press Release] SANLAKAS condemns PNP’S violence against peaceful SONA 2012 marchers and to file charges against NCRPO AND QCPD officials

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SANLAKAS condemns PNP’S violence against peaceful SONA 2012 marchers and to file charges against NCRPO AND QCPD officials

SANLAKAS totally condemns yesterday’s multiple violent attacks by the PNP (Philippine National Police) against peaceful SONA (State of the Nation Address) activists who marched towards the House of Representatives in Quezon City yesterday afternoon.

The PNP’s NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and QCPD (Quezon City Police District), specifically their CDM (Civil Distrurbance Management) units and their ground commanders are to be blamed for the direct violations of human and political rights, including Batas Pambansa No. 880 (Law on Public Assemblies and Rallies).

In particular, SANLAKAS will file charges against NCRPO Regional Director, P/Director Alan Purisima and QCPD District Director, Chief Superintendent Mario Dela Vega as the overall commanders in charge of yesterday’s police forces tasked to block peaceful rallies. These charges stem from the fact that many rally leaders and organizers, including SANLAKAS Spokesperson Rasti Delizo, were slightly injured by the violent assaults of the joint-QCPD-NCRPO CDM personnel. Likewise, SANLAKAS views the illegal police actions as a direct violation of our human rights (physical injuries), political rights (the blocking of peaceful rallies) and also BP#880’s own provision stipulating that all PNP-CDM personnel shall be in proper uniform with nameplates prominently visible on their uniforms. In the case of the latter, several CDM personnel were spotted without any nameplates.

According to Rasti Delizo, “I already personally warned Generals Purisima and Dela Vega last July 16 during a dialogue between the NCRPO and SONA rally leaders, that SANLAKAS will file administrative charges against them should any violations occur during the SONA rallies. In fact, I specifically warned them about the no-nameplate concern which was already a problem from past rallies. But I also assured them that our rally shall be peaceful and that if any violence will occur, it will not come from our ranks but from the police themselves. And now, we were correct because that is exactly what happened yesterday.”

SANLAKAS is a lead Convenor of the ‘Martsa para sa Alternatibong Ekonomiya’ that mobilized over 5000 activists from various broad formations, sectoral organizations and political blocs. These include the FDC (Freedom from Debt Coalition), Nagkaisa, KAMP (Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay), PAHRA (Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates), PMCJ (Philippine Movement for Climate Justice), YAD (Youth Against Debt), and the Stop the War! Coalition. At around 3p.m. yesterday, SANLAKAS and its allies marched along Commonwealth Avenue in order to proceed to the HoR to face PNoy during his SONA as his Bosses. Expectedly and unsurprisingly, PNoy ordered the PNP to block our contingent as we crossed into the Southbound lane at a U-turn slot along Commonwealth Ave. within the vicinity of the Diliman Preparatory School.

The PNP’s CDM blocking forces from the QCPD-NCRPO immediately assaulted our frontline of mass leaders. The SANLAKAS spokesperson, who was one of the frontline leaders and a lead negotiator with the PNP, attempted to reach out to Gen. Dela Vega repeatedly but was screened out by a certain S/Supt. Pagdilao and a certain Supt. Obon. Instead of holding any peaceful negotiations, Pagdilao and Obon told Delizo that he was interfering in police operations as they kept on barking out orders to the CDM forces to disperse our peaceful rally.

Lastly, SANLAKAS Spokesperson Delizo stated that, “It now seems that Gloria Arroyo’s old CPR (Calibrated Preemptive Response) policy has just been revived by the PNoy Regime after yesterday’s violent ‘No-Maximum Tolerance’ attacks by the PNP against peaceful rallyists. This is a contravention of the Supreme Court’s April 2006 ruling declaring the reactionary CPR policy as anti-democratic and unconstitutional. And so now, if this is the case today, then PNoy should already declare it to be so to his own Bosses, and just as his immediate predecessor did so herself on September 21, 2005. If he is really a democratic leader and we the masses are his Bosses, then PNoy should not be afraid to face us publicly and to talk to us openly without unleashing the brutality of his blue-uniformed goons upon his own Bosses. Otherwise, we shall bring this matter to a proper court and PNoy would be politically.” ###

