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Belying Armed Forces of the Philippines’ zero credibility on ‘zero rights violations’, Karapatan to submit complaints on forced evacuation and continued Extra Judicial Killing to the United Nations Human Rights Council

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Belying Armed Forces of the Philippines’ zero credibility on ‘zero rights violations’, Karapatan to submit complaints on forced evacuation and continued Extra Judicial Killing to the United Nations Human Rights Council

Karapatan Public Info Desk,  Press Statement, May 19  2012 – A few days before the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) undergoes the 2nd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Karapatan said that it will bring to the attention of the United Nations Human Rights Council the recent cases of forced evacuation and the continuing cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) in the Philippines, under the Noynoy Aquino government. The complaints will be submitted through the respective Special Rapporteurs on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions.

According to Cristina Palabay, Karapatan spokesperson, “we would specifically bring up the recent cases of forcible evacuation, indiscriminate firing, threats and intimidation and other rights violations that happened in the course of intense military operations in Bukidnon province, CARAGA region, and other provinces in the Philippines. The military operations are believed to be the government’s practices of clearing up the areas for, and silencing the people’s opposition against, large-scale corporate mining operations and the construction of a mega-dam project for the consumption of foreign owned corporations.”

Karapatan documented some almost 4,000 individuals who left their homes from August 2010 to October 2011 due to coercion and harassment of security forces. During the first quarter of 2012, some 6,500 individuals forcibly evacuated from their communities and sought temporary shelter elsewhere due to bombings and indiscriminate firing by soldiers who likewise occupied their villages and camped in village halls, day care and health centers and schools.

The continuing extrajudicial killing will also be brought out as a major concern in the complaint. Among the cases that will be highlighted is the killing of indigenous chieftain, Jimmy Liguyon, who was killed on March 5. In its individual report submitted for the Universal Periodic Review of the GPH, the group stated that there are 60 victims of EJKs (from July 2010 to October 2011) while military operations in the rural areas have resulted to “the torture, illegal arrests and detention, harassment and intimidation, closing down of NGO-supported schools and literacy programs, indiscriminate firing resulting to injury and death and forced evacuation of individuals.”

(For the full text of Karapatan’s Individual Submission for the UPR, please refer to this link: http://karapatan.org/Karapatan+Submission+UPR)

Palabay said that “the AFP has zero credibility especially in terms of human rights protection and realization. Its claim that its units have not been involved in any case of human rights violations is sheer lie that stems from Noynoy Aquino’s attempt to deodorize the brutality of its counterinsurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan and disassociate this from the bloody Oplan Bantay Laya of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The increasing number of cases and victims of rights violations committed with impunity are proofs that contradict the government’s claim.”

Palabay and Karapatan chairperson Marie Hilao Enriquez are members of the Philippine UPR watch delegation, who are slated to monitor and conduct activities in time for the UPR of the Philippines on May 29 at the UNHRC in Geneva, Switzerland.

Reference: Cristina Palabay, Spokesperson, +63917-5003879, Angge Santos, Media Liaison, +63918-9790580

Stop the killings in the Philippines!
End Impunity Now!
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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
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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.

Philippine report to UN: no improvement in economic rights situation in PH

ICHRP Secretariat
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Philippine report to UN: no improvement in economic rights situation in PH

MEDIA RELEASE, 18 May 2012 – The economic rights situation in the country has continued to deteriorate since the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) conducted its rights review on the Philippines in 2008.

The official government report for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) admits as much in evidently being unable to give any data on improvements in the economic and social conditions of Filipinos. The report instead only mentions recycled policies and programs which is alarming because these are what cause the problem to begin with, according to research group IBON.

IBON, which submitted an alternative report to the UPR together with other rights groups, said that the recent economic growth has been relatively fast historically but has been exclusionary. The benefits have been going to a few big business-dominated sectors of the economy such as electronics export, business process outsourcing, oil, power, water and mining. Moreover, it is not producing decent livelihood for the largest part of the population, said IBON.

The group added that the rising number of poor Filipinos has been obscured by lowering the official poverty line. Hunger and malnourishment, however, are unambiguously worsening. Inequality is at least as severe as in the 1980s and, as it is, the income of the top 1% of families is as much as that of the bottom 30% of households, IBON noted.

