The news was that Philippine
Senator Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal, a member of one of the oldest
and richest families in the Philippines, flew to Utrecht in the Netherlands,
to hobnob with Jose Maria Sison, Luis Jalandoni, Fidel Agcaoili, the top
brains and pillars of the Maoist-“Communist” revolution lead by the National
Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army and
other groups. (My apologies to Ka Roger Rosal, and the 7,500 NPA guerillas
and their numberless supporters who are ready to die for their beliefs and
who are likewise ready to make others die for the same beliefs and who are
being hunted by the Filipino soldiers in the mountain fastnesses of the
Philippines.)
Broadly, we can surmise that
the agenda of the meeting, which was held in the Netherlands from June 26 to
27 according to some reports, was probably to stop the demonic killings now
going on in the Philippines and to end the 38-year rebellion of these
Filipino idealists, whom some say are “misguided” and already out of touch
with international political, economic, and religious realities, and are
listed as “terrorists” by the United States, the European Union, and of
course the Philippine Government.
According to Reuters, the
Maoist rebellion in the
Philippines
is the longest communist rebellion in Asia – and perhaps the world. More
than 40,000 people have been killed as of June 2005, according to “Project
Ploughshares”, a peace group based in Canada. Of course, more people have
died since June last year and more will be dying this year. And if it will
not cease, the funeral parlor owners and their capitalists will become
richer and richer.
Who is Senator Jamby
Madrigal? At the moment, Senator Madrigal, a member of the Philippine ruling
class and its elite families, is not a friend of another sector of the
Philippine ruling class, lead by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her
old-rich husband, Mike Arroyo, and their handlers, perhaps a section of the
Philippine military and their handlers and supporters all over the world.
Hence, Senator Jamby Madrigal is supposed to be “opposing” President Arroyo
and her group.
For those familiar with the
dizzying and nauseating alliances and coalitions and struggle for power of
Philippine politicians, reformers, revolutionaries, and crackpots, Senator
Madrigal’s chat with the so-called leaders of the “communist”
revolutionaries who are so far-removed from their foot soldiers who are
being killed by their enemies in the Philippines, should be a welcome news.
In the ensuing rhetorics, she was pilloried by those close to President
Arroyo. And of course, she was defended by her barkada, Senators
Franklin Drilon, Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., and Rodolfo Biazon.
In the communiqué, Senator
Madrigal agreed with Jose Maria Sison: “that the Arroyo administration was
responsible for the urgent problems in the country; that there was a need to
unite the Filipino people and solve the armed conflicts; that formal talks
between the government and the NDF must resume; that the all-out-war policy
of the administration was wrong; and that the issue of the terror tag on
Sison and the CPP's armed wing, the New People's Army, must be addressed by
the communist group and the opposition.” Of course, only the simple-minded
and the naïve will lay the blame on President Gloria Arroyo and her group,
all the ails of Philippine society which have accumulated through the
centuries. But this is beside the point.
What is important is that
there is an increasing realization and clamor that the killings in the
Philippines should stop. The tragedy is compounded when a great number of
the Filipinos have to subsist on garbage to survive and they are
disrespected in many parts of the world as “just Filipinos”. In large part,
this misery of a once very proud people in the entire world is traceable to
the never-ending killings in this supposedly only Christian country in Asia
and the kind of political and government leaders they have.
The communiqué agreed to by
Senator Madrigal on one hand, and the leaders of the
Marxist-Leninist-Maoist-Jomaist revolutionaries might be construed by
militarist, ultra-rightist groups, and those who glory in killing people as
“treasonous” on the part of Senator Madrigal. Even Rodel Rodis, a very
popular lawyer and leader of the Filipinos in
America,
could not check his anxiety about the developments associated with Senator
Jamby Madrigal and other “old rich” families in the
Philippines
who were reported as hobnobbing with “communist” revolutionaries. Perhaps,
remembering the “class war” in the failed “communist” revolutions in China,
Russia, Eastern Europe, Vietnam, and Cambodia, Atty. Rodis mused: “But in
the game of Philippine politics, certain members of the Philippine elite are
playing the red card in a very deadly game, where they may be the ones
ultimately expelled, by the very players they supported.”