*For more information/details, please contact:
Mr. RASTI DELIZO (SANLAKAS Spokesperson)
@ Cellphone No.: 09998092461

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[Featured Video] Philippines: Abuses Go Unpunished -HumanRightsWatch

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Philippines: Abuses Go Unpunished

Published on Jun 27, 2012 by Human Rights Watch

Philippines: 2 Years under Aquino, Abuses Go Unpunished
No Successful Prosecutions of Security Forces for Killings, ‘Disappearances’

(New York, June 28, 2012) –President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines has not fulfilled his promises to hold accountable security forces responsible for serious abuses since taking office two years ago, Human Rights Watch said today. The Aquino government has not successfully prosecuted a single case of extrajudicial killing or enforced disappearance, including those committed during his presidency, Human Rights Watch said.

In his inaugural speech on June 30, 2010, Aquino gave “marching orders” to the Justice Department to “begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.” Five months later, at an event to commemorate human rights, he said that, “The culture of silence, injustice and impunity that once reigned is now a thing of the past.” And during his 2011 State of the Nation Address, Aquino reiterated this commitment, saying, “We are aware that the attainment of true justice does not end in the filing of cases, but in the conviction of criminals.”

“President Aquino has not lived up to his promises to bring those responsible for serious abuses to justice,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Concrete measures — rather than more promises — are needed now.”

Human Rights Watch today released a video, “Philippines: No Justice for Victims of Enforced Disappearances,” in which family members of the “disappeared” call on the president to live up to his promises of justice.

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[Statement] Breaking Impunity will end the Legacy of Martial Law – AFAD

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Breaking Impunity will end the Legacy of Martial Law
AFAD Statement on the 39th Anniversary of Martial law

Today, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) joins the whole nation in commemorating of the 39th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

Our manner of commemorating the event is the reiteration of our call to  Pres. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III to learn from the lessons of our history by making human rights its top priority and breaking impunity.

Thirty-nine years since President Ferdinand E. Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law through Proclamation No. 1081 which suspended the civil rights and liberties of the Filipino people by imposing military authority in the country. The chilling effects of these dark pages of our history are still felt until today.

Human rights are continuously being violated.    What makes it more disturbing is that violations persist with complete impunity. The Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) has documented 2,160 victims of enforced disappearance since martial law.  Ten cases have been reported under the present Aquino administration with the military involvement. Unfortunately until now not a single perpetrator has been punished.

The scenarios of warrantless arrests, arbitrary detentions and illegal searches which were common practices during Martial Law are still in effect until today. While the military claims that it already adopted a new security policy called the Oplan Bayanihan, said to be a paradigm shift from the combat-focused approach to a human security or “people-centered” approach, the primacy of military solution is still deeply embedded in the whole institution.   It allows security forces to ignore the fundamental rules of law and due process in the conduct of military operations. The Oplan Bayanihan is just another name of Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch), the counter-insurgency program of the previous administration which led the military to deliberately target and systematically hunt down leaders of leftist organizations, resulting in hundreds of cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the country.

The disappearance case of a teenager from the Dumagat tribe of the Burdeous Municipality in Quezon province, who was abducted on 23 August 2011 by six armed men pretending to be members of New People’s Army but later revealed to be members of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Armed forces of the Philippines and Civilian Volunteers Organization is but one of the recent examples of red hunting. The teenager was held in custody against his will for almost two weeks in the military camp where he was repeatedly interrogated and intimidated. He was later released when his family, with the help of Franciscan missionaries, sought the help of the public to search for him. The military denied abducting the teenager and claimed that he merely availed himself of the government’s social integration program for rebel returnees.

If indeed, the military believes that ‘winning peace” could be achieved through the continuing attack against any individuals or groups perceived to be supporters or members of the insurgent groups through political harassment, vilification campaign and criminalization of political offense, it is doomed to repeat the mistakes of history.

