The Killings and Enforced Disappearances under Mrs. Arroyo Must End
by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo
Privilege Speech on the 60th Anniversary of International Human Rights Day, House of Representatives

December 10, 2008

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.

Today, peoples the world over commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR). This historic declaration in 1948 spells out the Philippines' commitment as a UDHR signatory to promote, protect and uphold human rights in all forms, including the very basic rights to life and liberty.

But a great section of the Filipino people commemorate this day not in jubilation. They mark this day to hold accountable a government that has miserably failed to end, and has in fact abetted and tolerated, a vicious campaign of brutality and suppression against political and social activists.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President, is right in saying that today's observance of International Human Rights Day "gives us a feeling of shame and embarrassment because of the innumerable human rights violations that have remained unexamined, unexplained and unsolved or covered up by events." That shame, however, should fall squarely not on the Filipino people, but on the government.

The Arroyo government's virtual policy of annihilation is embodied in a counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), which has mostly targeted members of legal and progressive groups. Since 2001, a total of 927 victims of extrajudicial killings, 339 victims of frustrated killings, 194 victims of enforced disappearances and 1,010 victims of torture have been documented by the human rights organization Karapatan. From January to October this year, 50 have been extrajudicially killed. Of the 927 victims of extrajudicial killings, 134 were members of my party, Bayan Muna.

The killings and abductions are on a resurgence especially in Mindanao. This year alone, at least 19 extrajudicial slays were documented in the island. Last month, I took the floor to denounce the killings of and demand justice for three Bayan Muna members in Mindanao.

Apart from the outright attacks, legal offensives are also employed by the Arroyo government against its perceived critics, including this representation. Executive Order 493 created the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) which is tasked with the build-up and filing of spurious charges including rebellion and murder. The trumped-up rebellion charges against the Batasan 6, which included the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, and the latest cases against leaders and members of people's organizations in Southern Tagalog are all the handiwork of IALAG.

I continue to be a victim of IALAG's fabricated cases with the various murder charges against me for the so-called mass graves in Leyte. I am supposed to have executed the act while under military detention 24 years ago. It is outrightly ridiculous were it not for the grave implication these cases have on my person, my party Bayan Muna, and the other leaders slapped with the same frivolous charge.

The report of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Prof. Philip Alston in 2007 specifically recommended the removal of extrajudicial killings from the government's counter-insurgency program and the abolishment of IALAG, among others. Government has chosen to ignore the recommendations. Last March 11, 2007, Mrs. Arroyo herself announced the continued implementation of Oplan Bantay Laya through OBL II.

The two-pronged approach against government critics through armed attacks and legal offensives were carried out under the close watch of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COCIS). On May 12, 2006, the COCIS was replaced by the National Security Council Cabinet Group (NSCCG) through Administrative Order 150. The NSCCG is composed of the National Security Adviser, the secretaries of the departments of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Interior and Local Government, Justice, the Press Secretary, Presidential Chief-of- Staff, and the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, among others. Its task is to coordinate and oversee government's scorched earth policy against so-called enemies of the state.

The pervading climate of impunity surrounding the wanton human rights abuses is unmistakable. The perpetrators and their masterminds remain at large. The notorious retired Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. who figured in numerous cases of human rights violations especially in Southern Tagalog, Eastern Visayas and Central Luzon and has been recommended for investigation and prosecution even by the government created Melo Commission has yet to be brought before the bar of justice.

Despite survivor-witness Raymond Manalo's compelling testimony, ---affirmed as credible by the Supreme Court in October --- , that he had personally seen Palparan in a safehouse wherein killings and abductions took place in Central Luzon in 2006, the retired military officer has never been put to task.

Last year the progressive party-list representatives of Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela Women's Party filed the House Bill 3259 or the Command Responsibility Bill marking International Human Rights Day. The bill has been pending before the Committee on Justice since last year. Yesterday the progressive party-list bloc and Committee on Human Rights Chair Lorenzo Tañada III filed House Bill 5600 or Human Rights Defenders Act in order to protect the lives of those who are in the frontlines of defending human rights. Thirty-three Karapatan human rights workers have been slain since 2001.

I urge the passage of these measures in the interest of promoting human rights. I likewise urge the immediate passage of equally significant human rights measures: the Marcos Human Rights Victims Compensation Act, the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Bill and the Anti-Torture Bill. The Supreme Court's landmark initiatives on the guidelines for the Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data can and should be complemented by these human rights bills. Under an Executive that has shown no qualms in violating basic rights as seen even in Proclamation 1017, Executive Order 464 and the Calibrated Pre-emptive Response (CPR) Policy, a strong people's movement is vital in fighting for the people's rights and welfare.

