The International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL), an organization of human-rights lawyers committed to the protection and advancement of the basic rights of peoples throughout the world, calls for the release of all political prisoners in the Philippines and the prosecution of human rights violators.
At the inauguration of President Benigno Aquino III, IAPL had high hopes that he would put an end to extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture, as well as the culture of impunity that abetted these atrocities during the Arroyo administration.
Nineteen months into the Aquino presidency, IAPL sees no major change: human rights violations continue to this day. The perpetrators have not been effectively investigated, charged and tried, let alone punished.
Yes, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was recently arrested for cases filed against her for electoral sabotage, plunder and graft and corruption. But the present government has not shown any concrete and firm step to make her former administration liable for human rights violations.
It is instead the victims, their relatives, human rights defenders organizations and their lawyers that have initiated and are doggedly pursuing cases in courts, at great risk and difficulty, with no help from the government other than rhetoric.
There are still 356 political prisoners in the Philippines. The Aquino administration should show its respect for human rights by taking concrete actions, instead of just speaking about it.
A first and necessary step is to free the political prisoners, those detained and imprisoned for fighting against oppression and for fundamental changes. To punish people because they have a different political belief while allowing human rights violators to operate with impunity is, simply put, gross injustice.
IAPL urges the Philippine government to (1) release all political prisoners in the Philippines, immediately and unconditionally; (2) take prompt action to investigate and resolve administrative, civil and criminal cases against former President Arroyo and her top civilian, military and police officials, like retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, who have been accused of serious human rights violations; and (3) leave no stone unturned in capturing and arresting Palparan and make him answer for his many crimes, including the disappearance, torture and rape of two university students.
—RAF JESPERS,
secretary general,
International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL), Utrecht, the Netherlands
c/o National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers,
nupl2007@gmail.com