The number of jobless Filipinos continues to rise every year and 2001-2010 is already the worst decade of recorded unemployment in the country’s history, aside from millions more in poor quality work. Workers suffer wages that have been flat in real terms for a decade now, said IBON. Meanwhile, the equivalent of one-fourth of the country’s labor force has had to go abroad to find work.

The national government moreover is not channelling enough resources to address backlogs in education, health and housing. According to IBON, spending on these as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) has continued to drop. In health for instance, falling government spending on health is resulting in rising out-of-pocket spending which belies claims of Universal Health Care (UHC). Infant mortality is improving but it is still high compared to the country’s Asian neighbors. Yet mortality rates for the poorest are many times that of those at the highest income levels.

Millions of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable are effectively beyond public social insurance or safety nets. The conditional cash transfer (CCT) and other social protection programs only provide short-term and partial relief for selected poor families.

According to IBON, the situation has not improved amid unreformed government policies. Development policies in the country, including the Philippine Development Plan (2011-2016) continue to rely on foreign investment, exports, debt and the free market. The group, however, stressed that taking steps in building the domestic economy and ensuring social welfare through responsible state intervention will address mass poverty, joblessness and forced migration. #

IBON Foundation, Inc., IBON Center 114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City Philippines
Phone:  (632) 927-6986/927-7060 to 62|Fax: 929-2496| E-mail: media@ibon.org
|http://www.ibon.org

IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues.

Groups score PH rights report to UN: All rhetoric, no real gains

ICHRP Secretariat
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Groups score PH rights report to UN: All rhetoric, no real gains

PRESS RELEASE, May 18, 2012 – On May 29 this year, the Philippine government’s human rights record will come under scrutiny by member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council. While the Philippine government paints a picture of an improved human rights situation in the country, Philippine human rights groups are saying otherwise. And rights advocates are going to Geneva, Switzerland to present their case before the international community.

Philippine UPR Watch, a network of human rights, faith-based and people’s organizations engaging in the Universal Periodic Review process of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), today said that “despite government human rights rhetoric, extrajudicial killings continue unabated and abject poverty has been increasingly pronounced since the last review cycle of the Philippines in 2008.”

In a press conference prior to the departure of the Phil. UPR Watch delegation for the United Nations in Switzerland, Fr. Rex RB. Reyes, co-head of the delegation and general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), said that the alternative reports they submitted to the UNHRC outlined the continuing violations of the political, civil, and socio-economic rights and the non-compliance of the GPH to its rights treaty obligations.

“It has been four years since the first UPR on the Philippines and the human rights situation in the country manifests no real improvement. The climate and culture of impunity still reign. The whole world knows of the failure of the Aquino government to bring to justice human rights violators like Gen. Jovito Palparan and of the horrendous, less than 1% conviction rate of perpetrators of political killings on top of the snail-paced justice system. These are not things the Philipine government can be proud of before the international community,” Reyes commented.

Marie Enriquez, co-head of the delegation and Karapatan chairperson, chided the Armed Forces of the Philippines with its recent statements that its troops have not committed rights abuses in the past four months. “Such declarations are farthest from the truth as, on the ground, the horrid human rights situation remains, with such impunity, as there have been 76 extrajudicial killings and hundreds of rights violations perpetrated by the AFP, its paramilitary units and the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the Aquino presidency,” she stated.

According to Karapatan, among these 76 cases of EJKs are the killings of Aklan Municipal Councilor and Bayan Muna coordinator Fernando Baldomero; internationally renowned botanist Dr. Leonard Co; Italian missionary Fr. Fausto Tentorio; and of late, Higaonon leader Jimmy Liguyon. All of these cases remain pending either at the prosecutorial or court levels, while the state security forces and masterminds accountable for these crimes have yet to be put behind bars nor convicted.

KARAPATAN asserts “that the Aquino administration failed to render justice to victims and families of victims of human rights violations under the Arroyo government. In his more than one year in office, the government did not initiate filing of cases for human rights violations against known perpetrators, including former President Arroyo. It was the through the victims’ and their relatives’ credits that civil and criminal suits were filed against Arroyo and various military officers including the notorious General Jovito Palparan, Jr.”