It is a historical truth that when people are suppressed, they learn to fight back. This reality was what ignited the people to struggle against the dictator which inevitably paved the road to EDSA, including the martyrdom of the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and assumption to power of the late Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.

PNoy should keep his name as a symbol of democracy.  As the new commander-in-chief, he is duty bound to lead his Armed Forces in performing its inherent obligation as the protector of the people. He has in his hands the opportunity to learn from the difficult lessons of the dark years of martial rule by guaranteeing human rights protection and accountability.

When he said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that reconciliation can only be achieved when justice is rendered, this should not mean buying to the idea of giving military honor to the late dictator and promising the compensation for victims of Martial Law. The Marcoses should continue to be held responsible for their crimes against the Filipino people and all others who followed the sinister means to keep themselves in power.

Today,  we pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in fighting against the dictator in order for freedom and democracy to live. We will keep their memory alive in our hearts and minds as we continue the struggle for truth, justice, and redress with the resounding voice of commitment, chanting:  “Nunca Mas!” (Never Again!)

Signed and authenticated by:

MUGIYANTO                                                 MARY AILEEN BACALSO
Chairperson                                                    Secretary-General

[Statement] Joint Statement of AFAD and FIND On the President Aquino’s 2nd State of the Nation Address 25 July 2011

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Today, the whole nation will be sitting on the edge of the seat as we listen to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

We are all expecting PNoy to go beyond mere rhetoric of promised change. Leaving out human rights from the government’s top agenda during his first SONA has become a major blunder that brings the nation way off his “daang matuwid” (straight path) in over a year in office.

In as far as human rights are concerned, it has been a crooked trail from the start. The president did not only fail to fulfill his promise to end serious human rights violations in the country, but his inaction has led to more transgressions with brazen impunity.

The continuing commission of enforced disappearances highlights this untenable fact. As of September 2010, the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) has documented 2,314 cases of disappearance since the dark days of Martial Law up to the present administration.  Eight new cases have been reported under the present Aquino administration according to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). Most of these cases are attributed to state security sectors. To note, the recent Supreme Court decision ordered the military to release two missing UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan and their farmer companion, Manuel Merino and named members of the Armed Forces of thePhilippines, including retired Major General Jovito Palparan responsible for their disappearance in 2006. Yet until now, no single perpetrator has been brought to justice.

This situation mirrors the dismal state of human rights in the country under the Aquino administration.

But it is not late. PNoy still has time to improve his performance on human rights. He can do this by combating impunity. Certifying the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act of 2011 as priority legislation and the signing and ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance are the first concrete steps towards attaining justice.

The bills criminalizing enforced disappearance have been filed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives since the 9th Congress. The House approved the substitute bill on third and final reading in the past two Congresses but in the current 15th Congress, the six bills pending before the Committee on Justice are yet to be consolidated.

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), and other human rights groups have been lobbying for the Philippine government to fulfill its voluntary pledges and commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council to sign and ratify the International Convention For the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. But until now, the government has not made any positive step towards achieving this promise.

The Aquino administration has not pushed for the enactment of the bill and accession to the treaty. In the meeting with AFAD, FIND and human rights groups and representatives of victims’ families on 6 October 2010, President Aquino promised to study the matter. But after nine months, the government still has an ambiguous position on the issue even after the follow-up meeting of AFAD, FIND and some foreign representatives of the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) with the Office of the Executive Secretary last week.

It is about time for PNoy to walk the talk. Being a son of a human rights victim himself, he should know better that a society free from enforced disappearance and other forms of human rights violation is an integral part of the straight path where he should lead the nation.

The Filipino nation deserves no less than respect for, protection and fulfillment of their human rights more particularly the right not to be disappeared whose transgression violates practically all human rights.

