Arroyo regime's victims set on trying GMA in int'l court

Families of victims of political killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights violations under the Arroyo regime are elated that rights activists were able to present their case at the U.S. Senate hearing yesterday. 

As the opening of the Permanent People's Tribunal on March 21 nears, they are optimistic that they will get justice.

"Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is going to be tried for her crimes.  She and her regime will be judged by the world for what they are: violators of the rights of the Filipino people," said Evangeline Hernandez, convener of HUSTISYA! (Arroyo Regime Victims United for Justice).

The Permanent People's Tribunal will hold its second session on the Philippines on from March 21 to 25.  The complainants are led by HUSTISYA, Desaparecidos (Families of Desaparecidos for Justice), Selda (Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN).

Hustisya said Malacaņang is trying in vain to dismiss the victims' complaints by calling it a "communist's gimmickry" but they cannot deny having received a subpoena from the PPT. 

"Malacaņang's red-baiting tries to obscure the facts that our families are the victims here and not Gloria Arroyo and her security forces that remains unpunished.  We intend to have our case heard even in international courts, so that the Arroyo regime will be condemned for its crimes against the people," Hernandez said.

The PPT will try Arroyo on three main charges: violations of civil and political rights (such as killings, disappearances, massacres), violations of social, economic and cultural rights of the Filipino people (such as economic plunder, attacks on workers and peasants), and violations of the right to national self-determination (such as imposition of US War on Terror).

Charged with Arroyo are US President George W. Bush and his regime, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and multinational corporations and foreign banks in the Philippines.

The PPT takes its precedence from the International War Crimes Tribunal, which was led by British philosopher Bertrand Russell, French Jean-Paul Sartre and Italian senator Leilo Basso. The Permanent People's Tribunal held its first session on the Philippines in 1980, where the Marcos Dictatorship was tried and found guilty for human rights violations. 

"We want the killings to stop," Hernandez added. "We will continue to seek justice wherever there are tribunals independent of Arroyo's influence," Hernandez said.  Hustisya will hold their first gathering tomorrow morning at the Peace Bell of the Quezon Memorial Circle to drum up public support. ###