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes pointed out that these violations on civil and political rights have always been consequences of clear violations of the socio-economic and cultural rights of the people.

“The Philippine government will report on how good its dole-out projects are. However, the world has witnessed the violent demoltion of homes in Metro Manila, including one that resulted in the death of a 19-year old youth in Silverio Compound in Paranaque. The violations of the right to self-determination of indigenous peoples continue under large-scale foreign mining. It also doesn’t help that the President himself has opposed any significant legislated wage increase while promoting cheap labor through contractualization,” Reyes said.

“Economic rights form an integral part of human rights and the Philippines is a signatory to the Convention on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. The Philippine state will also have to be answerable to rising unemployment, poverty and hunger,” he added.

The network declared that “the Country Report is all so fine and nice on paper. There is this time not as much razzle dazzle and blaring trumpets that jump out of the paper to obscure the reality of a very bad human rights situation. In fact, the Report is as generally bland as it is largely meaningless to the victims.” #

References:
Fr. Rex RB Reyes, Co-Head of Delegation and NCCP General Secretary (0926-7048249)
Marie Hilao Enriquez, Co-Head of Delegation and Karapatan Chairperson (0917-5616800)
Renato Reyes, Bayan Secretary General (0928-5082902)
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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
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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.

PLEASE WRITE THE DOJ: An Urgent Appeal Of The Family Of Leonard Co

ICHRP Secretariat
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Dear friends,

Today, May 15, 2012, we are observing the 18th month of the killing of my  husband, Leonard Co. We are all still crying out for justice for Leonard’s untimely death and senseless killing, along with two of his companions, Julius Borromeo and Sofronio Cortez,on November 15, 2010 in Kananga, Leyte.

The panel of prosecutors formed by the DOJ had already finished the preliminary hearings in July 2011. It is now May 2012 and they have yet to come up with a resolution.

I am thus appealing to all of you, to all those who have loved, known and honored Leonard for his contributions in the field of science, botany and taxonomy, and to all those who believe that justice must be served:  Please help us urge the DOJ to release the resolution at the soonest time possible.

More than a year after Leonard was killed, celebrations of his life, as well as various activities that continue what he had started were organized one after another. I and my daughter, Linnaea Marie, are very grateful for all the outpourings  of love and respect you have given Leonard. Please give us the same strength as we call on the DOJ not to allow impunity to reign in the killing of Leonard and his companions.

We are learning the hard lesson that the clamor for justice is not easy to achieve, day by day. We continue to believe, however, that the DOJ resolution may pave the way in the arduous search for truth and justice and most importantly, in making the perpetrators accountable. We cannot bear to just wait while we know that after Leonard was killed, many more became victims of extrajudicial killings.

Please write the Department of Justice, and address your letters to Prosecutor General Claro A. Arellano and Secretary Leila M. De Lima. Let us flood their offices with snail mails, e-mails, phone calls and even SMS to remind them that we await the release of the resolution, and that we keep vigil on Leonard’s case.

On May 7, our daughter Linnaea Marie or Linmei, celebrated her 10th birthday. For a number of times, she was asked what was her birthday wish. Without hesitation, she said, “sana mabigyan na ng hustisya ang pagpatay ng mga sundalo sa tatay ko.”

Please help us fulfill this wish, however hard it may take.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours,

GLENDA F. CO
Wife of Leonard Co

ADDRESSES TO SEND LETTERS TO:

Department of Justice, Padre Faura Street, Malate, Manila, Republic of the Philippines, 1000Telephone: (02) 523-8481, (02) 523_6826Email: communications@doj.gov.phWebsite: www.doj.gov.ph

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

FRANCISCO F. BARAAN III, Undersecretary and Chair, DOJ special task force on extrajudicial killings., Direct Line No.: 521-8348, Telefax No.:526-2618, Trunkline No.: 523-8481 loc. 217/338, Email Address: ffbaraan@doj.gov.ph

