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NUPL on Palparan’s being a fugitive from justice

ICHRP Secretariat
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Press Statement – In light of Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan’s being a fugitive from justice, his remarks to Judge Teodora Gonzales who issued the warrant of arrest against him, and his criticisms on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Atty. Edre Olalia said:

“Palparan is hopelessly incorrigible and his braggadocio is incomparable. The highest military officer ever criminally indicted for human rights violations is now spewing veiled threats versus the judge and venom versus the justice secretary. He has done that to anyone who stands in his way. He must now turn himself in to the authorities and stop being the coward and heartless creature that he really is. He tried to sneak out of the country while the whole nation was sadly riveted by a horrible calamity of tragic proportions. He should face the music and leave the lawyering to his counsels.”

Atty. Olalia is the Secretary General of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) and a member of the panel of private prosecutors in the criminal case against Palparan involving the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.

Press Statement, December 19, 2011, NUPL on Palparan’s attempt to leave the country

Atty. Edre U. Olalia, NUPL secretary-general, on the reported attempt of Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan to leave the country this morning:

Days after the release of the DOJ resolution implicating him in the disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, the bid of Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan to sneak out of the country is a manifest attempt to flee justice.

Flight is an indication of guilt. The poster boy of GMA-sanctioned heinous rights violations is obviously pulling a fast one again. He has been lying through his teeth for the longest time and everything that comes out of his mouth is a barefaced lie. As he is guilty as hell, Palparan’s arrest must be done with dispatch. He is as remorseless as he is cunning and arrogant. This latest stunt patently shreds off any of his pretensions.

Press Statement, December 16, 2011, Arrest Palparan and His Cohorts

More than five years and five months after the disappearance of Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, the DOJ found probable cause to the charges against Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario and Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio. Finally, Palparan and his cohorts in the military will be tried in court for the crime of Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention of the 2 UP students.

Holding Palparan for trial is long overdue amidst the several crimes he perpetrated against activists and those who espouse dissent amidst injustice. While this is just the start of a long and rigorous trial to account Palparan for his crimes, this is a significant victory for human rights defenders and a big step towards ensuring respect for human rights in a country that has witnessed monstrous human rights violations in the past decade.

At long last, justice has caught up with Gen. Palparan and his ilk. The resolution sends a strong, clear and loud message to human rights violators that they cannot just get away with their inhumane acts and that there is no other place for them but behind bars. It should help abet the longstanding climate of impunity, the offspring of the anti-insurgency policy of the state that has no regard for human rights and the law.

We call for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and ask that the 2 UP students and other victims of enforced disappearances be surfaced. We shall continue to be determined to make other violators like former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other top civil, military and police officials accountable for their high crimes against the people.#

Reference: 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:nupl2007@gmail.com and nuplphilippines@yahoo.com
“Visit the NUPL  at http://www.nupl.net/

By calling yourselves the ‘people’s lawyer,’ you have made a remarkable choice. You decided not to remain in the sidelines. Where human rights are assaulted, you have chosen to sacrifice the comfort of the fence for the dangers of the battlefield. But only those who choose to fight on the battlefield live beyond irrelevance.”  Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, in his message to the NUPL Founding Congress,Sept. 15, 2007

Moro-Christian People’s Alliance on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

ICHRP Secretariat
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As nations all over the world commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) today, the Moro people in the Philippines have yet to experience the spirit and real intent of the UDHR in their lives.

On the contrary, the Moro people bear the brunt of continuous, systematic and large-scale human rights violations by the Philippine government’s “total war”, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism campaign. The previous Arroyo government implemented the brutal Oplan Bantay Laya and a culture of impunity reigned not only in Moro communities but throughout the country.

The 9-year Arroyo regime openly avowed an “all-out peace” policy to resolve the decades-old Moro armed rebellion. However, it launched two major devastating military offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2003 and 2008 that forcedly displaced hundreds of thousands of Moro civilians.

The Arroyo regime also declared a “state of lawlessness” in Basilan in 2001 in response to the acts of terrorism by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).  But hundreds of innocent Moro civilians became the victims of warrantless arrests and torture in the indiscriminate military crackdown on suspected ASG leaders and members.

For ten years now, more than 43 innocent Moro victims of Arroyo’s declaration in Basilan still languish in jail. These Moro detainees were arbitrarily arrested and charged with trumped up cases of terrorism.  For ten years now, they are forced to endure the almost inhumane prison condition, the sick and elderly lack medical care, and are imprisoned in an already condemned and unsafe prison facility. They have not received any special treatment from the government.

Their human rights have been violated and continuously violated many times over with their prolonged detention.

