DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Eleven days after the "Maguindanao Massacre," some 100 Filipino lawyers, law students and other members of civil society organizations joined the walk against impunity in Davao City in Mindanao.
The walk was led by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Davao and the Union of Peoples lawyers in Mindanao.
“The people's demand for justice over the worst massacre in the country's history must hold strong. We must not let our guard down as threats to thwart the broad movement calling for justice for the victims of the Ampatuan massacre remains,” warned Atty. Eduardo Estores, chairperson of the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao-Davao City.
"The government must speed up the investigation and spare no friend or allies from the full measure of the law. President Arroyo's lack of political will in the handling of the investigation manifests in the late apprehension of suspects, of the token-and delayed- arrest of a single member of the Ampatuan clan while we know for a fact that command responsibility does not end on Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. alone,” he said.
UPLM also slams the special treatment of the Mayor Ampatuan, the prime suspect in the massacre.
In response to the statement made by Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera on December 2 regarding the threats received by the government prosecutors and judges who are handling the Maguindanao massacre case, Estores urged the members of the justice department to remain undaunted.
“We should expect that all forms of threat and harassment against all those seeking for justice for the massacre victims will intensify. But these threats should not hamper the investigation. There is no compromising the truth and justice that we want to achieve for the violent death of our colleague, Atty. Brizuela and Atty. Oquendo, and the rest of the victims,” Estores said.
Estores urged his colleagues in the law profession to intensify efforts in the active legal representation of the oppressed in the prosecution and penalization of criminals, death squads, and their military and civilian patrons. During the UPLM assembly held last week in Cagayan de Oro, hundreds of lawyers pledged to help in handling the individual cases to be filed by the families of the victims of the Ampatuan massacre.
“We must continue to work with our people in the grassroots and strengthen our pledge to pursue justice for the people,” Estores said.
He added that the UPLM and IBP - Davao will support an independent commission that will thoroughly and impartially investigate the massacre.
“The goal of an independent investigating body is in the framework of not only looking into the culpability of direct perpetrators but also the participation of the police and military establishment and institutions of government at all levels, and the accountability of President Arroyo as Commander-in-Chief and patron of the Ampatuan clan,” Estores said.
Stressing the Arroyo government's accountability to the massacre, Estores condemned the Arroyo's “pampering of warlords as it pursues its own political and economic interests, particularly the Maguindanao votes which have created 'miracles' for President Arroyo in the last two elections.”
UPLM underscored that the lawyers' walk against impunity calls for justice not only for the victims of the massacre but also for the more than 1,000 victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of the Arroyo regime.
Showing posts with label UPLM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UPLM. Show all posts
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Filipino lawyers walk against impunity in Southern Philippines
Friday, May 22, 2009
A Statement from Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao
The AFP’s "Order of Battle": Witchhunting and adulterated lies.
The Union of People's Lawyers In Mindanao (UPLM) strongly condemns the grievously fallacious and ridiculously adulterated lies peddled by the Armed Forces of the Philippine’s 10th Infantry Division as contained in the power point presentation labeled as "JCICC ‘AGILA’, 3rd QTR 2007 OB VALIDATION RESULT".
The Union views with severe contempt the said "OB" or "order of battle" because it is tantamount to a "hit list" — a death warrant for the personalities named therein.
It is another direct and blatant attack on the peoples’ civil and political rights, particularly for the named activists, human rights workers, lawyers, political leaders, journalists, churchpeople, NGO workers and even performing artists.
Linking them to the so-called White Area Committee (WACOM) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is nothing but another vain attempt by the AFP to vilify and demonize those who are critical of the Arroyo regime and its totalitarian policies. This is a clear violation of existing conventions on human rights and international humanitarian law.
As a voluntary mass organization of lawyers, law students and paralegals, we strongly denounced, in particular, the inclusion in the said "Order of Battle" of the names of the following lawyers, who are either officers or members of UPLM and the other lawyers' group like the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP): Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad, UPLM member and Councilor, First District, Davao City; Atty. Carlos Isagani Zarate, past IBP-Davao City President, UPLM Secretary General and Davao City FLAG Coordinator.
