Alston report on RP’s failure to address extrajudicial killings disputed

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang cried foul yesterday over the statements of UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings Philip Alston on the supposed failure of the Philippine government to implement reforms aimed at addressing the issue of summary executions and other human rights abuses in the country.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde called the latest claims of Alston unfair.

“That is unfair. I think our government has done so many things. In fact, the US State Department has praised initiatives that were made by the Philippines and we continue our efforts towards that direction,” Remonde said.

Remonde pointed out that the administration has taken efforts to address the issue of unexplained killings and continues to institute measures to eradicate the problem.

Alston submitted a report before the UN Human Rights Council criticizing the Arroyo administration for its shortcomings in addressing the problem of political killings.

Alston accused the Philippine government of failing to implement the necessary reforms to address the issue of political killings and human rights abuses often committed by its security forces.

Alston, who visited the Philippines a few years back to look into the human rights situation in the country, acknowledged that some progress has been made.

But because the actions were more symbolic than substantial, Alston said these could easily be reversed.

Following Alston’s initial report, the government took the initiative to address the issue of unexplained killings of political activists, suspected insurgents and members of the media.

“Nevertheless, we consider (Alston’s) report as a challenge to work harder to address the human rights issues,” Remonde added.

He said the Philippine government was aware of the latest report of Alston to the UN, and had made the appropriate response to address the claims.

Remonde pointed out President Arroyo had issued a directive to put up a P25-million reward for any information leading to the arrest of suspects in political killings.

“We want to erase the legacy of political violence that has haunted our nation for generations. We want to achieve a violence-free political culture in the Philippines once and for all,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President also urged lawmakers to contribute P250,000 each from their pork barrel fund to finance the bounty.

Justification

The Philippine National Police (PNP), for its part, made public its most wanted list yesterday that included self-exiled communist leader Jose Ma. Sison and New People’s Army (NPA) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

Authorities have put up a P10-million reward for the capture of Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) now living in exile in the Netherlands.

Rosal, on the other hand, has a P5 million bounty on his head.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said Sison and Rosal were tagged as the principal suspects in the murder of hard-hitting and anti-communist broadcaster Nelson Nadura on Dec. 2, 2003 in Masbate City.

In his report, Alston said Mrs. Arroyo’s deadline to eliminate the communist insurgency by 2010 has been used by security forces as justification in tagging political and civil society organizations as alleged communist fronts.

Remonde, however, said these fronts have been using this argument to shield their purpose of aiding the NPA rebels.

“There is a saying that a lie repeated a thousand times will assume the substance of truth. So maybe Alston has been influenced by this propaganda,” Remonde said.

Remonde defended President Arroyo’s 2010 deadline, saying that this has been the aspiration of every sitting President for the purpose of attaining peace and development.

“But in the process, it is clear in the order of the President and the leadership of the defense establishment and the Armed Forces of the Philippines that this would be carried out with due respect to human rights,” he said.

For his part, opposition leader Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said there would be no end to political killings in the country under the present administration.

He said the Arroyo administration “is more intent on silencing the opposition rather than observing human rights.”

Binay said the P25 million-reward has been put up just to satisfy Alston and other international human rights groups to make it appear that the government is exerting efforts to address the issue.

“The fact that the number of political killings decreased after Mrs. Arroyo issued policy statements against extrajudicial killings mean only one thing: her administration can influence forces behind the killings,” he said. –-Marvin Sy with Jaime Laude, Rhodina Villanueva, Philippine Star