Press Release

21 October 2003

On the 6th month of the death of Marcellana and Gumanoy

KARAPATAN belies government's report on UNCHR

The government was caught telling a lie before the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations when it presented yesterday, October 20, the report on its compliance on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. KARAPATAN made this revelation after they heard the presentation of DOJ Undersecretary Merceditas Gutierez claiming that the cases on the double murder of human rights activist Eden Marcellana and peasant leader Eddie Gumanoy have been "filed in court.""It is a blatant lie!

The cases of Marcellana and Gumanoy are still at the snail-paced preliminary investigation being conducted by the DOJ itself," according to Marie Hilao-Enriquez, KARAPATAN secretary general and head of the organization's 3-man delegation who participated in the NGO Consultations-Briefing for the 79th meeting of the UN Human Rights Committee."Based on the report presented by the DOJ undersecretary, the Arroyo government is feeding the international community with wrong information about the miserable human rights condition in our country."

Today, exactly six months after the summary executions of Marcellana and Gumanoy, the families and friends of slain human rights workers will gather at the gates of the DOJ in Padre Faura St., Manila at 1:00 pm to denounce the delay in the investigation, call for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and condemn the exoneration from the case of the alleged mastermind, Col. Jovito Palparan.  This will be held simultaneously with the hearing on the preliminary investigation, which was re-set several times before due to the absence of the principal suspect, M/Sgt. Donald Caigas.

Despite being positively identified as one of the abductors and murderers of Marcellana and Gumanoy, Caigas and the other perpetrators remain at-large.  Caigas is reportedly being coddled at headquarters of the Philippine Army.  Palparan, just recently, has been appointed deputy commanding officer of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army amidst several attempts by the AFP top brass to get the confirmation for his promotion to brigadier general.

During the meeting of UNCHR, KARAPATAN presented a comprehensive report on the government's violations of its commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and submitted recommendations for the promotion and protection of Filipino people's rights.(please see attached summary paper)

The families and friends of Marcellana and Gumanoy will also offer prayers, candles and flowers to commemorate the 6th-month of their death and reaffirm their conviction to fight for justice.