DONATE
Home Blog Page 194

A Father’s Plea

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0

July 31, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS,

Political prisoner Ericson Acosta is in need of medical attention. Please forward, blog, tweet and share this letter of appeal from the Acosta family. We also encourage everybody to write to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to request the resolution of the Ericson Acosta case review which has been pending for almost a year. You may also address appeals to concerned government officials to drop trumped-up charges against Ericson and effect his immediate release. Please see attached materials for information on Ericson.

I am Isaias Acosta, father of detained artist and activist Ericson Acosta. I am writing this while I recuperate from a minor surgery pending further medical tests. Prior to my operation, I was all set for another visit to the sub-provincial jail in Calbayog City, Samar where my son has been detained for more than a year now.

I am now 79 years old, not in the best of health but would not pass up a chance to visit Ericson if I could help it. My wife, Liwayway, is turning 80 this year. She would have gone to Calbayog without me but she can hardly walk without support.
We are both physically suffering due to our respective conditions but nothing compares to the torment of knowing that our son continues to be unjustly imprisoned.

My recent medical setback ironically and agonizingly emphasizes the reason behind our intended urgent visit. Lately, Ericson had been complaining of a nagging pain in his abdomen and lower back. The pain, he says, intensifies whenever he urinates. Now he has also noticed spots of blood in his urine. My cousin, Ericson’s uncle, displayed similar symptoms before he succumbed to prostate cancer.

Ericson rarely complains when he is sick. Even when he was arrested last year, his first words to me were, “Daddy, huwag kayo’ng mag-alala. (please don’t worry)” He always tells his mother not to fuss over him. Ganyan si Ericson. Hindi niya iniinda hangga’t kaya niya. (That is Ericson. He would not complain if he can still bear it) Once when he was still in grade school, he waited until a “stomach ache” had become too unbearable before he finally told us to take him to the hospital. It turned out he immediately needed to undergo an appendectomy. The doctor said we got there in the nick of time.

Ericson’s last check-up two years ago revealed a renal function abnormality and a possible prostate affliction. So as soon as we received word that he is in pain, we arranged for a visit and asked our lawyers to immediately file a motion before the court seeking urgent medical attention for my son.

We had to skip the visit because of my condition. But after we filed the motion, we were told that the judge in charge of his case had just retired. How long would it take until a new judge is installed? It is as if our frustration with the slow resolution of Ericson’s case is not enough. We are once again left bereft of immediate legal options.

I write this letter of appeal to the jail warden, to the Department of Justice, to Secretary Leila de Lima, and to all other concerned branches of government. I am an old man with no shortage of illnesses as expected of anyone my age, but I would gladly forfeit any trip to the doctor if it could only be traded for much-needed medical treatment for my son. His mother and I fear that his latest hunger strike has further worsened his condition. Ericson must get the medical attention he needs.

I am writing this letter a few days after former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was released on a million-peso bail. I cannot but be distressed by the continuing prejudice of our justice system against my son and other political prisoners like him.

Arroyo was placed under hospital arrest in consideration of her illness. Si Arroyo, sa kabila ng kanyang mga kasalanan sa taumbayan, ay pinayagang manatili sa de-aircon na ospital, regular na inaasikaso ng mga doktor at nars gamit ang buwis ng mamamayan. Ngayon siya’y pinalaya pa. Si Ericson at iba pang tulad niya na ang tanging kasalanan ay magsakripisyo para sa maliliit na tao, nasa kawawang kalagayan at hindi kinikilala ang mga karapatan. (Arroyo, in spite of her numerous crimes against the people, was allowed to stay in an air-conditioned hospital, taken cared of by doctors and nurses paid by the hard earned taxes of the people. Now, she has even been set free. Ericson and all  others like him whose only “misdeed” is to sacrifice for the marginalized people are in a pitiful state, deprived of their basic rights.)

No, we do not seek preferential treatment like Arroyo. What we demand is that Ericson and all other political prisoners – who are ailing precisely because of dismal prison conditions – also be accorded the right to medical attention as necessary.

We appeal to all freedom-loving citizens and human rights advocates to once again help us in our latest plea for Ericson. During these disconcerting times, we shall continue to fight for Ericson’s release from detention. We add our voices to all others whose sons and daughters are unjustly imprisoned – free all political prisoners.

Yours,
ISAIAS P. ACOSTA

Free All Political Prisoners!
Details for letter-writers:

Department of Justice
Padre Faura Street,
Malate, Manila,
PHILIPPINES, 1000
Telephone: (02) 532-8481, (02) 523-6826
Email: communications@doj.gov.ph
Website: www.doj.gov.ph

LEILA M. DE LIMA
Secretary, DOJ
Telefax: 523-9548
Direct Line: 521-1908
Trunkline: 523-8481 loc. 211, 214
Email: lmdelima@doj.gov.ph; lmdelima_doj@gmail.com

H.E. Benigno Simeon Aquino III
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace
JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Voice: (+632) 735-6201 / 564-1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph

Directory of Philippine consulates and embassies:
http://dfa.gov.ph/main/index.php/about-the-dfa/rp-embass
consulates-a-rcos/phl-embassies-and-consulates-general