Atty. Rodis’ recollection of
history cannot be faulted. Historian Jorge Santayana’s ghost should be very
proud of him. However, that was then. This is now. Unless the “Maoist”
revolutionaries lead by Jose Maria Sison have fossilized mindsets, I don’t
think that humanity and the future generations of Filipinos will forgive
them if they will provide an excuse to the unprincipled, brutal and
merciless military to wipe out all those who cannot endure the pain of
poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance, oppression, and a hopeless future like
what Suharto and the Indonesian military did to the Partai Komunis Indonesia
members in 1965 when a high estimate of 3 million Indonesians were killed by
the Indonesian military, some being hacked by machetes by their former
friends and neighbors, some being thrown to the emaciated and malnourished
Indonesian crocodiles.
Massive political, economic,
and social changes are being effected in
Latin America
starting with Uruguay when the deadly socialist urban guerillas, the
Tupamaros, laid down their Kalashnikovs, Uzis, Fals, M16s, RPGs, and
grenades to participate in the electoral process in Uruguay. Now their
movement, the “Frente Amplio”, is in control of Uruguay which is considered
the most politically stable political system in all of Latin America. In
addition, it seems that the Uruguayan political innovation is making waves
all over Latin America, especially in countries wracked by Marxist and
Maoist revolutions before. The Latinos might still be waving their flags and
crying “Socialismo o Muerte!” But this time, they are doing this without the
guns and the killings. It is through the very democratic and not bloody
process of organization, education, and elections.
The 90 million Filipinos and
their descendants will be grateful to Senator Jamby Madrigal, the old rich
in the Philippines, Jose Maria Sison and his fellow revolutionaries who
still “consult” him (pun intended), other so-called progressive groups such
as Akbayan, Bayan Muna, Laban ng Masa, the reformed members of the
Philippine military, the religious groups in the Philippines and their links
all over the world such as the Vatican, the Evangelicals, kind hearted
philanthropists such as Angelina Jolie, Bono, Bill and Melinda Gates, and
Warren Buffet, Atty. Rodel Rodis and Atty. Loida Nicolas-Lewis of the
world-famous National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Migrante
International, Atikha, Inafi, Audax WWNetwork Corporation, OFW-MBC, Global
Filipinos, Nanay Pilipinas, and the rest of the 8 million Filipinos in
Diaspora if for once in the history of the Philippines, we can convert
swords into ploughshares, guns and bullets into “bagoong” (shrimp paste) and
“bilanghoy” (a root crop, also known as “kamoteng kahoy”, favorite of the
peasants in the Philippines) to assuage the hunger of our malnourished
people, instead of subsisting on garbage.
[*Originally published in the
Filipino Insider, a monthly magazine supplement of The San Francisco
Chronicle, one of the major periodicals in
America.
The author was a former faculty member of the University of the Philippines
Department of Political Science. He can be reached at
Cesar1185@aol.com.]
PHILIPPINES: The president fails to take
decisive steps to end extrajudicial killings
A Statement by the
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
July 25, 2006
The president of the
Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her State of the Nation Address (SONA)
during the 3rd Regular Session of the 13th Congress of the Republic of the
Philippines. Except for mentioning her condemnation of political killings in
the harshest possible terms and urging the witnesses to come forward, and
mentioning that together we will stop extrajudicial executions, there was
hardly any indication of any practical measures that the president will take
in order to stop these killings. The president need not make any direct call
to the armed forces to stop extrajudicial killings.
While the people's
cooperation is necessary to achieve such a stop to the killings the primary
responsibility for this lies entirely on the state, which is the president
of the Philippines. Extrajudicial killings can happen only with her direct
or indirect approval or by military or other forces acting directly contrary
to her orders. In both instances the responsibility of undoing the wrong
that is happening is with the president. Last week the Papal Nuncio to the
Philippines,
Archbishop Fernando Filoni condemned extrajudicial killings in the
Philippines in the strongest terms and called for an immediate stop to this
situation. He is quoted below:
"I am surprised to see that,
in the Philippines,
there is still an activity of high incidence of moral and political violence
against those who profess different political ideologies, like the
journalists, columnists and writers, among others," he said.
"Whether it be the political
or the religious point of view, it will truly be a contradiction, if on the
one hand, we practically abolished the death penalty and yet, on the other
hand, we are not respecting or implementing the (protected) rights of the
human race," the Papal Nuncio said.
Further comments:
Jaro Archbishop Angel
Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines,
in the CBCP's pastoral statement released last July 10, 2006, voiced
stronger concern over extra-judicial killings.
