Home Blog Page 137

Mamasapano cover-up fuels conflict, people’s rage

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
Mamasapano cover-up fuels conflict, people’s rage

JOINT STATEMENT

“Systematic cover-up.” That sums up the main take away from the legislative hearings into the January 25 Mamasapano tragedy.As the nation commemorates the 40th day of the deaths of 44 Special Action Forces, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas and six civilians, we demand clear and transparent reports from the various bodies probing the Mamasapano clash.

As we pray for the tens of thousands of Maguindanao residents fleeing homes in the aftermath of Mamasapano, let us demand that those who stirred the cauldron of death and suffering be held into account for their actions.

Craven lapdogs

Leaders of the House of Representatives proved to be craven lapdogs of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III when they called off hearings after a lone session.

They made the decision after critical solons unearthed details showing Mr. Aquino’s role in the bloodshed. Even as they tried to bury the truth about Mamasapano, House leaders were summoned by Mr. Aquino to salvage the peace process he had torn to shreds.

At the Senate, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police accused each other for the deaths of the SAFs. Senators egged on the clashing AFP and PNP officers. They paid scant attention on the other fallen, including six civilians, one of whom bore the marks of torture.

While senators dissected military strategies and tactics, a clear pattern emerge: a concerted effort to limit accountability to military and police officers, and suspended national police chief Allan Purisima.

Elevating Purisima

Allies of the President, especially Senate Franklin Drilon, clearly took their cues from a Chief Executive out to wash his hands of the blood of the fallen.

Mr. Aquino trained his hire on SAF Director Leo Napenas, accusing him of disobeying orders to coordinate with the AFP in the hunt for Malaysian Marwan and Usman Bassit.

The many officials of the military and civilian bureaucracies stalled as long as they could to hide the President’s exercise of direct oversight over the Mamasapano operations.

When Purisima’s role as head honcho of the Mamasapano operations could no longer be denied, Mr. Aquino tried to deflect responsibility by claiming his good friend had lied to him.

Most senators and the Mr. Aquino’s aides ignored the elephant in the room: That the Mamasapano tragedy stemmed from the President’s willful disregard of basic rules of accountability, and his insistence on favoring a disgraced police chief, to the extent of shutting out key officers who could have prevented the debacle.

Simply put, there would have been no opportunity for Purisima to lie had the President made good his campaign promise of “tuwid na daan.”

Purisima was on preventive suspension, facing serious graft charges. The President, who presents himself as warrior in chief against corruption, decided his friend was exempt from standards of accountability. He kept top national security officials in the dark. He elevated Purisima above all others; gifted him with a parallel chain of command.

Sacrificed

The President sacrificed SAF men at the altar of law enforcement even as he spat at everything law enforcement stands for.

Various officials, from the Secretary of Justice to the Senate President, have tried to downplay the President’s role. Drilon has the gall to preempt the Senate’s investigative report, insisting no blame should be ascribed to the President.

Misguided, misled, misinformed. While he may have been all that, we warn lawmakers: Do not shield the President. Napenas answered only to Purisima and Mr. Aquino — because the President willed it.

There was also an effort to keep under wraps the full extent of the US’ role in Mamasapano. The shields of diplomacy, national security and the global war on terror must not be allowed to hamper the search for truth, including possible violations of admittedly flawed, unequal and unjust bilateral agreements.

Mamasapano is not just about 68 persons slain on January 25. Mamasapano is also about the thrashing of a fragile peace process. Above all, Mamasapano is a glaring example of the President’s willful violation of all tenets of good governance and accountability.

To ignore that would be a mockery of the Senate’s oversight functions. To ignore that would make lawmakers complicit in rewarding the corrupt.

