Montreal welcomes Rep. Satur Ocampo, Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran and Rep. Luz Ilagan

Media advisory April 5, 2008 -- Three members of the Philippine Congress will be visiting Montreal April 11 and 12, 2008 as part of a cross-Canada tour (April 4-18). They will be lobbying Canadian parliamentarians in Ottawa and other groups to pressure the administration of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to end human rights violations and government corruption in the Philippines.

Allegations of corruption and electoral fraud plague the Arroyo administration, and demand for her to step down are intensifying in the Philippines. Recent massive street protests have been compared to the 1986 People Power movement that ousted Ferdinand Marcos 22 years ago.

Some Philippine human rights groups have also claimed that Arroyo’s record of human rights violations surpasses that of Marcos, with more than 800 politically motivated extra-judicial killings since 2001. The U.N. special rapporteur Philip Alston has attributed these killings to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and its counterinsurgency program.

The three congress people are:

Rep. Satur Ocampo: President of Bayan Muna Party, Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He is a former journalist and was the longest-held political prisoner under the Marcos dictatorship.

Rep. Crispin Beltran: Anakpawis Party List Representative, Vice-Chair of the House Special Committee on Overseas Workers’ Affairs and Member of the House Committees on Labour and Human Rights. He was arrested and detained from 2005 to late 2007 on charges of rebellion and murder, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court. He is the former chair of the Kilusang Mayo Uno, a progressive labour centre in the Philippines.

Rep. Luz Ilagan: Gabriela Women’s Party Representative, member of the House Committees on Women, Mindanao Affairs, Overseas Welfare Affairs and Cultural Minorities. She was a faculty member of the Humanities Division of the Ateneo De Davao University. She is among the pioneer of the Women’s Rights Movement in Mindanao.

For more information on their visit to Canada and on the current situation in the Philippines or to arrange interviews, e-mail Malcolm Guy -- mguy[at]pmm.qc.ca

-- Philippine Legislators' Welcoming Committee, 4708 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

From:

Center for Philippine Concerns website

Riza of the Filipino Assoc. of Montreal and Suburbs (FAMAS) introduces guests

Ka Bel and Luz pose with NDP Mulcair and French paper "La Presse" journalist.

Community leaders pose with solons.

Community leaders welcome the solons at FAMAS centre.

FAMAS hosts lunch with solons. Community press covers the event.

■   Filipino solons expose Canada complicity

■   CUPE welcomes Filipino MPs on tour

■   Filipino legislators ask Canada to push Arroyo

Audio file from the subcommittee hearing that starts 30 minutes into the file:
Click here

Jojo of the Filipino Nurses Assoc. of Quebec (FNAQ) at the forum.

Jojo of the FNAQ talks about her first meeting with Luz Ilagan and ka Bel. She thanks the community for coming out to support the human rights tour.

CBC Radio interview with solons link (please scroll to the bottom and press "Play Part Three"):
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/200804/20080415.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2008

Canadian Parliamentarians shocked to hear
of human rights abuses in Philippines

OTTAWA – Canadian members of Parliament expressed deep concern over the continuing political killings perpetrated by the military in the Philippines and vowed to submit to Parliament the recommendations by three progressive members of the Philippine Congress on what the Canadian government can do.

“It’s very shocking what we read in the reports - both (UN Special Rapporteur) Prof. Alston’s and Judge Jose Melo’s reports - on the human rights violations taking place,” said the Liberal Party member of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights, Mario Silva. “We as a country have to speak out and say this is outrageous.”
 

Members of the Philippine House of Representatives Crispin Beltran, Luz Ilagan and Satur Ocampo informed the House Subcommittee on April 15 that more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances have occurred under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration. They appealed to the subcommittee to urge the Canadian government to put more pressure on the Arroyo government to end the political killings and to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. They further urged the Canadian government to precondition its bilateral aid to the Arroyo government upon

its full implementation of Alston’s recommendations.
 

The Philippine legislators also urged the Canadian government to review its bilateral aid to the Philippine government - in particular, its Military and Police Training Assistance Programs, its mining investments and its development aid - to determine if any part of it is used for programs involving human rights violations.
 

