European Commission extends P270-million aid to address RP killings

MANILA, Philippines – The European Commission (EC) has extended €3.9-million (about P270-million) technical assistance to the Philippine government to address extra-legal or extra-judicial killings.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, EC delegation head to the Philippines, signed the financing agreement for the EU-Philippine Justice Support Program (EPJUST) the other day.

Also present during the signing ceremony were Ambassador Luis Arias Romero of Spain (representing the presidency of the European Union), Philippine Ambassador to the EC Cristina Ortega, and EC director for Asia in the Directorate-General of External Relations in Brussels James Moran.

MacDonald said, “While the incidence of these killings has declined significantly since 2007, it is regrettable that there has as yet been so few convictions in relation to the killings of political activists.”

“The EU has been happy to respond positively to the (Philippine government’s) request to provide technical assistance to help the Philippines address the question of extra-legal or extra-judicial killings,” he said.

MacDonald said the EPJUST will help all stakeholders in the Philippines – from the government, civil society and relevant constitutional bodies – to work together to bring an end to extra-legal killings and enforced disappearances of political activists, journalists, trade unionists and farmers’ representatives, and to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The EPJUST, over a period of 18 months, will provide support, advice, technical assistance and training in areas such as strengthening the criminal justice system (investigation, prosecution, judiciary), providing support for the Commission on Human Rights and civil society groups working in this area, and human rights awareness training for the police and military.

The program will also include support for the setting up of a credible and effective national monitoring system that will bring together all Philippine stakeholders to help track the progress in addressing this issue.

The initial activities under the program are expected to start before the year ends and be completed by March 2011.

MacDonald said the agreement “confirms the willingness of the EU and of the Republic of the Philippines to work together even in sensitive areas such as governance, reflecting the spirit of partnership which we have built up over the years.” –Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)