DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 16 Feb) – A U.N. representative investigating the unabated killings of political activists in the Philippines is expected to arrive in Davao City to hear testimonies of relatives of victims and those who survived attacks.
Professor Philip Alston, the United Nation Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, was sent by the United Nations because of reports of the many killings in the country believed perpetrated by soldiers, policemen and militias.
Moro human rights groups hailed the coming of Alston. "Prof. Alston’s visit to the Philippines is a big boost to the morale of the victims of extra-judicial killings and their families," said Amirah Ali Lidasan, vice-chairperson of the Suara Bangsamoro Party list Organization.
The group has earlier criticized Manila for its refusal to give Alston a copy of a report by the independent Melo Commission which investigated the summary killings and tagged soldiers in the murders of activists and members of progressive political groups opposed to President Gloria Arroyo’s rule.
"The government’s refusal to give the UN Rapporteur the Melo Commission Report is already a sign that President Arroyo will continue to silence the truth about her administration’s record of human rights violations.”
“No less than President Arroyo and her security advisers are afraid of the facts and conclusions presented at the government created Melo Commission that point to the gross human rights violation record of President Arroyo," Lidasan told the Mindanao Examiner.
Eneko Landaburu, director general for external relations of the European Commission (EC), also asked for a copy of the report, but the government said it is not complete yet.
Lindasan said that as Arroyo continues to deny the culpability of retired army commander Jovito Palparan, linked by the Melo Commission to the killings, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, for over 800 victims of extra-judicial killings -- the less hope the victims and the families have that justice will prevail under the present administration.
Palparan repeatedly denied accusations about his involvement in the killings. "The Arroyo administration has too much skeletons in the closet and would want to keep them from Prof. Alston’s knowledge, hence they keep on finding ways to stop the victims from presenting their case and even continue to vilify the victims of extra-judicial killing and the human rights organizations that present the cases," she said.
Manila said it would establish special courts to handle political killings. But Lindasan said the special courts would be useless because the government continues to deny the culpability of soldiers and policemen involved in the summary killings.
Relatives of the victims of extra-judicial killings of Moro inmates in Camp Bagong Diwa on March 15, 2005 will travel all the way from Basilan island just to give their testimonies to Alston in Davao City. Jumdatul Mundi’s son, Gaffar was one of the 23 inmates killed in Camp Bagong Diwa as a consequence of then Interior Secy. Angelo Reyes’ no-negotiation policy in dealing with the Abu Sayyaf uprising in Camp Bagong Diwa.
"When the mother of Gaffar Mundi heard about the coming of Prof. Alston, it gave her hope that Prof. Alston’s will be a big help in her pursuit of justice for the death of her son," said Lidasan, adding, that it took the woman four years to fight for her son’s release from Camp Bagong Diwa prison and two years to seek justice for the death of her son because of the carnage at Camp Bagong Diwa.
Eleven out of the 23 inmates were victims of illegal arrest and detention and has pending cases of torture against the army headed by General Hermogenes Esperon, then chief of 103rd Infantry Brigade in Basilan island, that arrested them in July 13, 2001.
The Commission on Human Rights has investigated the Camp Bagong Diwa massacre and presented their conclusion a year after which pointed the culpability of the Philippine National Police and Reyes to the extrajudicial killings. Justice Secy. Raul Gonzales disregarded the report about the Camp Bagong Diwa killings, Lindasan said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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