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[In the Web] Palparan’s flee attempt indicates guilt – mothers of 2 missing UP students

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Mrs. Concepcion Empeño (left) and Mrs. Erlinda Cadapan, mothers of the two missing UP students, listen intently at the proceedings during the third hearing on the criminal charges they filed against Palparan and other military officials.(Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea / bulatlat.com)

 

“He [Palparan] should be imprisoned immediately, along with GMA, Abalos, all of them who are shameless. They all should spend Christmas in jail.” – Mrs. Concepcion Empeño

 

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – The mothers of the two missing students of the University of the Philippines (UP) are enraged over the attempt of retired Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. to leave the country this morning.

Exactly four days ago, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a resolution implicating Palparan, then commanding officer of the 7th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and three of his men into the disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño.

According to reports, Palparan tried to go to Singapore around 7:30 a.m. on board a Seair flight but was prevented by immigration officials.

“Why would he escape? This only proves all the more that he is guilty of many crimes,” Mrs. Concepcion Empeño, mother of Karen, told Bulatlat.com in a phone interview.

Mrs. Erlinda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, deemed the same. “He attempted to flee because he knows he has committed crimes against the people. He is afraid to be put behind bars for he knows that we have a strong case against him,” Mrs. Cadapan said in a phone interview.

In a 36-page resolution, the DOJ panel of prosecutors investigating the incident found “probable cause” to charge Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, and Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio with two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the abduction of the two UP students on June 26, 2006.

 

Please read full article at 
http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/12/19/palparan%E2%80%99s-flee-attempt-indicates-guilt-%E2%80%93-mothers-of-2-missing-up-students/

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[Video] PNoy Cases: The 4th installment of the PCIJ Media Killings Series – youtube

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IN THE past year, at least six Philippine journalists have been murdered by gunmen.

This much is clear: despite the avowed priority given by the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III to solving the murders of media and ridding the country of the culture of impunity, the killings of journalists in the country continue unabated.

In the second-to-the-last part of the Media Killings Series of documentaries by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, the PCIJ looks at some of the reasons why the murders continue unabated. Many thought that the entry of a new administration that espouses strong democratic and liberal beliefs would herald a dramatic shift in the culture of violence against journalists. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

- Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

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[In the Web] Arrest warrant out for Palparan

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Warrant out for Palparan's arrest. Photo from http://interaksyon.com.

by Sandy Araneta

Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines – The Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Malolos City has issued arrest warrants against Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. and three other military officers in connection with the disappearance of University of the Philippines student activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.

Judge Teodora Gonzales of Malolos City RTC Branch 14 issued the warrants of arrest dated Dec. 19 against Palparan and military officers Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr., S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, and M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario.

No bail was recommended for the four accused.

Copies of the arrest warrants were distributed to the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), DOJ and the press.

The DOJ found probable cause to file two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against the suspects.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome ordered the creation of a tracker team from the CIDG to find Palparan. He said police already have an idea where he might be.

In the warrant, Palparan’s last residence was listed as Dado St., Wild Cat Village, Barangay Ususan, 1630 Taguig City.

Hilario’s last residence, on the other hand, was listed as 7th Infantry Division, Fort Magsaysay, Palanan City, Nueva Ecija and/or Dado St., Wild Cat Village, Barangay Ususan, 1630 Taguig City.

The other day, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed reports that Palparan attempted to fly to Singapore but was stopped by a watchlist order.

“The watchlist order (WLO), though expired, is still in effect since we have not officially lifted it yet. There is still a need for us to issue a lift order before the effect of the WLO ceases,” De Lima said.

Palparan was offloaded but not detained because there was no arrest warrant against him at the time.

De Lima asked the Bulacan court to issue a hold departure order (HDO) against Palparan an hour after he was stopped from flying abroad. The general earned the moniker “the butcher” for the alleged numerous human rights violations he committed during the Arroyo administration.

He earlier said he has no plans of traveling abroad because he does not have the money for it.

“I read the other day that he’s not going to leave and that he would face this case. I guess we really can’t trust liars,” De Lima said. - 

Please read full article at 
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=760605&publicationSubCategoryId=63

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[In the Web] Impeachment is a Purging Process

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Impeachment of CJ Corona: Act of Tyranny or Democracy? Photo from philippinenewsdaily.com.