Atty. Lilibeth Ladaga, uplm member; Atty. Noreen Minette Manatad, IBP-Davao City member but is now practicing in the United States; Atty. Beverly Selim-Musni, Chairperson of Karapatan Northern Mindanao and officer of UPLM Northern Mindanao Chapter; and Atty. Benjamin de Guzman, past IBP-Davao City President and former Davao City Mayor.
The bare denials issued by the AFP's 10th ID failed to negate or even diminish the fact that it has included the names of these personalities and groups in what is purportedly a counter-insurgency report.
While the list was purportedly an assessment made in 2007, yet, the strong suspicion that it is indeed a "hit list" is not unfounded. For instance, Celso Pojas, spokesperson of the Farmers of Association of Davao City was on the list and he was assassinated in May 15, 2008. Also, Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad has experienced being place under surveillance for several instances in her residence.
That the said "order of battle" sends a message of fear is all too apparent. Yet, it also exposes the archaic McCarthyist thinking of the AFP that those who espouse political beliefs or opinions critical to the government's lies, cheating and corruption are "enemies of the state".
And, as "enemies of the state" these persons, even if unarmed and operating within the bounds of the legal system, are fair target or subjects of surveillance, threats, and, worse, for "neutralization" or assassination.
The spike in the cases of extrajudicial killings in Mindanao in the recent months is proof of the continuation of this distorted policy of the Arroyo administration, which has already been criticized, among others, by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston.
Thus, as we consider taking concrete legal moves to address this malicious vilification campaign, we are also holding the Arroyo government, particularly the AFP, accountable for any harmful repercussion that may happen to any individual or group that are included In the said "order of battle."
A virtual martial law is now in place in our country, where the AFP continuously reigns supreme and operates under a cloak of secrecy -- undermining our democracy, our civil and political rights.
While this government has already thrown out of the window the genuine essence of the rule of law, we at UPLM vow to continue our duty to resist the continuing attempts to curtail our freedom by the masquerading Arroyo regime.
Any harassment, like this condemnable "order of battle", only emboldens us to continue our avowed duty to be advocates and agents of social change,Finally, even as we condemn this latest attempt of curtailing our democratic rights, we equally strongly demand for the Arroyo government to stop all its repressive actions and heed the various recommendations of the various bodies, including the United Nations, particularly with respect to the protection of human rights and respect for international humanitarian laws.
ATTY. FREDERICO M. GAPUZ
UPLM
Chairperson
The Union of People's Lawyers In Mindanao (UPLM) strongly condemns the grievously fallacious and ridiculously adulterated lies peddled by the Armed Forces of the Philippine’s 10th Infantry Division as contained in the power point presentation labeled as "JCICC ‘AGILA’, 3rd QTR 2007 OB VALIDATION RESULT".
The Union views with severe contempt the said "OB" or "order of battle" because it is tantamount to a "hit list" — a death warrant for the personalities named therein.
It is another direct and blatant attack on the peoples’ civil and political rights, particularly for the named activists, human rights workers, lawyers, political leaders, journalists, churchpeople, NGO workers and even performing artists.
Linking them to the so-called White Area Committee (WACOM) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is nothing but another vain attempt by the AFP to vilify and demonize those who are critical of the Arroyo regime and its totalitarian policies. This is a clear violation of existing conventions on human rights and international humanitarian law.
As a voluntary mass organization of lawyers, law students and paralegals, we strongly denounced, in particular, the inclusion in the said "Order of Battle" of the names of the following lawyers, who are either officers or members of UPLM and the other lawyers' group like the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP): Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad, UPLM member and Councilor, First District, Davao City; Atty. Carlos Isagani Zarate, past IBP-Davao City President, UPLM Secretary General and Davao City FLAG Coordinator.
Atty. Lilibeth Ladaga, uplm member; Atty. Noreen Minette Manatad, IBP-Davao City member but is now practicing in the United States; Atty. Beverly Selim-Musni, Chairperson of Karapatan Northern Mindanao and officer of UPLM Northern Mindanao Chapter; and Atty. Benjamin de Guzman, past IBP-Davao City President and former Davao City Mayor.
The bare denials issued by the AFP's 10th ID failed to negate or even diminish the fact that it has included the names of these personalities and groups in what is purportedly a counter-insurgency report.