The eight years of relentless attacks against the people under Mrs. Arroyo must end. The painstaking work of the surviving victims and their families, human rights and church groups in exposing and opposing the grim human rights record of the Arroyo government must be rewarded by passing measures to enable the victims to hold the Arroyo government accountable for its crimes.

Thank you.#
 

Scientists must help realise human rights
http://www.scidev.net/en/opinions/scientists-must-help-realise-human-rights.html

Source: Science
3 December 2008 | EN | ??

DNA evidence can help free wrongfully convicted prisoners

Scientists must join the global effort to realise human rights, say Leonard Rubenstein and Mona Younis.

Scientific expertise is indispensable to upholding human rights. For example, forensic exhumation of mass graves can reveal evidence of crimes against humanity, satellite imagery can show the destruction of communities in remote locations, and DNA evidence can help free wrongfully convicted prisoners.

Yet more can be done, argue the authors.

They suggest that the scientific community can give the much-neglected right to "share in scientific progress and its benefits" better visibility. Scientists must recognise that human rights are not vague aspirations, but specific obligations of government. And they must use their influence as respected members of society to ensure that governments uphold them.

Many scientists believe that such involvement in human rights is too "political", say the authors. But, they add, scientific traditions of impartiality, rigorous analysis and peer review are all compatible with human rights.
Link to full article in Science

GMANews.TV

Human rights record under Arroyo disappointing - CBCP head
 

Article posted December 09, 2008 - 03:44 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The head of the influential Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday expressed
disappointment over the human rights situation in the country.

CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the reported human rights cases and violations under the Arroyo administration could be described as "shameful".

>From 2001, the year President Arroyo took office, to May this year,
the human rights watchdog Karapatan said the total number of victims
of extrajudicial killings has reached more than 900.

Lagdameo, an outspoken critic of the Arroyo administration, made the
statement in connection with the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights on Wednesday.

The CBCP head noted that the celebration coincides with the arrival of
boxing icon Manny Pacquiao from his fresh and stunning victory over
Mexican Oscar de la Hoya in Las Vegas.

Lagdameo said unlike the victory of Pacquiao, the human rights
situation in the country does not call for a celebration.

"We hope its' not completely true, that our country is said to be the
most corrupt in Asia. This is because of human rights violations in
various degrees. Does it call for a celebration? " Lagdameo said.

He however said this is not enough reason to be apathetic since there
is still "hope," which he said will come in the form of leaders who
have complete respect to human rights.

"We are not losing our hope, that we could discover in our midst
candidates who are above all honest and truthful, men of vision and
integrity, inspiring and competent," Lagdameo said. - GMANews.TV
All Rights Reserved. 2006 © GMA Network Inc.

There Will Be Redemption

They came in by twenties,
rode in four-wheelers
with their rifles
and high-powered ammunitions
and put up checkpoints
all over the once sleepy town
where precious rocks
were thought to lie.

Soon, the men would become
an everyday sight –
an eyesore to the townsfolk.

They guarded the hilly area
fenced with galvanized iron
and barbed wires
and plywood
and sacks of sand.

They did daily, nightly rounds,
scaring away the toddlers
who used to move around
unbridled,
to climb trees,
pick fruits for snacks
and twigs for play,
and chase butterflies, dragonflies
and beetles and bugs
within the grounds
where a sign now stood:
"KEEP OUT."

In days,
the faint thud of boots on ground
would be the sound that woke
one-year olds in their cradles
in the middle of the night.

In weeks,
a couple would be found lying
in a pool of blood
by the roadside
for urging the townsfolk
to speak of how mining destroyed
their rivers and farmlands;
an elderly would be shot
for "trespassing"
into what was once
her great-grandfather's land.

Their blood cried out to heavens
for justice.
There will be a day of redemption.
There must be,
There will be.

 

-------------

Apo* Lumboy
Margaret Yarcia

Tears welled up in his eyes
as he started recounting
tales of men in hard hats
coming to his village
by the mountainside.
They held maps
and pens
and papers
as they spoke enthusiastically
of constructing schools,
of building markets,
of paving roads.

Apo was delighted –
his children
need not hurt their soles anymore
while they trudge dirt roads
and cross rivers
to learn their A-B-C;
his tribesfolk
need not travel three towns downhill
to sell their beans
and ginger
and squash.

He signed papers,
and the men in hard hats
began paving paradise
to put up a mining site.