By Jose Ma. Montelibano

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Published on December 15, 2011

 

Impeachment is a process provided by the Constitution to remove Presidents and Chief Justices. When an impeachment happens, there is disruption, the kind that triggers dramatic and unexpected change. I am happy that the situation is bringing us towards drastic change. Nothing less can reverse the endemic corruption and massive poverty afflicting the Philippines.

The impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona is a welcome development. It affirms that co-equal heads can both be vulnerable to impeachment. Even the bid to impeach P-Noy by a lawyer known to be a Marcos loyalist can remind us that there are crucial unresolved issues concerning that dictatorship and the effort to extract justice for its victims. Corona is seen as a puppet of Gloria Arroyo just as Lozano is to the Marcoses. It is good to see where lines are drawn, where Filipinos can choose to be with or against.

Even more welcome is the first show of support by judges and court employees for Corona. We have paid so much attention to the corruption in the executive and the Legislative over the decades that the corruption in the Judiciary has been put in the back burner. Yet, the view of many Filipinos, if not most, is that the justice system, meaning judges and justices, including the Supreme Court, are themselves badly tainted.

Change can now be focused on the Judiciary as well. That makes all three branches truly co-equal when change can target all of them – especially on the issue of corruption or its promotion and protection. I can remember from my boyhood the accusations and allegations against presidents and senators and congressmen. Well, today offers an opening for change that is rare.

Constitutions do not determine what is right and wrong, human conscience does. Laws cater to what people believe is right and deter what people believe is wrong. Constitutions spring from the aspirations of citizens for security, for justice, for a bright future. What is constitutional cannot veer away from the common good as expressed by the people themselves.

The weakness of the Constitution of the Philippines, all versions of it, is that the majority of Filipinos have never read it, were not party to its formation, and cannot possibly understand the letter of its provisions. The strength of a democracy, however, is not in its Constitution. It is in the value system that is most acceptable or inspiring to the people if such is reflected in the Constitution.

More than laws, it is values that are most relevant to members of a society. It is values that determine daily behavior, and values that dictate collective standards.  From these values are formed the ethics of work, the ethics of business, the ethics of professions.

What is beautiful about impeachment is that it is a political process as much, or even more, as it is a legal one as well. Being political gives Filipinos a chance to participate. If it were just legal, how can citizens get involved? I remember that an impeachment trail was going on and affected Filipinos so much that they took to the streets when they thought that numbers would be more important than what was true, what was fair. Impeachment can lead to people power if it is abused.

There is no Constitutional crisis, only a moral and ethical one. Impeachment is a purging process, and there is so much need for it. Most nations became one and strong because they went through and survived great conflict. This may be our moment.

 

Please read full article at 
http://opinion.inquirer.net/19203/impeachment-is-a-purging-process

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[Video] Lest We Forget: Victims of Martial Law – youtube

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Lest We Forget: 

Martial Law and its victims

ON THE 63rd anniversary of the declaration of December 10 as International Human Rights Day, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism releases a 13-minute video in memory and in honor of those who fought for democracy and freedom during the dark uncertain days of Martial Law.

The video is a compilation of the stories of six human rights victims or their families, all of them part of the 10,000 human rights victims who were recently awarded $1,000 each as part of a settlement against the estate of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

More than the story of anguish and terror and tragedy, these are stories of ordinary men and women who lived extraordinary lives. Too, these are stories of wives who became widows, and children who became orphans. Most of all, these are stories that the victims could only wish they could forget, even as they hope we all will remember and learn.

Interviews conducted by Malou Mangahas; camerawork by Winona Cueva. Editing by PCIJ interns Florenz Sison and Darlene Basingan; score by Florenz Sison.

Courtesy of 
http://pcij.org
.

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[In the Web] Rights victims turn to media for remedy, says Asia watchdog

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Filipino women activists stage a play to symbolize human rights violations. Photo from http://cryptome.org.

THE failure of the Philippine government to protect its people from human rights violations has forced its citizens to seek “remedy by publicity,” according to an Asian human rights watchdog.