Bsp. Deogracias Iñiguez
Atty. Vicente Joyas, President, Integrated Bar of the Philippines
Atty. Evalyn G. Ursua
Atty. Edre Olalia, Secretary General, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
Peachy Rallonza-Bretaña
Dr. Carol Araullo, Chairperson, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
Atty. Roel Pulido
Atty. Ernesto Francisco, Jr.
Dr. Ramon Paterno, Pagbabago – People’s Movement for Change

Karapatan calls for release of women political prisoners

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
Karapatan calls for release of women political prisoners

http://www.karapatan.org/Karapatan+calls+for+the+release+of+women+political+prisoners

“The Aquino government has no respect for women,” Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general said as their group and other organizations staged a picket protest in front of the Justice Department in preparation for the international women’s day.

“Among the 491 political prisoners, 43 of these are women who face criminal trumped up charges. We call on the Department of Justice to dismiss their cases and immediately release them,” Palabay said.

“This includes Andrea Rosal and Miradel Torres who are jailed in Taguig City Jail,” Palabay said.   Rosal and Torres are mothers who were pregnant during their arrests. Rosal gave birth to a girl only to lose her two days after. Torres had to fight to keep her son after birth and nurse him in jail.

Free all women political prisoners!
Free all women political prisoners!

“Women peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of The Philippines Wilma Austria-Tiamzon and Loida Magpatoc are also incarcerated. These women who exercise their right to take part in political affairs are contained in jails because they are unjustly seen as threat to the BS Aquino government,” Palabay said.

“Of the 224 victims of extrajudicial killings under the BS Aquino government, 18 are women victims, 3 girls were raped. None of these cases were solved in court, nor its perpetrators were put to jail,” Palabay said. “What good is this government if it cannot prosecute those who killed these women and keeps on arresting and jailing innocent but principled women?” Palabay said.

“Taking the lives of our sisters such as Cristina Jose, a leader of typhoon survivors, and many young girls in communities struggling for land is an unforgiveable offense. We will stand with the rest of the women and the Filipino nation on March 8 to call for BS Aquino’s resignation,” Palabay concluded.

Reference:
Cristina “Tinay” Palabay
Secretary General
+63917-3162831

Angge Santos
Media Liaison
+63918-9790580

———————————————————————
PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
———————————————————————

Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2nd Floor Erythrina Building
#1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets
Central District, Diliman
Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org

Displaced children bear brunt of conflict in southern Philippines

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
Displaced children bear brunt of conflict in southern Philippines

By JEF TUPAS, Davao City
http://www.ucanews.com

In December, gunmen shot and killed an indigenous village chief in the southern Philippines. Necasio Presioso died, activists say, because the Banwaon tribal leader vocally opposed the presence of government soldiers in his village.

Since then, former residents of the village he headed in Agusan del Sur province have evacuated en masse. They are fleeing clashes between government troops and communist rebels, the latest hostilities in a long-running insurgency centered on eastern Mindanao.

“It was a bad sign of more deaths to come, so we left,” Nini Sayasaya told ucanews.com.

Sayasaya was among 1,200 others from her area who escaped to a crowded evacuation center in the village of Balit, near San Luis town. When she left, however, she didn’t foresee that death would follow them.

On February 12, Sayasaya’s two-year-old son, Prenton, died. He had suffered from a fever for at least a month before then.

“We did not have the money to buy medicine or bring him to the hospital,” Sayasaya told ucanews.com.

She said at least four others from her group have also died this month: a three-year-old boy, a four-year-old boy, as well as an 18-year-old mother and her stillborn baby.

Amid ongoing military operations against communist rebels in the area, children from displaced indigenous communities continue to suffer.

“The Banwaons are in danger,” said Jun Santiago, a Redemptorist brother who heads the social apostolate of the congregation in the area. “The situation in the evacuation center is really bad.”

He said at least 50 people have fallen sick because of poor living conditions. The displaced villagers sleep on the ground in simple huts made of grass and plastic sheets.

Armed clashes have intensified in recent months, with communist rebels launching attacks against military targets. But many who work with indigenous communities say the government’s strategies have actually alienated the local population.

The government’s Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) program, which aims to convince villagers to stop extending support and resources to communist insurgents, is part of the government’s anti-insurgency program.

