Press Statement, August 17, 2012 – “The reported increase to P2 million of the bounty for Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan and former Gov. Joel Reyes is an exercise in futility unless the Aquino government genuinely resolves to go after and arrest these notorious rights violators and make accountable even those who are protecting them such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and possibly, powerful politicians and businesses. Who can be most obvious coddlers of these criminals than the institutions which benefitted from their heinous acts?”
Thus said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan, on the Malacanang announcement to increase the bounty for Palparan and the Reyeses.
“This is starting to look like another PR stunt of Malacañang, to make it appear that it is doing something to arrest these fugitives; unless Aquino orders the AFP to produce Palparan. Wag na tayong maglokohan pa at paikut-ikutin ang mga biktima at kanilang mga pamilya. (Please desist from deceiving and playing with the victims and their families.) The Filipino people and the victims need justice,” she commented.
Karapatan said such acts manifest Aquino’s failure to end impunity in the country, “not only are these criminals free but they also get promotions and rewarded with plum positions as in the case of the military officials charged by six of the Morong 43 health workers for their illegal arrest, torture and detention.” ###
Reference: Cristina “Tinay” Palabay, Secretary General, +63917-5003879
Angge Santos, Media Liaison, +63918-9790580
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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
[email protected]
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Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2nd Flr. Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin corner Matatag Sts., Central District
Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org
KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.
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August 17, 2012
Re: Increase in Reward for Palparan
At first blush, it seems to be a positive step and should be welcomed by everyone desperate to see that justice is done. But ultimately it is not key or decisive.
The amount in the move is still too little and too late and is empty tokenism especially with the continuing killings, disappearances and other rights violations and impunity.
As long as he is coddled by the people who sympathize with his warped sense of duty and right and as long as Pnoy desists or defaults from clear, strong and decisive use of its broad and extensive powers and resources to seriously and doggedly run versus rights violators, Palparan will continue to thumb his nose while playing golf.
Atty. Edre U. Olalia, NUPL secretary general ++639175113373
National Secretariat
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers(NUPL)
3F Erythrina Bldg., Maaralin corner Matatag Sts. Central District,Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.No.920-6660,Telefax No. 927- 2812
Email addresses:[email protected] and [email protected]
“Visit the NUPL at http://www.nupl.net/
