IPU visit shows concern over RP rights record -- Bayan Muna

By Leila Salaverria
Inquirer
Last updated 07:16pm (Mla time) 04/13/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The decision of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to send a delegation to the Philippines reflects the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, according to officials of the militant party-list group Bayan Muna (People First).

Bayan Muna counsel Neri Colmenares said the IPU only used to visit "dangerous" countries like Burma, which is ruled by a military junta.

IPU delegates will visit the Philippines next week and meet with government officials to discuss the alleged persecution of Bayan Muna’s Satur Ocampo and Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis.

The delegates' visit is in response to the two lawmakers' complaints.

Beltran is currently in detention, while Ocampo is facing murder charges for his alleged involvement in the killing of suspected government spies by communist rebels in the mid-1980s. He was arrested for the said charge, but was ordered released by the Supreme Court while it deliberates on his petition to recall his arrest warrant.

Ocampo had contended that the charges against him are baseless because five of his supposed victims had been identified as victims in another case, and that he was in detention when the alleged killings took place.

"For a long time, [IPU delegates] visited places like Burma, one of the major disaster areas, but recently they had a resolution that they would visit the Philippines. This means that the Philippines has become similar to those they normally consider very dangerous areas," Colmenares told editors of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net, on Thursday evening.

He added that in the past, the IPU issued statements about incidents in the Philippines, but now, they have decided to come to the country.

Ocampo, for his part, said he brought to the IPU’s attention the Philippine situation because the issue of human rights violations is an international concern.

"It's human rights, it's everybody's concern," he said.

Colmenares also said that aside from Ocampo and Beltran, Bayan Muna would bring to the IPU's attention the plight of other members of the party list-group since it is elected to Congress.

The IPU is an international organization of 143 parliaments of sovereign states. It has seven regional parliamentary assemblies as associate members. It aims to promote democracy and inter-parliamentary dialogue. It has also worked for the establishment of institutions at the inter-governmental level, including the United Nations, in which it has observer status.


Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.