Ronalyn V. Olea ; March 18, 2011; Bulatlat.com MANILA – Human rights groups in the Philippines filed a complaint against the Philippine government for the killing of botanist Leonard Co and two others before the United Nations, March 14. The groups also called the attention of the international community on the ongoing trial of the Maguindanao massacre and continuing human rights violations under the new administration.
Ronalyn V. Olea ; March 18, 2011; Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Human rights groups in the Philippines filed a complaint against the Philippine government for the killing of botanist Leonard Co and two others before the United Nations, March 14. The groups also called the attention of the international community on the ongoing trial of the Maguindanao massacre and continuing human rights violations under the new administration.
Co, Sofronio Cortez and Julius Borromeo were killed on November 15, 2010 while conducting a research inside the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) compound in Kananga, Leyte. A survivor, Ronino Gibe and other witnesses pointed to the elements of the 19th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army as perpetrators [2].
Members of the Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines (Ecumenical Voice) handed over the complaint of scientist group Agham (not the party list) to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Christof Heyns. Co was a member of Agham. The group also submitted a copy of the report [3] of an independent fact finding mission on the incident.
Agham urged Heyns to investigate the killing of Co, Cortez and Borromeo, “up to and including all levels of the military command concerned with their shooting.” The families of the victims and their supporters have expressed fear of a possible whitewash with the report of the Department of Justice [4] and National Bureau of Investigation clearing the military of any responsibility.
According to Karapatan, the killings of Co, Cortez and Borromeo were among the first 30 cases of extrajudicial killings committed under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
Members of the Ecumenical Voice went to Geneva, Switzerland for the 16th session of the United National Human Rights Council. The delegation is headed by Philippine Independent Church Bishop Bishop Felixberto Calang and Marie Hilao Enriquez, Karapatan chairwoman.
Maguindanao Massacre, Mindanao Killings
In an oral statement, Calang, also of the Initiatives for Peace in Mindanao (InPeace Mindanao), highlighted the “slow pace of the trial on the Maguindanao massacre” and cases of extrajudicial killings in Mindanao.
Calang expressed concern over the conduct of the prosecution in the Maguindanao massacre. The massacre of November 23, 2009 claimed the lives of 58 individuals, including 32 journalists and two lawyers. Members of an alleged warlord political family in Maguindanao province are suspected to be the perpetrators.
“The victims’ kin are apprehensive of attempts to bribe witnesses and prosecutors in apparent moves to weaken the ongoing legal case against the powerful Ampatuan family. The victims’ families complain of the slow pace of the judicial processes while witnesses remain unprotected and some have already been killed,” Calang said.
Calang called on the UN Human Rights Council to monitor the prosecution of the accused in the Maguindanao massacre. He also urged the international community to call for the adequate protection of witnesses and for a speedy and public trial of the case.
Calang’s statement was read by Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) during the general debate on Item 3 at the 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Calang also said that of the 1,206 documented cases of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 375 of the victims were from Mindanao. He cited the recent murder of B’laan chieftain Rudy Dejos [5] and his son Rody Rick in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and the killing of Benjamin Bayles [6] , a member of the Philippine Independent Church. Calang said the incidents “show that extrajudicial killings continue under the prevailing climate of impunity in the country.”
Other members of the Ecumenical Voice are Dr. Merry Mia Clamor, one of the Morong 43, Cristina Palabay of Karapatan; Girlie Padilla of the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace and Rhonda Ramiro of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-USA chapter.
Govt should create more work locally, Manila prelate says
(Melo M. Acuna CBCP NEWS, March 13, 2011
—A senior prelate said government should create more local employment opportunities so Filipino workers would not have to work abroad and leave their families behind.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said Filipino workers could spend more time with their families and loved ones if they work in the country instead of abroad.
Speaking to news reporters after presiding over a concelebrated Mass for the country’s 10 million or so migrants, the 78-year old prelate said he shed tears while listening to a prayer led by a young boy of 12 who sadly said he misses his father, especially when troubles began in Libya.
The boy, accompanied by his younger brothers said they miss the time they could be with their father as they
continuously pray for his safety while posted abroad.
continuously pray for his safety while posted abroad.
Even the children long for their parents, Rosales said, adding he was moved to tears by the boy’s prayer and sad expression.
“Remember, he is just one of the many children who are similarly situated, whose parents are working elsewhere, and may share the same prayers,” he explained.
Rosales said the government should try its best to provide domestic job opportunities for them to stay in the country.
Asked of the problems faced by overseas Filipino workers especially in the Middle East and Northern Africa, he said he could only sympathize with the government for the lack of logistics to finance the immediate repatriation.
He said a good number of Filipinos even leave the country without the necessary documents thereby complicating the already problematic situations faced by the government.
“Talagang kapit sa patalim ang Pinoy,” the prelate said.
He added having 10 million Filipinos abroad seems to be unusual for any country to have that much of talents abroad.
He said the significant number of Filipinos abroad only shows how bad the domestic economy is, lacking the necessary development plans and the like.
He expressed fears the migrant workers’ contributions to government funds may not be enough to finance speedy repatriations similar to what other financially-capable countries have done where cruise ships and planes have been chartered immediately.
Catholic educators: Corruption must be impeached ‘mercilessly’
[CBCPNews, MANILA, March 10, 2011)
Saying that corruption must be impeached “mercilessly,” Catholic educators have joined calls to prosecute Ombudsman Mercidetas Gutierrez.
In a statement, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said an “inept” official has no place in public service.
It urged the lawmakers to expedite the impeachment proceedings against Gutierrez for the current administration to effectively implement its anti-corruption campaign.
“We strongly call for a speedy, fair and decisive conduct of the impeachment proceedings. Corruption must be impeached mercilessly,” the CEAP said.
Gutierrez is accused of betrayal of public trust for “sleeping” on graft and corruption charges particularly those filed against former President Gloria Arroyo and her allies.
“Paradoxically, the very Office of the Ombudsman, which was created to be the ‘watchdog’ of the people, has unfortunately been transformed into a major instrument in concealing the impropriety of corrupt government officials,” it said.
The CEAP said that in backing the impeachment efforts versus Gutierrez, they believe it only shows that there is “unceasing and escalating clamor for truth and justice” by the Filipino people.
“The blatant disregard of the Ombudsman in fulfilling her constitutional duty to prevent abuse of power in the government is a direct attack against the core values of public service. It is a breach of public trust,” the statement further read.
On the other hand, the country’s largest organization of Catholic schools called on Gutierrez to look only at two options provided to her morally.
“We urge Ombudsman Gutierrez to be truthful to herself and the people she swore to serve by facing the impeachment proceedings without evasion,” said CEAP.
“(She should also) consider her resignation as a moral choice.”
The CEAP is the largest educational association in the country with 1,290 member-institutions.
No comments:
Post a Comment