As days
and weeks
and months passed,
other people came:
now they wore not just hard hats
but also overalls
the color of wild spiders and lizards
in the forest nearby.

The men rode in trucks and bulldozers
which plowed dirt and raised earth,
running over every plant,
every animal on its way;
even enchanting tiger lilies
and fragile chanterelle mushrooms
and playful spotted piglets
and red junglefowls.
 

They drilled holes
and felled the trees
by the mountainside
that was home to Apo Lumboy
and to his tribe
and to their forefathers.

Apo's folks were mad.
They waited for the school
and the market that never came to be.
They loathed the sound of bulldozers
and of machines grinding ores.
They wanted it to stop.
Then, the men in hard hats and overalls
came with men in camouflage
with carbines
hung over their shoulders.
They asked Apo Lumboy to leave
what has been their abode for decades.

But his is a tribe of warriors
who cannot be thwarted by guns.
Apo Lumboy wore his red headdress,
ready for battle.

He shall fight,
they shall fight.
 

----------------------------------

May Araw Din Sila

Dumating silang lulan ng mga trak,
tangan ang mga armalayt
at mga backpack
na sinidlan ng granada
at iba pang amunisyon.
 

Sila'y naglagay ng mga checkpoint
sa dati-rati'y tahimik na bayan
kung saan daw nahihimlay
ang laksa-laksang ginto at tanso.

Hindi naglaon,
naging araw-araw nang tanawin
ang mga kalalakihang nakacamouflage.
 

Sila'y nagsilbing mga bantay
sa mga burol na kanilang binakuran
ng yero, barbed wire,
plywood at mga sakong
pinalamnan ng buhangin.

Araw-gabi sila kung mag-ikot
kaya naman labis ang takot
ng mga batang paslit
na nagisnan ang pag-akyat ng puno,
pagpitas ng bungangkahoy
at pagtugis sa mga tutubi, uwang,
salaginto at salagubang
sa kalupaang ngayo'y mayroon nang babala: "NO TRESPASSING."

Paglipas ng ilang araw,
ang yabag ng mga bota
at alingawngaw ng pamamaril
ang gigising sa mga sanggol
na nahihimbing
sa kalagitnaan ng gabi.

Paglipas ng ilang linggo,
isang matanda ang papuputukan
dahil siya raw ay
"pumasok nang walang pahintulot"
sa lupaing pag-aari ng kanyang ninuno.

At paglipas ng ilang buwan,
matatagpuang nakahandusay
sa tabi ng kalye
ang mag-asawang pinaslang
dahil sa paghahayag
kung paano winasak ng minahan
ang kanilang kabuhayan,
kung gaano nalason
ang kanilang mga ilog at karagatan,
kung paano pinatag at hinawan
ang kanilang mga kagubatan,
kung bakit ang mga lupang sakahan
ay hindi na mapagtamnan.

Ang tinig ng kanilang mga dugo
ay dumadaing sa kalangitan,
naghahanap ng katarungan.

May araw din sila.

May araw din silang mga berdugo;
silang mga hindi nangingiming
gumamit ng dahas sa mga walang malay;
silang mga nananahan sa palasyong
nakatirik sa ibabaw ng mga kalansay
at lupang binahiran ng dugo.

May araw din sila.
 

TANGGOL MAGSASAKA
Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights
c/o KMP 161-B Chico St., Project 2, Quezon City
Tel. No. 928-41-84 Email Address gigi@kilusangmagbub ukid.org

PRESS STATEMENT
December 10, 2008
REFERENCE:
Prof. Cesar Tolosa, Spokesperson

Families and victims of peasant human rights violations call for justice this Human Rights Day

In commemoration of the International Human Rights Day today, families and supporters of peasant victims of human rights violations (HRVs) call for justice and describe the nearing Christmas as black and empty. They made black lanterns as a symbol and joined the big mobilization today and hung up wishlists calling for justice with names of about 700 victims of HRVs coming from the peasant sector.

"This coming Christmas is really sad black and empty for families of victims of human rights violations under the Arroyo regime, 528 peasants are victimized by extra-judicial killings, 129 are by enforced disappearances and scores of political prisoners detained in jails nationwide," opened Prof. Cesar Tolosa, Tanggol Magsasaka spokesperson.