Yet former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrested on charges of electoral sabotage is given special treatment, her feigned illnesses given much concern and allowed to be detained at a luxurious presidential suite of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, at the expense of people’s taxes, by the Aquino government.

The Aquino government has the moral obligation to rectify the wrongs of the past administration. It should expeditiously prosecute and punish Arroyo for her abuse of power and gross human rights violations against the Filipino people. It should end the practice of arbitrary arrests, torture and illegal detention of innocent Moro civilians. It should immediately and unconditionally release all Moro political prisoners particularly those detained during the 2001 Basilan crackdown.

As long as justice continues to be denied to the Moro political prisoners, they remain victims of human rights violation under the Aquino administration. And for as long as the basic aspiration of the Moro people of their inalienable right to land and self-determination is not genuinely addressed by the Aquino administration,  the spirit  and intent of the UDHR will never be realized by the Moro people.###

Statement on the commemoration of International Human Rights (IHR) Day on 10th December 2011

ICHRP Secretariat
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December 2011 – Philippines Australia Solidarity Association (PASA), an organisation of individuals committed to promoting peace and social justice in the Philippines, Australia and in other parts of the world, celebrates the 63rd year of the United Nations’ declared International Human Rights day with hope and determination.

Since PASA’s founding in 2003, it has campaigned ceaselessly for Human Rights in the Philippines and Australia and advocated for human rights violations victims. PASA commemorates the IHR day yearly and welcomes it as an opportunity to update the public on the Human Rights situation in the Philippines and in Australia.  This IHR day also serves to highlight the experiences of victims of human rights abuses.

Philippine government administrations since the Marcos regime of the 1970s has assured us that there is no shortage of victims of human rights abuses. Even the current administration, on which many Filipinos pinned their hopes, is no different from its predecessors in abusing its citizens. In just 16 months of rule, the Aquino administration added to the list of victims with sixty four extrajudicial killings and nine enforced disappearances.
Militarization in the countryside motivated by the massive exploitation of lands by big foreign companies for its natural resources impacts on the rise in human rights violation.  Mining companies are protected by the Philippine government military personnel, in addition to being allowed private armies that patrol their sites.  As a result, many Filipinos are displaced, driven out of their lands and their means of living destroyed depriving them their very basic right to food, shelter and security of life.

Overseas Filipinos, representing more than ten percent of the Philippine population especially the overseas Filipino workers (OFW), also experience abuses.  They expect the Philippine government to protect their rights as Filipino citizens wherever they may be. Philippine President Noynoy Aquino promises to the OFW’s are yet to be fulfilled.

In September this year, PASA sent letters to Australian Parliamentarians and senators expressing concern about Human rights violation in the Philippines. In the letter PASA asked the Australian government to raise the issue of HR to the Philippine President Benigno Aquino Jr, review the military aid and financial support to the Philippine government given that the Philippine Military is implicated in majority of the Human Rights violations. PASA also requested that Australia support the peace process between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Philippines.

Many of the responses from Australian Federal politicians mentioned that they are happy to be updated of the issue; that they have referred the matter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd; and that they will ensure that the issue of human rights in the Philippines is addressed by the Australian government.

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd, in his reply to PASA’s letter gave assurance that the Australian Government is promoting the respect for human rights in the Philippines; that Australia is conducting training of the Philippine Military and the course includes the emphasis on the rule of law, individual and command responsibility, the law on armed conflict, detainee handling and rules of engagement.  The Minister also accepted that there is more work to be done to ensure that the Philippine government protects all its citizens.

We are confident that the Philippine Military knows and understands its duties and responsibilities to the people it is supposed to protect. They just ignore them and abuse their positions because the Philippine government allows the culture of impunity to continue.

PASA is committed to pursuing the respect for human rights in the Philippines and in Australia. It is vigorously interested in pursuing genuine peace and justice. ###

May Kotsakis                                                          Andrew Morrison
Co-Chairpersons
Email: maykotsakis@yahoo.com.au            Email: osipino@optusnet.com.au
Ph. 0411 406700                                                  Ph. 0415 365109

Aquino administration perpetuates double standard of justice

ICHRP Secretariat
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Press Statement – Baseless arrests, brutal dispersals, inaction on human rights violations, and kid-gloves treatment of GMA – Aquino administration perpetuates double standard of  justice

The recent actions of the Aquino administration has shown not only lack of empathy for the ordinary people, but perpetuate a double standard of justice.
The demonstrations in Mendiola over the past days seeking fundamental reforms are treated as if they were presumptively criminal, instead of legitimate exercises of  the basic right to freedom of speech, and to assemble peaceably and petition the government for redress of grievances.
The baseless arrests and brutal dispersal of protesters is a sign of pathetic paranoia by “law enforcement” agents. The police have been overzealous and grossly abused their power, even filing fantastic charges for sedition that did not hold water.