In a 25-page report on the Philippines, submitted in time for the International Human Rights Day on Saturday, the Asian Human Rights Commission said, “Due to absence of effective remedy in the criminal justice system, there has been an ongoing practice of victims, their families and those who supports them, to obtain some sort of remedy by way of publicity, not in the trial process.”

This means filing complaints against soldiers and policemen accused of violations is not enough for complainants, they also have to call the attention of supporters from within and outside the country to pressure the government into action.

That’s why witnesses or complainants at risk prefer to tell their stories to journalists rather than to the police. “Victims who are illegally detained, tortured and falsely charged would rather employ public pressure for their release than take legal action,” the Hong-Kong based human rights watchdog said in a statement.

“The widespread arbitrariness and disregard to elementary due process and legality that protects the rights is lacking if not completely absent. There must be a substantive discourse on the irreparable impact of how the flawed country’s system of justice operates to this day.”

Monsignor Clemente Ignacio, rector of the Quiapo Church in Manila, said the government must strengthen structures to protect the rights of the victims and those filing charges.

“We are saddened that in our beloved homeland, we continue to hear and witness violations of the rights of our brothers and sisters,” he said in an interview Saturday. “We could do a lot, if only all our branches in government could work together to uphold the rights of the citizens.”

Please read full article at 
http://www.cathnewsphil.com/2011/12/13/rights-victims-turn-to-media-for-remedy-rights-watchdog/

 

 

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[In the Web] Chief justice impeached for ‘supporting Arroyo’

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Titanic clash looms in the impeachment of CJ Corona. Photo from http://globalbalita.com.

Raissa Robles in Manilla
Dec 13, 2011

Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached yesterday by the House of Representatives for allegedly issuing decisions favouring former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo‘s government.

Corona will become the first Philippine chief justice to face an impeachment trial before the Senate. It will start next year, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said late yesterday.
Only 95 signatures were needed.Corona’s impeachment came suddenly when 188 lawmakers in the 287-member House signed the Articles of Impeachment that the house leadership drafted this weekend.

Edcel Lagman, the House minority leader and a loyal ally of Arroyo, branded the move “the mother of all blackmails”. He claimed congressmen were told they would miss out on “pork-barrel” funding for pet projects if they did not back the move.

Arroyo is under guard at a military hospital after her arrest on charges of electoral sabotage. She denies the charges.

Other lawmakers denied Lagman’s claim. Congressman Teodoro Casino said that his militant bloc signed up to the impeachment because “this is an important step in holding [Arroyo] accountable for her crimes against the people”.

Last month, the Corona-led Supreme Court ruled that Arroyo could leave the country despite a travel ban issued by the Department of Justice. But immigration authorities blocked Arroyo from boarding a plane on the orders of the justice department.

Corona warned court employees yesterday of “a secret plot to oust me from office, by any means fair or foul” and promised a fight.

Corona is the third highest official to be impeached, after former president Joseph Estrada in 2000 and ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez earlier this year.

Animosity between Corona and President Benigno Aquino came to a head last week after Aquino delivered a stinging conference speech moments after shaking Corona’s hand.

Aquino told Corona he was a “midnight appointee”, because the latter assumed office only a week after Aquino’s sweeping electoral victory last year, then detailed a number of decisions Corona made favouring Arroyo.

Corona served as her presidential chief of staff and spokesman before she appointed him to the Supreme Court.

Please read original article posted at 
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=037a9249b2334310VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=asia%20world&s=news

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[In the Web] Miriam elected judge of International Criminal Court

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Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago elected as one of the 18 jurists of the International Criminal Court (ICC), after the Philippine government has nominated her. Photo from http://www.polbits.com.

By PATERNO ESMAQUEL II, GMA News December 13, 2011 8:16am

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Tuesday was elected judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the independent body that prosecutes individuals for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
In a phone interview with GMA News Online, the senator’s media officer Tom Tolibas confirmed that Santiago won in the first round of voting with 79 votes.

She garnered more votes than Trinidad and Tobago’s Anthony Carmona who got 72 votes, according to the Twitter account of the American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court.

“Mas big deal siya kasi hindi siya umabot sa second round kasi she got enough votes na,” Tolibas said.