While the list was purportedly an assessment made in 2007, yet, the strong suspicion that it is indeed a "hit list" is not unfounded. For instance, Celso Pojas, spokesperson of the Farmers of Association of Davao City was on the list and he was assassinated in May 15, 2008. Also, Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad has experienced being place under surveillance for several instances in her residence.
That the said "order of battle" sends a message of fear is all too apparent. Yet, it also exposes the archaic McCarthyist thinking of the AFP that those who espouse political beliefs or opinions critical to the government's lies, cheating and corruption are "enemies of the state".
And, as "enemies of the state" these persons, even if unarmed and operating within the bounds of the legal system, are fair target or subjects of surveillance, threats, and, worse, for "neutralization" or assassination.
The spike in the cases of extrajudicial killings in Mindanao in the recent months is proof of the continuation of this distorted policy of the Arroyo administration, which has already been criticized, among others, by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston.
Thus, as we consider taking concrete legal moves to address this malicious vilification campaign, we are also holding the Arroyo government, particularly the AFP, accountable for any harmful repercussion that may happen to any individual or group that are included In the said "order of battle."
A virtual martial law is now in place in our country, where the AFP continuously reigns supreme and operates under a cloak of secrecy -- undermining our democracy, our civil and political rights.
While this government has already thrown out of the window the genuine essence of the rule of law, we at UPLM vow to continue our duty to resist the continuing attempts to curtail our freedom by the masquerading Arroyo regime.
Any harassment, like this condemnable "order of battle", only emboldens us to continue our avowed duty to be advocates and agents of social change,Finally, even as we condemn this latest attempt of curtailing our democratic rights, we equally strongly demand for the Arroyo government to stop all its repressive actions and heed the various recommendations of the various bodies, including the United Nations, particularly with respect to the protection of human rights and respect for international humanitarian laws.
ATTY. FREDERICO M. GAPUZ
UPLM
Chairperson
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Pursue Peace Talks With Reds, Lawyers' Group Urges Manila
DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 17, 2008) - The local chapter of the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao called on the Arroyo government to resume peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and to issue immediate suspension of military operations (SOMO) to pave way for the safe release of an army official and a police officer being held captive by the New People's Army rebels.
The NPA is holding First Lieutenant Vicente Cammayo since November 7 after rebel forces attacked his unit and killed two soldiers and a government militia in a fierce firefight in Casoon village in the town of Monkayo in Compostela Valley province.
Aside from Cammayo, the rebels also captured Police Officer 3 Eduardo Tumol, a member of the 1105th Provincial Mobile Group, who was arrested on November 5 by the NPA at a checkpoint in the village of Baogo in Davao Oriental's Caraga town.
The UPLM said the continuing militarist approach of the Arroyo government only hinders the imminent release of the two prisoners of war and reinforces the escalating human rights violations in the Lumad and peasant communities in the southern region.
The group also cited previous statements made by Presidential Secretary Jesus Dureza that the Arroyo government would leave the matter to the military.
"With such, the GRP effectively abandoned the headways and breakthroughs of the peace talks in general. We refer to the previous agreements such as The Hague Joint Agreement, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL)," said UPLM Davao City Chairperson Atty. Eduardo Estores.
"A rational government would hear the plea of the POWs' family. But the Arroyo government seems to play deaf and mute to such appeal. The government must do all it can to uphold at all times the security of the civilian populace and the POWs as guaranteed by the international humanitarian laws," Estores said.
"The GRP has the obligation of ensuring the immediate and safe release of the POWs and the respect of the human rights and the international humanitarian laws," Estores added.
The NPA is holding First Lieutenant Vicente Cammayo since November 7 after rebel forces attacked his unit and killed two soldiers and a government militia in a fierce firefight in Casoon village in the town of Monkayo in Compostela Valley province.
Aside from Cammayo, the rebels also captured Police Officer 3 Eduardo Tumol, a member of the 1105th Provincial Mobile Group, who was arrested on November 5 by the NPA at a checkpoint in the village of Baogo in Davao Oriental's Caraga town.
The UPLM said the continuing militarist approach of the Arroyo government only hinders the imminent release of the two prisoners of war and reinforces the escalating human rights violations in the Lumad and peasant communities in the southern region.