Perhaps Malacanang’s definition of “maximum tolerance” is misplaced. In principle, it was designed to be in favor of the rallyists, and it means that police must observe the highest degree of restraint during a public assembly. It is not a privilege that Pnoy and his spokesperson imperiously endow on the citizens. The Aquino administration has only acted otherwise: it quickly mobilized nine trucks of policemen and resorted to physical mauling and deprivation of liberty to restrain protesters.

Also, slow action, and most times, inaction, on human rights violations cultivate a climate of impunity where violators get away with crimes. Former president Gloria Arroyo, infamous for craft and cunning, could escape accountability, given this administration’s ambivalence and  even sloth in filing strong cases against her.  Any slower and further fidgeting and Aquino himself would be accessory to her offenses. Any current intramurals among the political and economic elite obscures signs of eventual accommodation and compromise.

PNoy should stop being confused with how to treat Arroyo. It is not the government’s responsibility to give her peace of mind, provide her conveniences, nor cheer her spirits. And certainly it is not the government’s business to give her special treatment. Her high crimes and abuse of power are in fact aggravating circumstances. It is his duty to make her accountable especially for gross human rights violations.

On International Human Rights day, human rights defenders have one common demand from PNoy: release all political prisoners. There are more than 350 political prisoners languishing in jail today, on hazy, even  made up charges that penalize them for their political activism that he himself also benefitted.

Perpetrators for human rights violations must be held accountable. This is one chance for redemption before a frustrated people come claim justice for themselves. Those who forget the lessons of history are damned to repeat them. #

Reference: Atty. Edre U. Olalia, NUPL Secretary General, 0917-5113373

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:nupl2007@gmail.com and nuplphilippines@yahoo.com
“Visit the NUPL  at http://www.nupl.net/

By calling yourselves the ‘people’s lawyer,’ you have made a remarkable choice. You decided not to remain in the sidelines. Where human rights are assaulted, you have chosen to sacrifice the comfort of the fence for the dangers of the battlefield. But only those who choose to fight on the battlefield live beyond irrelevance.”  Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, in his message to the NUPL Founding Congress,Sept. 15, 2007.

One year after their release, Morong 43 still cry for justice

ICHRP Secretariat
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Today, as the world celebrates the International Day of Human Rights, members of the Morong 43 march with hundreds of others in Mendiola, Manila to amplify their call for justice.

“If there is one thing that 10 months of illegal incarceration and torture did to us, it is proving to ourselves and the people that the military under the Arroyo and Aquino governments failed to break our spirits in our quest for justice,” Nurse Gary Liberal said.

Marching alongside hundreds of others, whose economic and political rights are continued to be trampled upon, Liberal commented that the Aquino administration should work double time in building people’s confidence in the country’s justice system and not working “over-time in giving Mrs. Arroyo special treatment” by allowing her to stay in a plush presidential suite at Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

Liberal reminded Mr. Aquino that he should pay more attention to the inhumane conditions within regular detention facilities around the country before minding the health and comfort (including the installation of new toilets) of Mrs. Arroyo at VMMC.  He added that ordinary prisoners die of curable and preventable diseases due to lack of medical attention, proper nutrition, and congestion.  “He [Mr. Aquino] may be denying it, but according special treatment to Mrs. Arroyo speaks a lot about his bias for the rich and powerful.”

The spokesperson maintained that Mrs. Arroyo should be placed in a regular jail just like any regular civilian.

“It is shameful for Mr. Aquino to trumpet his parents’ legacy for being human rights defenders and staunch fighters for democracy while he continues to tolerate and encourage the culture of impunity by not doing anything to put make human rights violators accountable for their crimes.  To date, not a single one of our torturers has been tried in court,” he added.

Liberal furthered that the best gift that Mr. Aquino could ever grant their families and those of other human rights victims and political prisoners is to “make Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts pay for their crimes and grant general, omnibus, unconditional amnesty to more than 300 political prisoners in 65 jails nationwide.”  This includes 2 of the Morong 43 who are still in jail.

He enjoined the Filipino people in their call to “end impunity, justice for the Morong 43, jail GMA now!”

Reference – Gary Liberal, R.N.- Mobile: (0922)5751689 / Telefax: (+632 929.8109)
Spokesperson, Morong 43

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Giving in to constant local and international pressure on his government, Mr. Aquino declared that the charges against the 43 health workers will be dropped followed by orders to release them.  On December 17, 2010,  36 of the Morong 43 walked free.  Two of their colleagues are still in jail because of trumped-up charges slapped by a Metro Manila court.

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