CLARO A. ARELLANO, Prosecutor General, Telefax No. 525-0952, Direct Line No.: 525-0952, Trunkline No.: 523-8481 loc. 219, 281, Email Address: clarellano@lycos.c
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Hustisya National Office
2/F #1 Maaralin cor. Matatag Sts.
Central District, Diliman
Quezon City 1100 Philippines

Telephone: (02) 434-2837
Telefax: (02) 435-4146
Mobile: 0949-1772928, 0917-4881510
E-mail: hustisya.national@gmail.com

Militant groups expose worsening human rights situation in Quezon, announces formation of task force against militarization

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Militant groups expose worsening human rights situation in Quezon, announces formation of task force against militarization

PRESS RELEASE, 14 May 2012 –  Different sectoral groups from Southern Tagalog led by KARAPATAN-ST and KASAMA-TK today held a press conference to expose the worsening human rights situation in the southern part of Quezon, which they said was caused by intensifying militarization of the rural communities in the said area.

According to KARAPATAN-ST Secretary General Glenl Malabanan, Eight (8) combat battalions of the Army, the PNP and CAFGU are currently deployed in 22 towns of the 1st and 2nd district of Quezon alone.  She added that, in the history of counterinsurgency operations in Southern Tagalog, they believe this is the largest concentration of military forces in a relatively small area.

“We are alarmed at the real intention of this large scale militarization. While the AFP is saying that this is part of their efforts to crush down NPA rebels, it is the countryside civilians who become victims to human rights abuse by soldiers,” Malabanan said.

The group cited a case of abduction in March last year in Macalelon town. Unidentified armed men allegedly took Farmer Felix Balaston to the 85th Infantry Battalion’s camp. He remains missing to date.

Just recently, last March 22, 2012, some drunken members of the 74th Infantry Battalion were reported to have manhandled some youth in San Andres town. Other cases of threat, harassment, intimidation, illegal arrest and detention perpetrated against local farmers are also being verified by KARAPATAN-ST.

Malabanan slammed the Aquino government’s counterinsurgency program “Oplan Bayanihan” as the culprit behind the human rights abuse.

“Like its predecessor, Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya, Pres. Aquino’s ‘Bayanihan’ is targeting farmers and rural folks who struggle for land reform and are critical of government anti-people policies. We must not forget that under ‘Bantay Laya’ there have been 1,206 victims of extrajudicial killings, 206 enforced disappearances, and other human rights violations cases numbering in the thousands. What we see now is a repeat of this situation,” Malabanan said.

Meanwhile, Pedro “Tata Pido” Gonzales, secretary general of fisherfolk group PAMALAKAYA-ST and who hails from Quezon, said in the press conference that the protection of landlord and big business interests could be the real intention of the intensified militarization. He said that though Quezon is rich in agriculture, farmers suffer in the hands of landlords.  “Adding to this burden is the military acting out a private army for landlords and big businessmen,” he said.

KASAMA-TK Secretary General Orly Marcellana, also a native of Quezon, added that while farmers ask for land, the Aquino government replies with battalions of armies. “This proves that there is no difference between Aquino and Arroyo. Then, during the Arroyo regime, farmers call for land but are answered with brutality. Now, the situation remains the same,” he said.

The groups in the press conference announced the formation of a task force under the banner “Stop Militarization, Save the People of Quezon” with a rally on May 15 as its kick-off.

“May 15 is well-known for Pahiyas Festival in Quezon where we celebrate the feast day of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. While during this day we usually give our thanks for a bountiful harvest, our protest action tomorrow will show that there is no reason to celebrate because of the killings and injustices that we are experiencing,” Gonzales said.

The group said a satirical parade will highlight tomorrow’s rally where instead of being colorful, typical of a traditional fiesta parade, theirs will show the dark and brutal reality of the countryside because of militarization. ###

KARAPATAN-SOUTHERN TAGALOG
PRESS STATEMENT
14 May 2012

STOP MILITARIZATION, SAVE THE PEOPLE OF QUEZON!

The human rights group KARAPATAN-Southern Tagalog, along with the victims’ families and other sectoral organizations in the region, condemn in the strongest possible terms the unprecedented deployment of military in the province of Quezon, which has resulted to escalating human rights violations in the area. To date, at least 8 battalions of the Philippine Army have been operating in the Southern part of Quezon alone.