"We join the outcry of
groups that have denounced the increasing number of extra-judicial killings
of journalists and social activists suspected as sympathizers of insurgents
allegedly by some ultra-rightist elements in the military," Lagdameo said.
The outrage of the Filipinos
as well as concerned persons outside the Philippines at the extrajudicial
killings in the country required a far greater resolute response on the part
of the country's president. However, President Macapagal-Arroyo's statement
made at the SONA does not reflect a resoluteness to discharge her
obligations regarding this very serious matter.
The Asian Human Rights
Commission urges the president and the government of the Philippines to give
a clear message to the military to stop all extrajudicial killings and an
equally strong message to the prosecutors to take all possible actions to
prosecute the offenders. An unequivocable call on the part of the government
can bring the extrajudicial killings done directly or indirectly by the
military to an end within the shortest possible time of such a call. The
nation deserves such a call to come from the president and the international
community must pursue this matter strongly with the government of the
Philippines.
We urge everyone to engage
in active protests until this heinous practice is stopped in the
Philippines. We urge them to hold peaceful and dignified protests everywhere
and also call upon all to have prayer meetings and other solidarity actions
both in the country and outside. We also invite everyone to take a very
active part in promoting the on-line petition 'Stop extrajudicial killings
in the Philippines
now' and to encourage others to sign this petition. (Please follow this link
http://www.pinoyhr.net/).
PHILIPPINES: Outlawing torture must be a
priority to show commitment to human rights
A Statement by the
Asian Human Rights Commission on the International Day in Support of Torture
Victims and Survivors, June 26, 2006
"If the government was serious about preventing torture, it could have
enacted an enabling law long before now..."
On 7 June 2006 a Committee
in the Philippine Congress approved a consolidated bill seeking to outlaw
torture. By approving this long overdue bill, the Committee acknowledged the
need to enact an enabling law on torture. While this development is warmly
welcomed the issue of how to consistently push for it is a matter of further
concern. Torture victims have long been denied the possibility to seek
remedy and justice due to the absence of a law. Therefore, members of the
legislative body can no longer delay this proposed bill and must consider it
with the utmost priority. The Committee's effort thus far will be
meaningless if the Congress fails to meet the objective of enacting a law
against torture.
It can be recalled that on
April 19, before the
Philippines
was elected as a member to the UN Human Rights Council, it pledged to:
".focus on bridging national and international human rights goals,
standards". It also assured to ".seek to strengthen domestic support for the
ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture
(CAT)". Legislation of domestic law according to international human rights
standards is a precondition for implementation and protection of human
rights. The government however, has continuously failed to meet its
obligations under Article 2 and 4 of the CAT Convention. This has denied
victims of their constitutional rights to seek redress.
Article 2 of the CAT
Convention obligates the government to "take effective legislative,
administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture",
while Article 4 is to "ensure that all acts of torture are offences under
its [Philippines] criminal law". Years after the government acceded to the
CAT Convention and after having it entered into force in June 1986 and June
1987, torture has not been outlawed. Although Section 12 (2) of the 1987
Philippine Constitution prohibits the use of torture, there are no existing
mechanisms where victims can seek redress and legal remedies. Having these
rights envisaged in the Constitution with no law to implement them has
proved meaningless.
Although concerned
government agencies, in particular the Commission on Human Rights of the
Philippines (CHRP), investigate cases of torture, such inquiries are mostly
inefficient or unacceptably delayed. Take the case of torture victims Jejhon
Macalinsal, Aron Salah and Abubakar Amilhasan of General Santos City,
Southern Philippines. Their case of torture was only acted upon by the
Commission's regional office on 5 June 2006; four years after the original
incident occurred. Not only have they been denied immediate redress for the
crimes committed against them, but the possibility of effectively
prosecuting the perpetrators after so many years, makes the pursuit of
justice increasingly difficult.
The UN Human Rights
Committee previously raised concerns about how the government was dealing
with cases of torture and torture victims. In its December 2003 concluding
observations on the Philippines in compliance to the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it noted its concern over reports
torture is "persistent and widespread". The Committee also highlighted the
"lack of legislation [on torture]" in accordance with Articles 7 and 10 of
the Covenant. This has long been proven as an obstacle for victims seeking
legal remedies. Torture victims cannot prosecute perpetrators in court for
torture offences.
