April, 2009

Government Panel Says Sorry for 20-year delayed report, Lectures UNCAT on Philippine Lawmaking Instead

Geneva, Switzerland –The two hour session provided for the Philippine government replies to issues raised by the members of the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UN CAT) in its 42nd Session turned into a class on Political Science 101. Frustration seemed to be written on the faces of the Committee members who were given a textbook lecture by the government panel which included how laws are made in the Philippines. The only truth that has come out is the fact that the government has gone far away from complying with the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment which it acceded to in 1986.

Geneva, Switzerland – The rather oversized 27-member Philippine government delegation to the 42nd Session of the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT), headed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, faced a continuous barrage of questions from all ten members of the said Committee after Ermita read the Philippine government report on April 28, the scheduled start of the review of the Philippine government’s compliance with its commitments under the anti-torture convention.

Geneva, Switzerland – Victims of human rights abuses under the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration traveled all the way to Geneva to tell their stories of torture during the 42nd Session of the UN Committee Against Torture.

Account of the Incident:

In the morning of March 20, 2009, a unit of the 79th Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army went to Noli’s residence and, amidst his protestations, took him with them.

Fearful for his safety, his parents insisted in accompanying him.

The soldiers brought the farmers to the 79th IB headquarters in Brgy.4, Poblacion, Siaton, Negros Oriental.

No news could be worse than a notorious human rights violator being a member of Congress and the most unpleasant news had to come on the day when his victims were killed six years ago.

Retired Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. dubbed as “The Butcher” had figured in the killing of Karapatan-Southern Tagalog Secretary General Eden Marcellana and peasant leader Eddie Gumanoy who was Secretary General of Kasama-TK on April 22, 2003.