“I’m personally very troubled that 12 (Filipino) officers will be trained in this country,” said New Democratic Party Subcommittee member Wayne Marston. “We need to get to the bottom of that.”
 

Marston also highlighted the need for Canada to heed a two-year-old subcommittee report on corporate and social responsibilities of Canadian mining firms operating in the Philippines, a few of which have been alleged to have used military and paramilitary forces for their security.
 

“I am quite astounded, despite (this subcommittee’s report) that was produced two years ago, that this situation has not yet been corrected,” added Bloc Québécois member Diane Bourgeois. “I’d like us to discuss that (report) in this subcommittee to find out what the government did to follow up. I am hoping that Canada will not once again be losing face.”
 

Marston also acknowledged the grave risk the Philippine legislators have taken in bringing forward their criticisms and opposition against what they view as an oppressive government.
 

“I am very respectful of the courage that I am seeing here and that you are standing up on behalf of your country,” Marston said.
 

The Filipino legislators welcomed the response of the subcommittee to their report and are optimistic that Canada will lend its voice to the growing international condemnation of the Arroyo administration and its gross human rights violations.
 

“We are also very pleased with the response of the subcommittee members,” said Stop the Killings Network Canada spokesperson Bern Jagunos. “We will certainly follow up on the subcommittee’s promise to bring the recommendations of the Filipino legislators forward. We will also continue our lobbying efforts calling on the Canadian government to disclose to the public how taxpayers’ money has been spent in the Philippines and to suspend development, financial and military aid to the Arroyo government pending a full review of its bilateral relations.”
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For information and to arrange interviews: Malaya Marcelino,
Stop the Killings Network - Canada,
(416) 797-6681
 

Download article

Rep. Satur Ocampo, Deputy Minority Leader of Philippine Congress and President of Bayan Muna Partylist

Members of the Coalition for the Protection of the Caregivers' Rights gave Rep. Ocampo something to bring to his meeting with his Canadian counterparts. The recommendations for the amendment of the Live-In Caregiver Program

The event was very well attended. Filipinos and non-Filipinos attentively listened to the current situation of the Philippines

Despite of the crisis and repression, Ka Satur also talked about the Filipino people's struggle for freedom and democracy

Mila Astorga-Garcia introduced Rep. Ocampo. Mila was a friend, colleague and shared the same detention center with ka Satur during the Marcos dictatorship.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2008

Filipino legislators ask Canada to help end human rights abuses

OTTAWA – Three Filipino opposition critics in the Philippine Congress are set to report before the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights on the gross human rights violations in the Philippines.

The human rights abuses include 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances that have been directly linked to the Philippine military's counterinsurgency program under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"We will call on the subcommittee to recommend to Parliament to review its aid to the Philippines to ensure that no part of it is being used by the Arroyo government in its counterinsurgency program," said Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luz Ilagan.

Canada exports military goods to the Philippines and provides military and police training as part of its efforts to build security relations with foreign countries.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Prof. Philip Alston has linked the extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations to the counterinsurgency program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Despite this finding, the Arroyo administration and military continue to deny responsibility and have not brought even one perpetrator to justice. Last Friday, the Philippine government painted a rosy picture of the human rights situation in the Philippines in its presentation before the UN Human Rights Council during its Universal Periodic Review.

"According to my fellow party member who attended the presentation, it was a totally one-sided report, with a lot of fanfare that lacked substance," said Bayan Muna Party President Satur Ocampo. "Fortunately, not all countries were fooled by the PR stunt. Sixteen countries, including Canada, raised concerns that the Philippine government was not doing enough to stop the human rights violations."

The three legislators attribute the marked reduction of extrajudicial killings to the mounting pressures applied on the Philippine government by the international community and the Filipino people.

"Canada has a precedent of suspending aid to the Marcos dictatorship, particularly in 1984, two years before the dictator's downfall," Ocampo said.

The legislators hope Canada will again add its voice to the throngs of international protests against the human rights abuses.

"Canada has earned international respect for promoting peace and human rights," said Anakpawis Party List Representative Crispin Beltran. "It should distance itself militarily from any foreign government that violates human rights with such blatant impunity."