—
Please sign the ONLINE PETITION for Ericson Acosta’s immediate release
http://www.change.org/petitions/release-detained-filipino-artist-ericson-acosta-now

FREE ERICSON ACOSTA!
FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

Please visit these links:

FEAC Facebook page
JAILHOUSE BLOG: Ericson Acosta’s Prison Diary
Free Ericson Acosta Campaign Blog

—
Cristina “Tinay” Ellazar Palabay
Spokesperson, Karapatan and Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women) – Philippines
Focal Person, Women In Politics Programme, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
Email: noztalzia2@gmail.com
Mobile number: +639175003879

In Honor of Ninoy: President Benigno Simeon Aquino III urged to grant presidential amnesty for political prisoners on Ninoy Aquino day

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0

Press Release, 1 August 2012 – In a few weeks Ninoy Aquino Day will be observed on August 21, commemorating the anniversary of the 1983 assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. On this occasion, the Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa (PSNA) reiterates appeal for Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III to grant presidential amnesty to all political prisoners.

Did Ninoy Aquino die in vain? In honor of Ninoy, we believe Pnoy must do everything in his power to release all those unjustly detained and stop the continuing political assassinations.

PSNA together with church, community, trade union and human rights advocacy groups in New Zealand and Australia have noted in a joint letter to the president: Considering that your family also suffered when your father was unjustly incarcerated and eventually assassinated by the Marcos dictatorship, we are disappointed that you continue to ignore the pleas of the families of those unjustly detained and tortured in prisons.

PSNA has been in existence since the early 1980s. We New Zealanders engaged in lobbying our own government to press the Marcos dictatorship to stop the massive political killings, enforced disappearances, torture and illegal arrests. Nearly three decades after the 1983 Aquino assassination, and even after democracy was supposedly restored after the 1986 People Power, we are dismayed over the persistent human rights abuses in the Philippines’ post-Marcos era.

In addition to the hundreds of victims of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and illegal detentions under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, such atrocities have continued under Aquino’s watch, including the killings of Italian priest Fr. FAUSTO TENTORIO and Dutch missionary WILHELMUS JJ LUTZ GEERTMAN.

We seek assurance for justice to be served to all the human rights victims and the perpetrators punished. We are seriously concerned about the safety of Filipino community advocates as well as foreign missionaries including Australians and New Zealanders who are involved with local community groups working for the empowerment of urban and rural poor Filipinos.

In the eyes of the international community, the sorry state of Philippines’ human rights reflects the sorry state of the nation. With the former president Arroyo allowed to evade accountability for crimes of electoral fraud, plunder and human rights abuses, and now with his own record of 99 extra-judicial killings and over 100 new political prisoners in 2 years, and with the worst human rights offenders like Jovito Palparan still on the loose, it’s hard to believe that Mr. Aquino is taking the ‘righteous path’ as he promised two years ago.

Full text of the letter to Pres. Aquino > http://aps-nz.org/2012/07/22/human-rights-challenge-to-pres-aquino-open-letter-from-australia-and-nz/

Free All Political Prisoners!
End Impunity Now!
Reference:
Murray Horton
Secretary, PSNA – cafca@chch.planet.org.nz

Another Open Letter to President Benigno Aquino: “Look Them Straight in the Eye”

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0

31 July 2012 – Your much-acclaimed State of the Nation Address, “Report Kay Boss,” last July 23 was a big disappointment. On your third SONA, you never even mentioned the white elephant in the room – the human rights situation in the Philippines.

Human Rights violation data (Karaptan) show that during the Arroyo administration, there were 1,205 extra-judicial killings and 206 enforced disappearances. The data also show that in the two years of your administration, there were an additional documented 99 extra-judicial killings and 11 enforced disappearances. These cases do not include the countless number of victims of threats, political vilification, evacuations, torture, rape, and illegal detention. International human rights bodies have similarly documented these violations.

And there was not a word of mention in that address. What does this mean, Mr. President? Does this mean that the concerns of the families of these victims of human rights violations are not important enough to merit attention? Does this not fit your scenario of “where a citizen is oppressed, he will find (you) an ally”? From your speech, I am guessing that it does not.

Does this mean that you are now tacitly in agreement with these military terror tactics? After two years of inaction on your part, the families of the victims of the killings and disappearances are now drawing that conclusion. In her 2006 SONA, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared this sentiment when she publicly praised General Jovito Palparan, a notorious human rights violator. Right after your last SONA, you did a similar thing – you designated the Morong 43 torturer Col. Aurelio Balabad to a division command post. I am guessing that you are indeed encouraging these terror tactics.

Or does this also mean that you are so afraid of the military that you dare not mention their dark deeds? You talked tough against corrupt police officials coddled by illegal loggers, but you were meek as a mouse about the bloody acts arising from the military’s Oplans Bantay Laya and Bayanihan. I am guessing that you do not truly believe that the people are your “bosses” because, as I see it, you have higher bosses.

As one of the families of the victims of extra-judicial killings, and on the anniversary of the killing of my wife, I challenge you to “look (us) in the eye” and tell us that my guesses are wrong.