Some of the victims have
been able to file charges against their perpetrators, but these were based
on existing laws where they could invoke the violations committed on them
but not of torture. The case of 11 torture victims in Buguias, Benguet on 14
February 2006 demonstrates this point. The 11 victims filed charges against
the policemen for violation of an Act defining certain rights of persons
arrested, detained or under custodial investigation (Republic Act 7438) but
not of torture. In another case, a female worker who had a miscarriage
following a violent dispersal by police and guards in
Rosario,
Cavite on 21 January 2006 filed charges of unintentional abortion, while her
two companions filed slight and serious physical injuries. The perpetrators
allegedly involved in brutally beating them were likewise not charged with
torture.
Rehabilitation programmes
and adequate medical provisions by the government are also non-existent for
torture victims in the
Philippines.
As a result of this it is extremely difficult for victims to recover from
their trauma and injuries.
The Philippines, as member
to the UN Human Rights Council, had also pledged to seek domestic support in
ratifying the Optional Protocol of the CAT. However, the government's
sincerity and commitment to implement international human rights instruments
and procedures is highly questioned by torture victims within the country.
Part of the obligations for a State party ratifying the Optional
Protocol—under Part IV Article 17--is for them to "maintain, designate or
establish" a National Preventive Mechanism for the prevention of torture.
However, there is no such effective mechanism for the prevention of torture
in the Philippines. The government's credibility in adhering to the
provisions of the Protocol is likewise questioned as it has failed to outlaw
torture fifteen years after acceding to the CAT Convention.
If the government was
serious about preventing torture, it could have enacted an enabling law long
before now. Further, this could have been done in full conformity with the
provisions of the CAT Convention. A country which has failed to comply with
the provisions of the CAT holds little credibility in carrying out the
functioning of the "National Preventive Mechanism", as required after
ratifying the Protocol. While its desire to ratify the Protocol is greatly
welcomed, the government must comply with its obligation to the CAT
Convention if it is to illustrate its sincerity and commitment to the
prevention of torture. Concurrently, the Government must implement the
concluding observations of the UN Human Rights Committee regarding torture
by ensuring that "all allegations of torture are effectively and promptly
investigated.[and].that those found responsible are prosecuted". This,
however, can only be done with the enactment of an enabling law regarding
torture.
It is long overdue that the
legislators in the Philippines recognize the need for a law on torture.
Without this persons will continue to be tortured and their perpetrators
will maintain their level of impunity. Should they wish to remedy this
situation and show the international community their commitment to human
rights, the executive and members of the legislative body must enact this
law without any further delay and thus bring justice to the country's
torture victims.
Against Terrorism
Government
Combines Hardware Procurement and Livelihood Funding
By AURORA J. CASIMPAN / PIA 8
June 20, 2006
"...communism and democracy will never be able to work harmoniously."
Peace for all!
Everyone in the country
aspires for a lasting peace to finally settle so that development can move
and services can be delivered to all who need it most – the people in the
countryside.
But apparently, the ideal of
peace is diametrically opposed between practitioners of different
ideologies.
Ideological differences is
apparently difficult in fostering alliances or partnership. They are not
ideal for any form of union either.
Take the case of governance
as an example. The democratic form of government practiced in the country
has opened its doors to left leaning ideologists. They were allowed to join
mainstream politics as their acceptance was legally mandated by Philippine
laws. To date, the Communist Party and its cabals have seats in the
legislative branch of the government having been elected into positions.
Their integration into the government is indicative of everyone’s wish to
stamp out disharmony among the citizens of the country. The acceptance mean
that their aspirations would have a venue for representation.
Ideally, their presence is
welcome as they serve as the mouthpiece of the real aspirations of the
masses, considering their grasp of the situation of the grassroot. Further,
said group act as the check and balance in most areas of government actions.
These group make their presence known via voicing their agreements or
disagreements with administration people.
But sadly, the fang of
ideology has spit out its poison. Facts show that communism and democracy
will never be able to work harmoniously. It’s either communism or democracy
– which should prevail?
The government has tried all
means to reach out and involve the CPP-NPA in its development programs for
the country. But time and again development has been derailed by communist
actions. The people are deprived and are short-changed by irresponsible and
selfish actions of the left.
What is the government to do
in response? It cannot forever wait for the left to back off and let the job
of upliftment begin. The leftist movement does not seem eager in bringing
development to the countryside as it would deprive them of a good source of
livelihood. The countryside teems with full and easy means of livelihood.
