| Around 1,500 activists and families of victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances called for the ouster of Gloria Arroyo for the countless human rights abuses under her administration during the Human Rights Day on December 10.
The protesters marched from Plaza Miranda, but were barred from proceeding to Mendiola by a four-column police barricade and fire trucks. Branding Arroyo as the “number one violator” of human rights, the group chanted, “Stop state violence.”
Even as the Philippines was among the 48 countries that adopted the celebration of the International Human Rights Day, the country has gained international notoriety for its dismal human rights records, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said.
Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND-UP) also scored Arroyo’s inutility to end political killings amid the people’s continuing calls for her ouster.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Secretary General Renato Reyes, meanwhile, described as “ridiculous” the gold medal award Arroyo received in a Spanish university for championing human rights, saying the university is “ignorant” of the government’s link with the killings.
Killings, abduction cases down
Based on the 2007 Human Rights report by human rights group Karapatan, cases of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances have decreased this year, not because of the government’s “token steps to assuage local and international outcry,” but due to the “victories in the people’s relentless struggle against political repression and state terrorism.”
Karapatan documented 68 victims of political killings and 26 cases of enforced disappearances from January to October this year.
Although the number of political killings and abductions went down, the group said human rights violations continue with a total of 887 victims of political killings and 185 disappearances documented since 2001.
Meanwhile, 416 victims of political killings and 108 enforced disappearances were members of the peasant sectors. Bayan Muna and Bayan also reported that 131 and 104 of their members, respectively, were victims of political killings.
Killings were rampant in Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon, where the former Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, tagged as “butcher” by people’s organizations, was an infantry battalion commander, according to Karapatan records.
Karapatan also reported that in the past 10 months, there were 14,384 victims of civil and political rights violations, including forcible detention, harassment and torture. Meanwhile, 1,886 victims suffered violations of their economic, social and cultural rights with massive land grabbing and destruction of properties.
Thirty six victims endured violations under international humanitarian law, such as fake surrender and use of civilians as military shield.
Spate of pol killings, abductions
Political killings hit record high in 2005 and 2006, while disappearances peaked in 2006, which coincided with the Oplan Bantay Laya’s (OBL) final year to crush insurgents and communist forces, according to the report.
Karapatan, however, attributed the decrease “to the continuing protests and calls for justice by victims of human rights violations, people’s organizations and individual human rights defenders.”
The group also pointed to the increasing international pressure and the Supreme Court’s initiative to hold the government accountable for the spate of killings and abductions committed under the guise of the anti-human rights laws and policies, like the Human Security Act and OBL.
Karapatan also deplored the government’s token moves to end killings including the creation of Task Force Usig, the Melo Commission, witness protection programs, and special courts. “Arroyo formed these bodies and, almost right after, cleared and absolved the military,” the group stressed.
This year, reports of UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Philip Alston, the US Senate and the UN Permanent People’s Tribunal also found evidence linking the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the spate of human rights violations.
Karapatan, however, contended that Arroyo remained adamant against imposing sanctions versus the military as she, being the AFP commander-in-chief, would also be implicated.# Philippine Collegian
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