ASIAN FEDERATION AGAINST INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES (AFAD)

FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCE (FIND)

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[Press Release] Political prisoners escalate their fasting to HUNGER STRIKE for freedom and human rights – www.tfdp.net

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In the morning of July 25, 2011, before President Benigno Aquino III delivers his second State of the Nation Address, political prisoners in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa escalate their fasting to Hunger Strike to demand for freedom and human rights.

“Ngayong araw na ito ay iniaangat namin ang aming pag-aayuno sa HUNGER STRIKE upang ipakita sa pamahalaan na kami ay seryoso sa aming panawagan na magkaroon siya ng programa para sa karapatang pantao, palayain ang lahat ng bilanggong pulitikal at repormahin ang sistema ng koreksiyonal sa bansa lalo na ang Board of Pardons and Parole guidelines,” Juanito Itaas, leader of the political prisoners’ steering committee in NBP said in a statement through the rights group Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP).

Last Thursday, July 21, political prisoners and detainees around the country launched their nationwide fasting for freedom and human rights to express their concern over government’s lack of explicit national policy on human rights and the continuous neglect of the plight of victims of political incarceration in the country.

The escalation of the struggle of the political prisoners into a Hunger Strike signifies their firm resolve to call attention not only to their situation but the lack of a human rights agenda of this government, according to Emmanuel Amistad, Executive Director of the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP).

“There are 320 political prisoners and detainees languishing in jails across the country before Tatay Umbrero died two weeks ago.  We have asked the government to look into their plight even before President Aquino took his oath last year.  We even had a dialogue last year with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and they promised us that they will resume the operation of the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance, Pardon and Parole (PCBREPP) to evaluate the releases of political prisoners. Up to now this promise has not been fulfilled,” Amistad said.

PCBREPP was created during the time of former President Ramos as mechanism to table cases of alleged political offenders.  The process was able to release a significant number of political offenders under President Ramos’ term.  It was resurrected during the term of former President Arroyo and was able to release eight political prisoners at the last days of her term of office.

“Political prisoners worry that PNoy’s administration has no intention of looking into their situation. Tatay Umbrero’s death shows that PNoy has no time and attention for human rights violations victims.  He did not even lift a finger to release a dying man,” Amistad lamented.

On this matter, the dictator Marcos fared better as he released Benigno Aquino for medical reasons while a dying man’s plea for freedom fell on deaf ears.

Mariano Umbrero was the cancer-stricken political prisoner in NBP who died last July 15, 2011 with government failing to grant executive clemency.

“We cannot blame the people for worrying.  He has been in office for one year and he has repeated so many times his single-minded determination to pursue the corruption cases against the former administration but not a vision or a roadmap for our future based on human rights and justice. Sa matuwid na daan, karapatan pantao ang salalayan. Sa matuwid na daan kapakanan at kagalingan ng mamamayan hindi ng iilan ang dapat isaalang-alang”, Amistad concluded.

Meanwhile, political detainees in Dumaguete Provincial Jail, Kabankalan City Jail, Leyte Provincial Jail, Samar Provincial Jail and Catbalogan Samar Provincial Jail are also joining the hunger strike while political detainees in Mindanao and MMDJ Taguig are already in fasting since July 21, 2011.

PRESS RELEASE

July 25, 2011

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[Press Release] Rights group appraises P-Noy’s 1 year as weak on Human Rights – www.tfdp.net

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Rights group Task Force Detainees of the Philippines appraised President Aquino’s one year performance as weak, especially in the area of human rights respect and protection.

“P-Noy’s lack of an explicit policy on human rights, against torture and human rights violations, in particular, may be considered as the weakest link.  This can be interpreted that P-Noy is either not in control or that human rights is not really part of his agenda,” Emmanuel Amistad, Executive Director of TFDP said.

According to TFDP, after the legislation of Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act of 2009, cases of torture still persist.  Worse, perpetrators still operate with impunity.

Just recently, TFDP received reports of cases of harassment of human rights defenders in Bulacan by a certain Sgt. Mendoza and members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), and cases of torture and illegal arrests in Central Luzon and Mindanao.

