Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Vol. VI, No. 27      August 13 - 19, 2006      Quezon City, Philippines

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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Gloria Has Surpassed Marcos Rights Record - Solon
Extra-judicial killings: 145 a year under GMA, 120 a year under FM

Based on data from Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights), the number of victims of extra-judicial killings has reached 725 since 2001, when Arroyo became president through a popular uprising. This translates to an average of 145 extra-judicial killings a year under her administration.

BY KARL G. OMBION
Bulatlat

BACOLOD City – Sorsogon Rep. Francis Escudero, in a press conference here over the weekend, said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has surpassed the human rights violation record of deposed strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Escudero noted in particular the massive extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo administration.

Based on data from Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights), the number of victims of extra-judicial killings has reached 725 since 2001, when Arroyo became president through a popular uprising. This translates to an average of 145 extra-judicial killings a year under her administration. 

“It’s true (the) Marcos regime was known for its human rights violations, but those violations took place in the span of 20 years or so, and he had an average of 120 killings only per year,” Escudero said. “Arroyo’s records in about five years only have clearly surpassed (those of) Marcos.”

He expressed doubt over Arroyo’s ability to solve 10 cases of extra-judicial killings over 10 weeks as she ordered in a directive recently issued to the Philippine National Police (PNP). “Assuming she is sincere, if that is her timetable it would take beyond her term to solve all the killings,” Escudero said. “Meanwhile, killings continue, thus making her promise moot and academic.”

Escudero also scored Arroyo’s adoption of an “all-out war” policy; as well as the imposition of Executive Order No. 564 which serves as a green light for both the state security and the local government executives to arm themselves and their private armies openly, and run after militants and opposition alike.

“While she encouraged families of victims and witnesses to come out and file complaints, she also praised General Palparan and his like for their continued fight for so-called democracy,” he said. “So, who would really dare come out under this condition?”

Palparan is Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr., who has gained notoriety for the killings of activists and other human rights violations that have occurred at alarming rates in areas under his command.

He is presently assigned in Central Luzon and has recently implemented a cedula (community tax certificate) drive in Nueva Ecija province. Persons there who have been unable to produce community tax certificates are widely reported to a have been rounded up by the military.

In related development, Escudero challenged Arroyo to give the people her true state of health amidst rumors that she is suffering a serious ailment.

Arroyo was hospitalized twice only last month, the first time purportedly for diarrhea and the second time supposedly for influenza. Speculations are rife that she is actually suffering from a severe kidney ailment, but Malacańang has denied these.

“I am asking her once and for all to declare openly and officially either personally or thru an official expert, not just anybody else, her real health condition so we would know what to do or how to help her,” said Escudero.

Escudero clarified that she is not taking Arroyo’s reported ailment as a political issue, or an issue to remove her from power. “In fact we all wish her a good health; it’s important how her health affects her governance,” he added.

He said under the Constitution, the president could write to or express before Congress if she feels she could no longer perform effectively for health reasons.

Escudero was in Bacolod as a guest at the Bacolod Rotary Club’s founding anniversary celebration. Bulatlat

 

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© 2006 Bulatlat  Alipato Media Center

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