The group also cited previous statements made by Presidential Secretary Jesus Dureza that the Arroyo government would leave the matter to the military.
"With such, the GRP effectively abandoned the headways and breakthroughs of the peace talks in general. We refer to the previous agreements such as The Hague Joint Agreement, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL)," said UPLM Davao City Chairperson Atty. Eduardo Estores.
"A rational government would hear the plea of the POWs' family. But the Arroyo government seems to play deaf and mute to such appeal. The government must do all it can to uphold at all times the security of the civilian populace and the POWs as guaranteed by the international humanitarian laws," Estores said.
"The GRP has the obligation of ensuring the immediate and safe release of the POWs and the respect of the human rights and the international humanitarian laws," Estores added.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Mindanao lawyer receives threats
PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines (Yehey News / Nov. 22, 2008) - A Pagadian City-based human rights lawyer received a text message on his cellular phone warning him to take things easy.
Emiliano Deleverio, vice chairperson of the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) received Tuesday this message, "Atorni au au ha ang imo batasan ky ampay ra ba na sa tagabukid. (Attorney, watch your manners, the people up the hills will surely like you)."
According to the UPLM, Deleverio got the message while he was attending a hearing at Camp Crame in Manila over an administrative case against Pagadian Police Chief Oscar Buenaobra.
The UPLM deemed that the renewed threat on Deleverio came from the same elements who 'consider public interest lawyering as anathema to their anti-democratic activities.'
The group said Deleverio has been at the receiving end of the military's ire in Western Mindanao because of his human rights advocacy.
The group said Deleverio has been subjected to surveillance and harassments for handling human rights cases, including that of political detainee Angelina Bisuña Ipong. Ipong, a consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF) was arrested on March 8, 2005 by state agents in Aloran, Misamis Oriental for charges of rebellion and other crimes.
She has since been detained at the Pagadian Reformatory Jail in Pagadian City. Fact sheet by human rights group Karapatan shows that Ipong was subjected to sexual abuse and torture. She was 60 at the time of the arrest.
Deleverio, along with Atty. Tirsendo Poloyapoy, handled the country's first successful Writ of Amparo case on the abduction of Ruel Muñasque in October 2007.
The UPLM expressed alarm on the continuing attacks on people's lawyers.Deleverio was also among the lawyers interviewed by delegates of the recent international mission of foreign lawyers and judges.
According to the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL) and the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL), 22 lawyers have been killed from January 2001 to October 2008. The groups also revealed that at least 41 human rights lawyers were subjected to varying degrees of attacks.
Emiliano Deleverio, vice chairperson of the Union of Peoples' Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) received Tuesday this message, "Atorni au au ha ang imo batasan ky ampay ra ba na sa tagabukid. (Attorney, watch your manners, the people up the hills will surely like you)."
According to the UPLM, Deleverio got the message while he was attending a hearing at Camp Crame in Manila over an administrative case against Pagadian Police Chief Oscar Buenaobra.
The UPLM deemed that the renewed threat on Deleverio came from the same elements who 'consider public interest lawyering as anathema to their anti-democratic activities.'
The group said Deleverio has been at the receiving end of the military's ire in Western Mindanao because of his human rights advocacy.
The group said Deleverio has been subjected to surveillance and harassments for handling human rights cases, including that of political detainee Angelina Bisuña Ipong. Ipong, a consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF) was arrested on March 8, 2005 by state agents in Aloran, Misamis Oriental for charges of rebellion and other crimes.
She has since been detained at the Pagadian Reformatory Jail in Pagadian City. Fact sheet by human rights group Karapatan shows that Ipong was subjected to sexual abuse and torture. She was 60 at the time of the arrest.
Deleverio, along with Atty. Tirsendo Poloyapoy, handled the country's first successful Writ of Amparo case on the abduction of Ruel Muñasque in October 2007.
The UPLM expressed alarm on the continuing attacks on people's lawyers.Deleverio was also among the lawyers interviewed by delegates of the recent international mission of foreign lawyers and judges.
According to the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL) and the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL), 22 lawyers have been killed from January 2001 to October 2008. The groups also revealed that at least 41 human rights lawyers were subjected to varying degrees of attacks.
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