In August, the Senate approved a resolution concurring with the ratification of the Rome Statute, which provides for the establishment of the ICC, which is based in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Santiago said 117 other state parties are signatories to the treaty.
Under the treaty, the ICC can step in only when countries are unwilling or unable to dispense justice when it comes to the “most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression,” according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Santiago said there are 18 judges on the ICC, six of whom are scheduled to be replaced this year.

Won’t resign yet

A radio dzBB report said the ICC’s gain may be the Senate’s loss as Santiago had said in October that she has to resign from the Senate and move to Europe.

“I’ll have to resign [as senator]. Isn’t that good news for my enemies? I would have to live in The Hague. I will look like a European and speak like a European and I will be as snooty as a European when I come back,” she said.

Santiago’s term as a senator ends in 2016.

But in an interview with radio dzBB on Tuesday, Santiago said she may still stay for at least one more year before she is called to The Hague to assume her post.
“Wala namang conflict of interest. As long as I’m not called by the ICC in The Hague, I shall remain in my present job,” she said.
Santiago, who won a nine-year term as judge in the ICC, said her oath-taking won’t take place until March 2012.
Asked if this means that she can still take part in the impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona as a senator-judge, she said, “that’s right.”
“May masamang balita ako sa aking kalaban. Hindi ako agad aalis ng Pilipinas. Sa March pa ang oath-taking. Kahit oath-taking hindi pa kami maka-report sa korte sa Netherlands,” she said.
“Maaring isang taon pa ako rito,” she added.
Santiago said that once she leaves the Senate, her Senate post will remain vacant until the next polls.
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[Videos] Human Rights Violations in the Philippines | **EXPLICIT – youtube

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A mock News Report Video for UW (University of Washington) Students for a Research project based on the Human Rights Violations in the Philippines.

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[Statement] AFAD Statement on International Human Rights Day

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10 December 2011

 

Impunity for Enforced Disappearance Must End NOW!

Today, as the world commemorates the 63rd International Human Rights Day, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances or (AFAD) calls on all governments particularly those in the Asian region to stop enforced disappearance and to end impunity.

Enforced disappearance is considered one of the cruelest human rights transgression. It is a multiple and continuous violation of the basic human rights not only of the direct victims but also of their families and the greater society. It inflicts untold sufferings to the victims who are forcibly taken by agents of the States and denied access to legal safeguards by removing them from the protection of the law. It causes ill-effects to the victims’ families, not knowing the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones. Mothers, wives, and daughters are usually left without any means to tend their families. In South Asian context, wives of the disappeared are called “half-widows’ who are stripped of legal status to obtain pensions and other means of support.  Children of the disappeared equally suffer. They are deprived of a normal family and a good future. No doubt, enforced disappearance sows fear and terror in society.

Many governments employ this atrocious practice as a tool of state repression and political witch-hunt. It is a major human rights concern of more than 80 countries based on the 2010 report of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, a thematic UN body created in 1980 to monitor the incidences of enforced disappearances worldwide. Many cases occur in Asian countries, the continent that submitted the highest number of cases.

The Asian region lacks a strong mechanism for redress.  There are no available domestic laws penalizing disappearance as a separate and autonomous criminal offense. Not only are cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances difficult to investigate and prosecute. They recur with each passing day in many Asian countries. Perpetrators can easily walk away from criminal accountability.

Efforts by several governments along with families of the disappeared and international human rights organizations have made possible the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 2006 by the United Nations General Assembly and its consequent entry into force on 23 December 2010. To date, this international human rights instrument has 90 signatories and 30 States Parties.

It is but imperative for all states to accede to the international treaty against enforced disappearances without reservation and immediately adopt effective national laws to abolish this horrendous practice.

While these legal measures and mechanisms may not bring back the disappeared, they can certainly help in finding truth and justice and in preventing cases from happening again. It only takes one small step to have a leap of change.

Ending impunity should both be a demand and a call for unity and action.

For the disappeared and their families, the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will have deeper meaning through governments’ accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the enactment of laws criminalizing disappearances and their full implementation.

 

Signed by:

MUGIYANTO
Chairperson
MARY AILEEN DIEZ- BACALSO
Secretary-General
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