May, 2015

Relatives of victims of human rights violations criticized the House of Representatives (HOR) Committee on Human Rights for its “insensitivity” to their “urgent and immediate concerns for justice.” The reaction came after yesterday’s (May 26) omnibus hearing on several cases of rights abuses  

Nelson Salvador, husband of extrajudicial killing victim Engr. Fidela Salvador said, “The committee opted to hear the perpetrators instead of hearing the facts of the case from us—the families, victims, and witnesses.”

“We dare the 72nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) to disarm Alamara which has been on a killing spree in Kapalong, Davao del Norte,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said. Alamara, a paramilitary group known to be armed and supported by the 72nd and 60th IBPA, has been “reportedly on a power trip and sowing terror in Kapalong villages by killing people out of sheer compulsion or even personal grudges,” Palabay said.

Less than a week after the euphoria brought about by the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines, on January 16-19, the Filipinos were shaken by another of President BS Aquino’s fiasco, the Mamasapano botched military operation.

Karapatan today called on the United Nations Sub-committee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) to look into the 110 cases of torture and numerous cases of illegal arrests under the Aquino administration.

The UN SPT will be in the Philippines for a country visit from May 25 to June 3 to monitor the implementation of the Optional protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OpCAT), which was ratified by the Philippines in 2012. 

APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

Breastfeeding political prisoner may be separated from baby

(An Update of the Urgent Alert dated July 25, 2014)

Dear friends,

Please join us in our call for the immediate release of political prisoner Miradel Torres who is currently at the Taguig City Jail-Female Dorm (TCJ-FD) at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

Karapatan supports the call for unconditional provision for humanitarian aid and shelter for the Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi refugees and asylum seekers.

We are alarmed at the statements by officials of the Philippine government putting conditions before providing aid to the refugees.  Immigration chief Siegfried Mison said that those without travel documents will be denied entry to the country, while Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said that economic and security concerns will be taken into account.