Units deployed in the area include Philippine Army’s 85th, 76th, 74th, 59th Infantry Battalions, 1st Special Forces of the Philippine Army, 201st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, CAFGU and 416th Provincial Police Mobile Group. While past administrations have also employed militarization in their counterinsurgency programs, the recent deployment in South Quezon is but alarming considering the concentrated number of military relative to the area it operates.

Quezon, specifically South Quezon and Bondoc Peninsula, can be considered as center of agricultural production where products such as coconut, corn, and grains abound. Minerals such as gold and petroleum also flourish in these areas. Development programs of both the government and private companies which include Bio-diesel in Gumaca, Mirant Powerplant Extension in Atimonan, and dam construction in Macalelon are also concentrated in South Quezon and Bondoc Peninsula. Touted as ‘Hacienda belt’, Bondoc Peninsula, meanwhile, has thousands of farm lands owned by the families Murray, Soleta, Estrada-Quizon, Tan, Reyes and Matias.

With these potential coupled with the agricultural blissfulness of the province, and the growing resistance of the locals particularly of the farmers, it is no wonder why the government has deployed that much number of military and police to South Quezon and Bondoc Peninsula.

A case of abduction in Macalelon town in March 27, 2011 was already reported to Karapatan. Unidentified armed men allegedly took farmer Felix Balaston to the 85th Infantry Battalion’s camp. He remains missing to date.

Just recently, last March 22, 2012, some drunk members of the 74th Infantry Battalion were reported to have manhandled some youth in San Andres town namely Rey Rodrigo (16 y/o), Reynaldo Delos Santos(18y/o) and Elmer Desuyo(21 y/o).

Other cases of threat, harassment, intimidation, illegal arrest and detention perpetrated against local farmers are also being verified by KARAPATAN-ST.

Army forces are currently stationed in houses and barangay (village) centers. Detachments are mounted in about 50 barangays in the rural areas of South Quezon. Several local farmers’ groups in South Quezon consistent in their struggle for genuine land reform against big landlords and businesses are now targeted by the military in their operations.

We call on the Aquino administration to immediately pull out the military and police troops deployed in South Quezon. While the government proudly banners its counter insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan in the name of ‘peace and development’ and continues to echo its mantra for the ‘respect for human rights’, farmers, workers, and other members of the basic sectors fighting for their democratic rights experience the most inhumane treatment from state forces.

We decry the brutality and manhandling of the military and police forces to the people of Quezon. It is unacceptable how those who have sworn to protect the interests of and defend the people are now the ones causing terror and sowing fear to them. The militarization in Quezon is not an isolated case. Elsewhere in the country, suppression of democratic and civil rights is blatant and prevalent. During the time of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, there were about 180 reported cases of extra judicial killings (EJKs), 32 enforced disappearances, and other atrocities in the Southern Tagalog region alone. The human rights situation has even exacerbated when President Aquino assumed position, with 16 cases of EJKs and 3 disappeared in the region. Not to mention the continuing crackdown and filing of trumped up charges against political activists.

If President Aquino is serious in bringing justice and long-lasting peace in the country, then we challenge him to investigate the human rights cases and put an end to these human rights abuses by denouncing its Oplan Bayanihan. He can never silence the growing unrest of the people. As his regime continuously deny the people of their basic rights and liberty, the oppressed people are left with no other choice but to stand up and fight.

We rally all peace loving citizens to unite in condemning this injustice and abuse done to our fellow men. We also call on everyone to support the anti-militarization and anti-fascist campaign in the region.

This is just the start. We vow to continue the struggle until all forms of human rights violations is stopped and justice is served to all victims.

EXPOSE AND OPPOSE OPLAN BAYANIHAN!
JUSTICE TO ALL VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!
MILITARY TROOPS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, OUT NOW!

Reference: Glenn Malabanan [09185682090]
Secretary-General, Karapatan-ST
Contact: Carmela Lagang (Media Liaison) [09166233176]
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PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publicinfo@karapatan.org
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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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