"KMP Deputy Secretary-General for External Affairs Randall Echanis is in jail right now, accused as a high-ranking CPP-NPA leader and responsible for mass graves in Leyte, the most recently killed KMP leaders are Celso Pojas in Davao on May 15 and Danny Qualbar on November 6 in Compostela Valley, also KMP Southern Tagalog Eddie Gumanoy was killed in 2003 in Oriental Mindoro, still missing is KMP-Panay chair Nilo Arado, Jonas Burgos of Bulacan and 2 Bataan peasant organizers," added Tolosa.

Tanggol Magsasaka affirmed that all violations are part of Arroyo's counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya 2, where extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and arrest and detention are the main components targeting leaders and members of militant groups critical of Arroyo.

"We support the peasant movement in fighting back against the dictatorship of Arroyo, we were successful in releasing the Tagaytay 5, Silang 9, San Narciso (Quezon) 2, Cadiz 9 (of total 13, in Negros) and other releases of peasant political prisoners brought about by sustained mass actions," Tolosa claimed.

"We are joining the Filipino peasants in commemorating the International Human Rights Day this December 10, and call for a stop in extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and arrest and detention. We are also urging the people to rise up against Arroyo's dictatorship as this is systematically destroying democracy in our country," called Tolosa.

"Christmas won't be the same for families of victims of human rights violations, Arroyo does not have the right to celebrate Christmas as the victims blood are on her hands. Her nights will not be silent as the screams of more than the thousand victims still linger," Tolosa closed.#

News Release
October 9, 2008

Reference: Jamie Mapa, NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, email: nychrp@gmail.com

NY Rights Group Clarifies Child Soldier Accusations to Human Rights Watch

New York- In response to allegations from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last month that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would file claims against the New Peoples Army (NPA) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for purportedly recruiting child soldiers into their combat ranks while in the United States, a local rights group met with Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday to refute the charges, and condemn the scheme as a tactic of the Arroyo government to sanitize its image to the international human rights community instead.

Berna Ellorin and Gary Labao of the NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP), met with Elaine Pearson of HRW's Asia Division and Bede Sheppard of HRW's Children's Rights Division to clarify the claims against the armed groups as false and deceiving.

"The child soldier accusation is actually a tactic of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Arroyo administration to escape its own accountability over the killings of Filipino children," Labao stated.

Labao and Ellorin further explained that many of the so-called "child guerillas" being peddled as evidence by the AFP are actually child victims caught in the crossfire between AFP and guerillas. When a child is killed by the AFP, oftentimes they plant weapons by their bodies and report that the victim was a combatant.

Such was the case of 9-year old Grecil Buya, whose head was blown away by a storm of AFP bullets in her own backyard last year in Compostela Valley. Buya, standing only 3 feet, 4 inches tall, was barely as tall as the heavy M16 Armalite rifle AFP soldiers accused her of wielding with one hand when they shot her. After the AFP failed to bribe Buya's parents to not press charges in return for the AFP not pressing charges against the entire family as alleged NPA rebels, Buya's parents are continuing their legal fight to clear their daughter's name.

"Grecil's story is not uncommon. The Arroyo administration, after being exposed and condemned for its rampant disregard for human rights all over the world, is so desperate to redeem its image that it will stoop this low, using the youngest civilian victims of armed conflict to twist the facts and brand the rebel movement instead, when the rights of Filipino children are most compromised and threatened by her state rule and her military," Labao told HRW.

Labao and Ellorin presented HRW with documentation on the children's situation in the Philippines compiled by the Children's Rehabilitation Center (CRC) and Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns.

Over 800 cases of human rights violations involving over 215,233 children victims have been documented by the Children's Rehabilitation Center (CRC) for the duration of Arroyo's presidency. These include extrajudicial killings, frustrated killings, enforced disappearances, illegal search and seizure, rape, sexual harrassment, illegal arrest and detainment, and physical assault. In most cases, AFP elements were identified as the perpetrators.

In a new law signed by President Bush last week, leaders of military forces and armed groups in the Philippines who have recruited child soldiers may be arrested and prosecuted in the United States, according to HRW. The Child Soldiers Accountability Act makes it a federal crime to recruit knowingly or to use soldiers under the age of 15, and permits the US to prosecute any individual on US soil for the offense, even if the children were recruited or served as soldiers outside the United States.

"Arroyo is pouncing on this new US law, loudly drumbeating her armed opposition as child soldier recruiters, to advance her agenda and divert the public's attention from the crimes of her own military," NYCHRP concluded.

HRW concluded the meeting by thanking Labao and Ellorin and expressing plans to stay in touch for another probe trip to the Philippines early next year. NYCHRP last communicated with Pearson when HRW agreed to meet with Desaparacidos national spokesperson Edita Burgos earlier this year. ###