(Sgd) Chandu Claver
Husband of Alice Claver
Extra-judicial Killing Victim (July 31, 2006)
chandu_claver@yahoo.com
http://www.canadaphilippinessolidarity.org

Killings of activists must end in the Philippines: CIVICUS and Karapatan

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0

Johannesburg, 30 July 2012: Global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Philippine-based national human rights organisation, Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights, urge the Philippines government to end persecution and extrajudicial killings of human rights defenders, and to carry out fair and independent investigations into all cases of extrajudicial killings and disappearances.
President Benigno Aquino III has promised to “resolve cases of extrajudicial executions and other violations of human rights.” Nevertheless, genuine reform to ensure the protection of civil society members continues to be lacking. The government continues to implement Executive Order 546, which allows the use of paramilitary forces and private militias to spearhead its controversial counter-insurgency programme, Oplan Bayanihan.

According to Karapatan, 99 instances of extrajudicial killing and 11 cases of enforced disappearance have been documented since President Aquino assumed office in June 2010. The majority of the victims have been farmers, indigenous peoples and activists advocating for land rights and environmental protection. Additionally, it is reported that at least 385 political prisoners continue to languish in prisons as a result of exercising the key civil society freedoms – freedom of expression, association and assembly.

“The rate at which human rights defenders are being killed in the Philippines is shocking,” says Mandeep Tiwana, Policy and Advocacy Manager at CIVICUS. “If the government is serious about its stated commitment to end rights violations, then it must withdraw the state of impunity that exists for military officials and members of government sponsored militias.”

Recently two prominent civil society activists were assassinated and an advocate for indigenous peoples’ rights was detained, further raising concerns about the ability of civil society to operate in the Philippines. On 3 July 2012, Willem Geertman, Executive Director of CSO Alay Bayan-Luzon Inc., a citizen’s disaster response group in Central Luzon, was murdered in his office compound. Days earlier, on 30 June, Romualdo Palispis, chair of the human rights organisation Justice and Peace Action Group in Aurora, was gunned down in front of his home. Both men were leaders in the campaign against corporate mining and logging and were actively engaged in mobilising opposition to the development of Aurora Province as a designated economic zone. On 4 July, Agnes Mesina, a volunteer for the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines Cagayan, was arrested during a meeting with a congressman. She is actively involved in campaigns against large-scale mining.

CIVICUS and Karapatan urge the Philippines government to uphold its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by: (i) ensuring thorough and independent investigation and fair prosecution of cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances; (ii) enacting legislation criminalising involuntary disappearances as a distinct crime and ratifying the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons against Enforced Disappearance; (iii) issuing executive orders to security forces and government sponsored militia groups to allow safe exercise of the freedoms of association, expression and assembly by citizens.

The statement may also be viewed via this URL:
https://civicus.org/en/media-centre/press-releases/1007-killings-of-activists-must-end-in-the-philippines-civicus-and-karapatan-

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

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.

Aquino’s warped sense of justice – GMA freed; torturer promoted, impunity ignored

ICHRP Secretariat
-
0
Aquino’s warped sense of justice – GMA freed; torturer promoted, impunity ignored

July 27, 2012 – “And so this is justice under Aquino —  torturers are given plum positions in the military, and the rich, powerful and notorious human rights violators like Palparan and Arroyo are mockingly free as preying vultures. No wonder, Noynoy deliberately omitted anything on human rights and peace in his SONA, a tacit and dangerous signal for state security forces to continue to prowl, with terror and violence against the people.”

Thus said Karapatan spokesperson Cristina Palabay, after news came out on the court resolution granting bail for former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the designation of Morong 43 torturer Col. Aurelio Baladad as acting commanding officer of the 9th Infantry Division of the Phil. Army, shortly after Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). In his SONA, Aquino heralded the state of “justice” under his administration.

Karapatan supported the Morong 43 health workers who filed criminal and civil charges against Arroyo and Baladad, and the mothers of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno who also filed criminal cases against Palparan resulting to the issuance of an arrest warrant. The group also filed an opposition to the appointments of Gen. Jorge Segovia and Baladad at the Commission on Appointments based on the pending complaints against them.

“It is reprehensible that a former President and military generals, whose notoriety on human rights violations has been condemned by the Filipino and the international community, are now both walking free from accountability. The crooked path of impunity lies under Aquino,” Palabay added.

The group also scored the series of moves to cover up the liabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the extrajudicial killing of Italian missionary Fr. Fausto Tentorio and Dutch development worker Willem Geertman. Prior to Aquino’s SONA, the PNP investigators have stated robbery as the main motive behind the killing of Geertman, while paramilitary elements were excluded by the Dept. of Justice from the list of suspects in the killing of Tentorio.

“These are among the cases of extrajudicial killings that all remain unsolved under Aquino.  Again, it begs the question: what kind of justice is Aquino harping on in his SONA? Clearly, it is the kind of justice that bears upon the poor and those working for meaningful changes in society, while promoting ‘justice’ for the moneyed and powerful,” Palabay concluded.  ###

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

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.

1...193194195...250Page 194 of 250