Rights groups, however, say COPD has become one of the main causes of human rights abuses. COPD operations include occupying community centers and public structures such as village health centers, community schools and houses, directly placing innocent civilians in harm’s way, activists say.

Santiago said soldiers have occupied highland villages and have actively tried to recruit men to fight for the government as part of the COPD.

Instead, the communities decided to flee, believing they would be more secure away from government troops.

However, Major General Eduardo Año, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, denied soldiers are in villages to terrorize communities.

“There is no truth to the allegations that soldiers are occupying civilian villages,” he said.

Congressman Lawrence Lemuel Fortun of the Caraga region said he would look into reports of rights abuses in the area. But, he warned, villagers will continue to be caught in the crossfire until there were genuine peace talks between the government and the communist New People’s Army rebels.

“Peace is the only way to address the issue,” he said. “We have to address the roots of the armed conflict.”

Between 2008 and 2012, as many as 44,000 people were displaced in eastern Mindanao alone, according to a 2013 report from the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Center.

According to the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines, up to 50 indigenous people have been killed by military and paramilitary groups since 2010 when President Benigno Aquino came to power and launched the anti-insurgency program.

Dolphin Ogan, secretary general of Kalumaran, a group representing indigenous peoples, blamed the program for the displacement of tribal communities. He said tribesmen who resist the presence of soldiers in their villages have become “primary targets” for military and paramilitary groups.

“The military are not only staying in houses in the community but they have also confiscated schools to use as barracks,” Ogan said, referring to November 2014 reports from rights groups that the military was using classrooms in at least five schools in southern Mindanao as bases for counter-insurgency operations. Military spokespeople have disputed such claims.

UN Human Rights Committee examines violent demolition in the Philippines

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
UN Human Rights Committee examines violent demolition in the Philippines

The United Nations Human Rights Committee officially registered the case of Garsain et al. v. The Philippines. The case challenges the Government of the Republic of the Philippines for the brutal forced eviction of the residents of Corazon de Jesus, a community in San Juan City, Metro Manila.

On January 11, 2012, one hundred twenty one (121) residents of Corazon de Jesus, San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines suffered a brutal forced eviction and saw their homes demolished. Joint forces of the Philippine National Police, PNP Special Weapons and Tactics, and a demolition team bombarded the residents with water canons, used a bulldozer to enter the community, and fired guns and threw teargas toward the residents and community. Policemen were armed with M14 and M16 rifles and .45 caliber firearms.

Since access to justice was denied in The Philippines, the complaint is asking the UN Human Rights Committee to hold the Government accountable to its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Complaint was brought by the residents with the assistance of Defend Job Philippines, a human rights organization based in the Philippines; the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, an international human rights NGO; and the International Human Rights Clinic at the New England University School of Law in the US.

According to Melona Repunte Daclan of Defend Job Philippines, “The Corazon de Jesus community has resorted to international human rights law to seek accountability for these egregious human rights violations because the courts in the Philippines have refused to enforce the human rights laws that are to protect the citizens of the Philippines.”

Bret Thiele, Co-Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, added that “international scrutiny is necessary to bring to an end the impunity with which forced evictions are carried out in the Philippines, and we hope this case not only provides accountability and remedies to those bringing the claim, but puts an end to forced evictions in the Philippines altogether.”

Aside from the Corazon de Jesus residents, Glenda Leonor, mother of Arnel Leonor, a young man killed during a demolition in Silverio Compound, is also a complainant to the submission along with Mary Homo, wife of Antonio Homo who was killed in the midst of the struggle of their community in Navotas against forced eviction and home demolitions. Roy Velez and Amelita Bravante, trade union leaders and advocates of urban poor rights and currently facing fabricated criminal charges, are also complainants.

Daclan stressed that demolitions and forced evictions is a policy of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, represented by the current administration of Benigno Aquino III, to give way to mega-development projects and other business projects. Indeed, Defend Job Philippines and Demolition Watch have documented more than 73,000 families who were forcibly evicted and had their homes demolished as of February 2014.