“These cases prove that the “paradigm shift” that the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been proclaiming still has a long way to go.  The government must prove its sincerity and gain the people’s confidence.”

As per TFDP documentation for the period of 1986 up to April 2011, there have been 1,122 cases of torture involving 4,839 individuals as victims. After the enactment of the Anti-Torture Law, 42 cases involving 64 victims have been documented.

“Paradigm shift, as the authorities call it, must not remain a mere proclamation. It is a must that the military and the police discontinue their practice of torturing people.  It is imperative that P-Noy looks into this matter seriously with urgency.”

In the same statement, TFDP reiterated its appeal for the release of all political prisoners.  According to the group, a communication was already sent to the Office of the President regarding the urgency of the case of Tatay Umbrero.  “We appealed for executive clemency since it is within P-Noy’s power to immediately act on the case of Tatay Umbrero.  But the government responded by referring Umbrero’s case to the Board of Pardons and Parole,” TFDP said.

According to the group, “It is hard to comprehend why Umbrero’s case would not deserve the urgent and immediate attention and action of P-Noy.  Is this not equally important as the issue of wangwang that merited inclusion in his previous State of the Nation Address?  Is human rights not included in P-Noy’s matuwid na daan?”

Mariano Umbrero, 63 years old, is a political prisoner at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). He was diagnosed with lung cancer, now on its fourth stage, and according to TFDP, his condition continues to worsen.

The United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) recommends among others that the Philippine Government educate its members specially its security sectors about the right not to be tortured.  “How can P-Noy raise awareness among his ranks when he seems to be busy only with issues that will hit the headlines?  Or could it be that it is P-Noy who needs human rights education?” TFDP concluded.

PRESS RELEASE
June 29, 2011

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[Statement] Lack of P-Noy’s explicit policy on human rights opens doors for violations on the ground – www.tfdp.net

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In commemoration of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) reiterates its call to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to combat torture and other forms of human rights violations.

There is a need for P-Noy to explicitly declare that he is waging war against human rights violations in the same way that he promised to fight corruption during his campaign for presidency.  Situations on the ground demand a stricter and more serious order from the leadership to its personnel to give the highest respect for human rights.

P-Noy should consider that human rights violations are also rooted from poverty.  The eradication of human rights violations may even be more important than the fight against corruption.

Paradigm shift, as the authorities call it, must not remain a mere proclamation. It is a must that the military and the police discontinue their practice of torturing people.  It is imperative that P-Noy looks into this matter seriously with urgency.

The recent cases of harassment of human rights defenders in Bulacan and the cases of torture and illegal arrests in Central Luzon and Mindanao prove that the “paradigm shift” has still a long way to go.  The government must prove its sincerity and gain the people’s confidence.

After the legislation of Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act of 2009, cases of torture still persist.  Worse, perpetrators still operate with impunity.

P-Noy’s lack of an explicit policy on human rights, against torture and human rights violations, in particular, may be considered as the weakest link.  This can be interpreted that P-Noy is either not in control or that human rights is not really part of his agenda.

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, TFDP also reiterates its appeal for the release of all political prisoners.  TFDP has already communicated to the Office of the President the urgency of the case of Tatay Umbrero, a political prisoner who has stage four cancer.

TFDP implored for executive clemency since it is within P-Noy’s power to immediately act on the case of Tatay Umbrero.  But the government only responded by referring Umbrero’s case to the Board of Pardons and Parole.

It is hard to comprehend why Umbrero’s case would not deserve the urgent and immediate attention and action of P-Noy.  Is this not equally important as the issue of wangwang that merited inclusion in his previous State of the Nation Address?  Is human rights not included in P-Noy’s matuwid na daan?

The UNCAT recommends among others that the Philippine Government educate its members specially its security sectors about the right not to be tortured.  How can P-Noy raise awareness among his ranks when he seems to be busy only with issues that will hit the headlines?  Or could it be that it is P-Noy who needs human rights education?

Stop torture. Prosecute perpetrators.
Free Tatay Umbrero. Free all Political Prisoners.

June 24, 2011