The political prisoners situation—the inhuman jail condition and the trumped-up political charges lodged against them—will be among the cases the International Tribunal on the Philippines (IPT) will tackle when it convenes on July 16-18 in Washington, DC.
The political prisoners situation—the inhuman jail condition and the trumped-up political charges lodged against them—will be among the cases the International Tribunal on the Philippines (IPT) will tackle when it convenes on July 16-18 in Washington, DC.
“We have submitted the case of the 17 detained peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and of Andrea Rosal to highlight the US-Aquino regime’s duplicity in the peace negotiations with the NDFP and the use of false criminal charges against the detainees to keep them in jail,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general.
The IPT is tasked to look into the human rights violations committed by the Philippine government with the support from the US government. “We have been calling for the release of all political prisoners since BS Aquino’s day one in office, thinking that he would be like his mother who released all political prisoners who were jailed by the previous regime. Five years had passed and the Aquino government, instead of releasing political prisoners, has been on incarceration binge against activists and perceived enemies,” added Palabay.
Karapatan reiterated its position that the arrest of the NDFP peace consultants violates the GPH-NDFP agreement on safety and immunity guarantees. “In most of the arrests, the military and police simply dismissed the Document of Identification of the peace consultants,” said Palabay.
“We also stand by our earlier position that the arrest and continued detention of Andrea Rosal is illegal. There is no basis for the indictment of Rosal. The witness, a certain Erwin Rosales, is a “professional” witness hired by the military. He was the same person that implicated security guard Rolly Panesa,” she added.
In the public opinion tribunal, prominent US human rights attorney Azadeh Shahshahani and Rev. Dr. Molefe Tsele, a former South African ambassador will be among the distinguished panel of jurors who will hear live testimonies of witnesses from the Philippines.
Karapatan chairperson Marie Hilao-Enriquez is set to testify at the IPT as expert witness on the overall human rights situation in Philippines. Karapatan is among the complainants, which filed cases of violations of civil and political rights. Other complainants are the Ecumenical Voice for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines, Hustisya, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Selda, Desaparecidos, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Migrante, Kadamay, Gabriela, Kalikasan, Bayan Muna.
Conveners of the tribunal include the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, the US-based National Lawyers Guild, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and Ibon International.
The tribunal is set to hand down its verdict on the US-Aquino regime on July 18. ###