The UN Human Rights Committee is an impartial, independent human rights mechanism sitting in Geneva, Switzerland, and is mandated with ensuring compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Philippines became a party to the Covenant in 1986 and three years later voluntarily accepted the Individual Complaint mechanism whereby victims of human rights violations can seek to hold States accountable to their human rights obligations and seek remedies when those obligations are violated.

“We are hopeful that through this international human rights mechanism, the Philippine Government shall be held accountable, demolition of communities be stopped and that the rights of the people be truly protected and promoted.” Daclan ended.

The complainants’ submission can be seen HERE.

Melona R. Daclan
Campaign Director, Defend Job Philippines
Telephone:3535760
Mobile: +639267856299 and +639289069223
Website: www.defendjobphilippines.wordpress.com & www.demolitionwatch.wordpress.com

Defend Job Philippines is a member of International Network for Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR Network)

BS Aquino, US governments criminally accountable in Mamasapano carnage

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
BS Aquino, US governments criminally accountable in Mamasapano carnage

“The United States government and BS Aquino are criminally accountable for the death of innocent civilians and the 44 men of the Special Action Force commandos on the mission to kill Zulkifli bin Hir known as “Marwan”, a US-identified enemy. The truth about the culpability of both Aquino and the US governments is clear. BS Aquino should stop foot dragging and start owning up to his responsibility in the carnage,” said Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan chairperson.

Recent news reports confirmed the US’ hand on Oplan Wolverine, now named “Oplan Exodus,” by providing training facility, logistics, funds for the operation, even intelligence, and running the tactical command during the operation. “Habang ginagawang bala sa kanyon ang mga sundalo nito, walang habas ding pinagpapatay ang mga sibilyan sa lugar,” [While these soldiers are treated as cannon fodder, the civilians in the community are being mercilessly slaughtered.] Hilao-Enriquez said, citing the People’s fact finding mission report in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

“The BS Aquino government did not only sacrifice more than a platoon of its men to satisfy US’ obsession on Marwan but he also surrendered our country to the US forces, in the guise of an anti-terror campaign,” Hilao-Enriquez said.

The “confession” of a Special Action Force officer to the media strengthened the mission’s report that drones were seen in the SAF operation to get Marwan. Many civilians interviewed by the fact-finding team told that drones twinkled the night before the carnage happened. “It is the US government who has drones and uses them on their targets,” Hilao-Enriquez added. Residents of affected communities also reported that at least one “puti” (Caucasian) was killed among the 44 SAF members.

Conducted by various people’s organizations and non-government organizations, peace advocates and human rights organization, the mission documented the killing of a young girl, Sarah Pananggulon, eight years old, who instantly died in her house during the PNP-SAF’s indiscriminate firing at exactly 4 a.m. of January 25. Her other family members were wounded. Badrudin Langalan, 18 years old, was on his way to Tukanalipao proper to charge his cellular phone when elements of the PNP-SAF hogtied and killed him.

Meanwhile, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao-Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART) reported the death of Mursid Hasim and Mohammad Ambilang, also by the PNP-SAF.

“We fear that with existing lopsided agreements with the United States government, the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), and the recently signed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), carnage such this will happen again. The US government can invent terrorists or even resurrect dead terrorists to justify commando operations against Moro and non-Moro communities struggling for self-determination,” Hilao-Enriquez said.

“It is for us Filipinos to break this chain. Let us call to junk VFA and other lopsided agreements with the US. BS Aquino has once again proven himself to be nothing but a mere puppet of the US Imperialist. Filipinos do not need puppets and inutile leaders such as him,” Hilao-Enriquez ended.

Reference:
Marie Hilao-Enriquez
Chairperson
+63917-5616800

Angge Santos
Media Liaison
+63918-9790580

———————————————————————
PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
———————————————————————
Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
2nd Floor Erythrina Building
#1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets
Central District, Diliman
Quezon City, PHILIPPINES 1101
Telefax: (+63 2) 4354146
Web: http://www.karapatan.org

1...136137138...262Page 137 of 262