Kid-gloves for Arroyo, harsh treatment for activists

Baseless arrests, brutal dispersals, inaction on human rights violations, but kid-glove treatment for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Aquino administration perpetuates a double standard of  justice. The special treatment of Arroyo also shows that the Aquino administration does not empathize with the sentiments of ordinary Filipinos.

On the other hand, the demonstrators in Mendiola, who were only seeking fundamental reforms, were treated as if they were criminals, even though they were only legitimately exercising their basic right to freedom of speech, and to assemble peaceably and petition the government for redress of grievances.

The baseless arrests and brutal dispersal of protesters betray the paranoia bedeviling the country’s “law enforcement” agents. The police have been overzealous and brazen in abusing their power.

Malacañang’s “maximum tolerance” policy is supposed to favor the rallyists, and binds the police to observe the highest degree of restraint during a public assembly. But the Aquino administration has acted otherwise: it quickly mobilized nine trucks of policemen who resorted to physical mauling and arrests to restrain the protesters.

Also, slow response to, but mostly inaction on human rights violations promotes a climate of impunity. Former President Arroyo could yet escape accountability, and given this administration’s ambivalence and sloth in filing strong cases against her, President Aquino would be making himself an accessory to her crimes. The current intramurals among the political and economic elite could only  lead to accommodation and compromise.

P-Noy is not supposed to be confused with how to deal with Arroyo. It is not the government’s responsibility to give her peace of mind, provide her comfort, or cheer her spirits. And certainly it is not the government’s business to give her special treatment. Her high crimes and abuse of power are in fact aggravating circumstances. It is P-Noy’s duty to make her accountable for her crimes, especially for gross human rights violations.

In marking the International Human Rights Day, human rights defenders have one common demand from P-Noy: release all political prisoners. There are more than 350 political prisoners languishing in jail today, on hazy, even  made-up charges. They are being penalized for their political activism, from which he himself also benefited.

Human rights violators must be held accountable lest a frustrated people come to claim justice for themselves. Those who forget the lessons of history are damned to repeat them.

—EDRE U. OLALIA,

secretary general,

National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers,

[email protected]