On Sec. Lacierda’s statement that
Malacañang has a policy vs. Enforced Disappearances
Walk the talk –
Desaparecidos
By DESAPARECIDOS
August 31, 2012
QUEZON CITY –
Families of the Disappeared for Justice or Desaparecidos today,
refuted Malacañang’s claim that it “has a policy against enforced
disappearances.”
“That’s a big fat Lie!”
exclaimed Maryguy Portajada, Desaparecidos Secretary General. “If that
were true, then why do we have 11 victims of enforced disappearance
under the Aquino government?
“Magsasalita na lang sila,
puro kasinungalingan pa,” Portajada lamented. “That’s what their good
at, statements and PR spins. We have yet to see them do something
tangible for the victims and their families. But they only have lies
to dish out. They could not even bring out The Butcher, Gen. Jovito
Palparan.”
Desaparecidos said that even
the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Bill is still awaiting Bicameral
hearing. The House version was passed on March this year, while the
Senate version was passed in 2011.
"Instead of helping us
locate our missing loved ones, the Aquino Government’s pretension is
insult to us," Portajada continued.
For relatives of the
disappeared, the Aquino government’s statement is but a vain attempt
to cover up its human rights record. “Malacañang's attitude is a
perfect ingredient for more human rights violations, specifically
enforced disappearances” Portajada warned.
The group demands from the
government to stop its counterinsurgency program that has caused a
string of human rights violations in the country. “Until they stop
Oplan Bayanihan, until they have caught and punished the likes of
Jovito Palparan, can we believe that the Aquino government is really
doing something about the situation. Otherwise, we will consider him
as no different from Marcos and his martial law which left behind
hundreds of victims of enforced disappearance,” Portajada concluded.