But the administration is
determined to grasp the bull by its horns. Should the means to reign involve
confrontational then it will equip itself with the proper shield of winning
the battle of bringing terrorism to its knees. Right now, the President has
allocated one (1) billion pesos for hardware procurement for the military as
an insurance for the battle ahead. The police will also be mobilized to work
hand in hand with the military in its fight against terrorism.
Above all the preparations,
the President still ideally believes in allocating livelihood funds as a
means of pushing development. At least the countryside can use the funds for
livelihood projects.
Rebel priest hallucinating
By MajGen. BONIFACIO B. RAMOS, AFP
Commanding General, 8th
Infantry Division, PA
June 18, 2006
"...either individuals or “legal organizations” (the military included) are
neither "above the law” nor exempted from any constitutional prosecution if
there are crimes committed."
This in reference to the
article published in the Leyte-Samar Daily Express News on June 14, 2006
entitled: “NDF hits Gen. Ramos for advocating martial law”, written by Staff
Writer, Miriam Garcia Desacada.
Foremost, the 8th Infantry
Division, Philippine Army would like our freedom loving people know that the
military might be the first organization to go up against a, declared or
undeclared, martial law. We have learned martial law’s sad lessons from the
past and I categorically say that if there is an institution, which abhors
martial law to the fullest, it is the military.
The words of Santiago Salas
(if he has indeed stated) that attacks are directed not only on the armed
revolutionary movement, but also for the legal democratic movement is again
another deceiving statement intended to confuse the public.
This command would like to
make it clear that it is the campaign (and not “attacks”) that would
continue primarily against the armed communist terrorist NPAs and the “legal
fronts” that are doing unconstitutional or illegal activities.
It should be vividly be
analyzed that either individuals or “legal organizations” (the military
included) are neither “above the law” nor exempted from any constitutional
prosecution if there are crimes committed.
Committing an act of terror
is a crime and anyone who “willingly” harbors criminals and “willingly gives
support” for their illegal act (be it an illegal or legal organization)
could be considered, by virtue of law, an accessory to the crime committed.
On the alleged
“assassinations and reprisals against the legal democratic movement”. It is
strongly recommended for Santiago Salas to file these cases in proper court.
Failure to do this would only indicate that is again using the same old
recycled issues for discrediting the government.
Santiago Salas is probably
hallucinating to brag that his movement has hundreds of thousands of
supporters and sympathizers. It is self-serving and it is only meant to, as
I have said, confusingly deceived the public that they have the support and
strength (?).
And of course, he has to
offset his remaining companions’ diminishing morale – that’s the other
purpose.
Lastly, let me assure our
fellowmen that 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army will always be
committed to our mandated task of safeguarding you and our constitution.
The tiller's struggle for the right to land
will not be defeated by GMA's undeclared martial law
A Press Statement by KARAPATAN on CARL Anniversary
June 10, 2006
Today, human rights
advocates from KARAPATAN join our peasant brothers and sisters in
underscoring the importance of a genuine agrarian reform that is being
continuously deprived them by the pretentious Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Law enacted on June 10, 1998.
We decry the violence
unleashed against our peasant folks who are struggling against land-grabbing
and for their right to live decently as human beings. Many of those
aspiring for the realization of the tiller's right to land have been killed
by state security forces in the last five years of the fascist Macapagal-Arroyo
regime.
Six hundred eighty four
(684) Filipinos were arbitrarily killed, 287 among them were activists.
Peasants bear the brunt of GMA's undeclared martial law with 452 farmers as
victims of extra-judicial killings.
The peasants' right to land,
together with the Filipino people's right to self-determination, will always
be aspirations that the Filipino people will struggle for. Fascism may rear
its ugly face at the height of struggles for land and social change, but no
cruelty can make our people give up the fight for what is right, even at the
cost of their lives. Mrs. Arroyo's undeclared martial law will never defeat
a movement of people fighting for change.
We pay tribute to peasant
leaders like Eddie Gumanoy, Victor "Tatang Ben" Concepcion, Ofelia "Nanay
Perla" Rodriguez, Ernesto Bang, Ricardo Ramos, Nicanor de los Santos, Renier
Cusio and many other peasant activists whose blood drenched the land so
that one day Filipino peasants can own the land they till and the Filipino
people will reap the fruits of their labor.