Canadian and Filipino-Canadian groups which comprise the Stop the Killings Network – Canada sponsored the visit of the three legislators as part of its country-wide campaign to raise awareness on the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

"Apart from military aid, Canadian investments in mining and development aid may have been linked to militarization and human rights violations in the Philippines," said STKN spokesperson Bern Jagunos. "It's appalling to think that Canadian taxes may have contributed to the intimidation, detention, torture and executions of innocent people. Our network demands that the Canadian government disclose to the public how taxpayers' money have been spent in the Philippines. We also call on our Canadian government to suspend aid to the Philippines pending a full review of its relations with the country."

The legislators will present their reports to the Commons subcommittee on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, at 1:00 p.m.

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For information and to arrange interviews: Malaya Marcelino,
Stop the Killings Network - Canada,
(416) 797-6681

Download statement
 

Download DAMAYAN NEWS which carries an interview with Rep. Satur Ocampo and has more photos of his Canada speaking tour

Extrajudicial killings in the Philippines since 2001

· Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced ousted President Joseph Estrada in 2001, there have been about 900 extrajudicial killings and about 180 enforced disappearances of mostly leftist activists in the Philippines [estimates from Karapatan, an independent human rights organization in the Philippines]. Other victims of these extrajudicial killings include journalists, human rights workers, members of clergy, indigenous peoples, union activists and their families, lawyers, peasants and workers.

· Karapatan has described the human rights situation in the Philippines as the worst since the 14-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

· The International Trade Union Congress has labeled the Philippines one of the most dangerous countries for union activists, second only to Colombia.

· In 2005 Reporters Without Borders described the Philippines as the most dangerous country for journalists, second only to war-torn Iraq. Since then, there have been 15 more journalists killed while working and many more have been assaulted, intimidated and harassed. A libel chill also threatens freedom of the press when some politicians, including President Arroyo's husband, filed defamation suits against reporters and media who attempted to expose government corruption.

· Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch), the counterinsurgency program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was launched in January 2002. The program specifically targets the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army. Additional documents related to Oplan Bantay Laya that were uncovered by Philippine journalists, reveal that the operation also targets legal organizations and political party groups that the military considers "sectoral front organizations" of the CPP.

· In 2006, amid strong national and international pressure, President Arroyo created the Melo Commission to investigate the waves of killings of members of media and activists. The commission found "evidence pointing the finger of suspicion at some elements and personalities in the armed forces."

· United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Prof. Philip Alston reached the same conclusion as the Melo Commission in his report released in August 2007.
 

Canada's involvement in the Philippines

· Bilateral trade between Canada and the Philippines is worth about CDN$1.5 billion.

· The Canadian International Development Agency web site, the federal government describes describes the Philippines as a "functioning democracy with a vibrant civil society."

· CIDA is the eighth largest overseas development assistance contributor to the Philippines with a total spending of CDN$14 million a year.. This funding includes the $3-million Peace Link Project in the predominantly Muslim areas of Mindanao.

· The Arroyo administration's National Internal Security Plan combines military campaigns to secure peace in conflict zones with poverty reduction and development objectives. Military campaigns involve "crushing" the insurgencies and their "sympathizers." It remains unclear from CIDA documents exactly what kind of support Canada gives to governmental bodies in their "peace building" efforts.
 

· Canadian mining companies are involved in at least five major mining projects in the Philippines worth over US $1 billion in investment.

· There is documentation that Canadian mining operations ? such as those of TVI, Crew Development Corporation and Olympus ? have relied on the Philippine military and paramilitary as security for their sites and to help suppress local opposition to the mining operations.

· The Canadian government has contributed funds to some of these mining operations. CIDA has channeled funds directly to TVI through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, and some of the CDN$120 million that the Economic Development Canada has provided to companies operating in the Philippines include mining companies.

· Canada's Military Training Assistance Program and Police Training Assistance Program provide training assistance to the AFP and Philippine police force. This year, 10 officers from the AFP will come to Canada to receive training under the MTAP. Records of participants in these programs are not publicly available, but many groups argue that the MTAP and PTAP serve to enhance the technical and operational capabilities of military and police units that have been implicated in human rights violations in the Philippines.

April 2008

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The BC Conference of the United Church hosts

the Pulong Bayan with the solons

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