HUSTISYA on the Melo commission

Quick Facts

1. As of Oct. 3:

762 - victims of extrajudicial killings

184 - victims of enforced disappeareances

2. HUSTISYA's critique of the Melo Commission:

* the commission's actions so far tend to exonerate the AFP and the state even before gathering evidence and listening to the victims

* the commission, after several hearings, has not yet informed the human rights groups and the public of its procedures for investigation but it has already issued statements that virtually clear Palparan and Esperon

* asside from its lack of independence and credibility, the commission’s powers are severely limited.

3. KARAPATAN scores the Melo Commission not only for giving priority to alleged perpetrators of human rights violations but for saying they have no evidence to link them to the killings.

“The Commission’s mandate is like a marshmallow – sweet on the outside but empty. It will never give us justice."

---- Evangeline Hernandez, spokesperson of HUSTISYA




	Special Feature: Patterns of Impunity: A second look at the political killings using tools in scientific analysis - a paper by AGHAM presented at the 4th Science for the People Colloqium on Sep. 23, 2006
	Click here to download PDF file

		Press Release – October 02, 2006
		Reference: Evangeline Hernandez, Hustisya Convenor Mobile No. 09158562151
2/F Erythrina Bldg. Maaralin cor. Matatag Street, Brgy. Central, Quezon City Telefax 4342837
IIt’s a marshMelo Commission! Victims’ kin mull boycott of Melo Commission HUSTISYA! a broad formation of human rights victims under the Arroyo government, today held a press conference to express its disappointment over the Melo Commission, hinting that an imminent boycott of the investigation was in the offing. “After a month of observing how the Melo Commission functions, we have become more skeptical of it. We are unimpressed and greatly bothered by the Commission’s actions that tend to exonerate the AFP and the state even before gathering evidence and listening to the victims,” Evangeline Hernandez, HUSTISYA! head convener and mother of slain human rights worker Benjaline “Beng” Hernandez said. She accused the Commission of allowing AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan to clear their names and impute ill-motives to the aggrieved parties even before establishing the facts of the case. “The Commission has yet to inform us and the public of its procedures for investigation but it has already issued statements that virtually clear Palparan and Esperon. How can they expect us to participate in this kind of a process?” she asked. Hernandez said they would only participate in the Commission’s investigations if the minimum requirements as outlined in the Amnesty International memorandum to Pres. Arroyo were followed. HUSTISYA! also said they were more confident in presenting their complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and Summary Execution or other international bodies “that, unlike the Melo Commission, are not beholden to Pres. Arroyo and can be truly independent.” Aside from its lack of independence and credibility, Hernandez said the Commission’s powers were severely limited. “The Commission’s mandate is like a marshmallow – sweet on the outside but empty. It will never give us justice.” ###















What they say about the Melo Commission

Sham invedtigation proves Arroyo is engaged in double talk - Fidel Agcaoili, chairperson, NDFP Human Rights Committee		Sen.Pimentel Cites Reasons Why Melo Commission Is Getting Nowhere
Rep. Satur Ocampo hits Melo Commission's disregard of recommendations of Amnesty International		A matter of lost credibility - editorial of Tribune
Karapatan hits Melo Commission’s whitewash of AFP role in political killings		Melo Commission must be credible -- Amnesty International
CenPEG issue analysis: Extra-judicial killings and sham investigations		Impartial probers in Melo Commission sought by Amnesty International
Melo body redundant, says CHR (Commission on Human Rights)		Arroyo hit men make farce of Melo Commission - an analysis by columnist Amando Doronila
KARAPATAN - Central Visayas on the Melo Commission: Melo sound bytes		KMP: “Melo Commission violating the standards and international guidelines on commissions of inquiries from the start!”
Melo commish, AFP, PNP ganging up on victims – solon		KMU slams Melo Commission as Arroyo administration's deodorizer; mulls filing of cases before ILO and UNHRC
As Melo Commission starts its killings probe, GMA clears military, blames political foes

IIt’s a marshMelo Commission!