NUPGE protests harassment of Philippine human rights leaders

James Clancy sends letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo condemning treatment of political opponents

Ottawa (24 April 2008) - The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) says armed men have harassed the leader of a human rights mission to Canada since his return to the Philippines and threatened him with arrest.

NUPGE president James Clancy has written a letter to Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo condemning the treatment of Satur Ocampo, an elected congressional representative, and expressing concern for his safety as well as that of two outer political leaders who accompanied him, Rep. Crispin Beltran and Rep. Luz Ilgan.

"Representatives of the National Union met with Rep. Ocampo and were impressed by his dedication to the people of the Philippines. As one of the sponsors of the Human Rights Mission to Canada we take this matter extremely seriously," Clancy wrote.

"It is difficult not to interpret these actions as retaliation by the Philippine government for Rep. Ocampo's presentations – that he and the other elected legislators made – to the Canadian Parliament and the Canadian media," he added.

"That Rep. Ocampo's principled and courageous stand against the growing level of violence in the Philippines, which includes extrajudicial killings, would provoke this response from the government is a shameful comment on your government."

Ocampo, is president of the Bayan Muna Party (People First) and the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. The two representatives who accompanied him are members of the Gabriela Women's Party.

They toured Canada April 4-18 at the invitation of the Stop the Killings Network and the United Church of Canada. NUPGE was among a number of groups providing financial support for the tour and meeting with the delegation.

During their tour, the visitors informed the Canadian public, the media and MPs of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights that more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances have occurred under the government of President Macapagal-Arroyo. They also spoke of personal harassment, arrests and intimidation.

"It has been reported to me that your government is once again dredging up murder charges against Mr. Ocampo – along with fellow Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casino, Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Liza Maza and former Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano – this time for the alleged killing of three rebel returnees between 2001 and 2004," Clancy wrote.

"It is with suspicion that we note that Casino has also recently returned to the Philippines from a trip overseas where he made front page news exposing the human rights abuses in the Philippines during the country's appearance before the Universal Periodic Review on human rights on April 11, 2008 in Geneva," Clancy added.

"This is not the first time your government has tried to arrest and silence Mr. Ocampo and the other progressive party list legislators. Each time the charges have been thrown out of court. We ask that the Philippine government immediately stop the harassment of Rep. Ocampo, Rep. Beltran and Rep. Ilagan, Rep. Casino and the other elected representatives of these Party list legislators."

Specifically, Clancy urged the president to:

● Drop all trumped-up charges against Ocampo and the other elected party list legislators; ● Stop the harassment and intimidation of Ocampo and the other elected party list legislators; and ● Stop the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines and bring those responsible to justice.

"This ongoing harassment of these elected leaders has no place in a country which claims to be a democracy or to respect the human rights of its citizens," Clancys said. NUPGE

An open letter from the Canadian-based organizations and individuals

Open Letter to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and
the Government of Canada

Monday, April 21, 2008 -- We, the undersigned Canadian-based organizations and individuals, strongly condemn the harassment by armed men of Rep. Satur Ocampo on his return from a Human Rights Mission to Canada. We also condemn the threat of his imminent arrest.

We are seriously concerned for his safety and that of the othermembers of the Mission, Rep. Crispin Beltran and Rep. Luz Ilagan.

According to Philippine newspaper reports, unidentified armed men on motorcycles believed to be police officers were seen staking out Ocampo's residence in Quezon City, early Sunday, April 20. A Honda SUV and a Toyota AUV parked a few metres from his house left when members of the media arrived around 10:30 am.

We view the timing of these events as punishment by the Philippine government for Rep. Ocampo's courageous and principled stand against the ongoing human rights abuses in the Philippines -- particularly the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances -- that he and the two other elected legislators aired before the Canadian Parliament and the Canadian media.

Rep. Ocampo, President of the Bayan Muna Party and the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, along with Rep. Beltran of Anakpawis and Rep. Ilagan from the Gabriela Women's Party, were in Canada at the invitation of the Stop the Killings Network and the United Church of Canada for a national tour from April 4 -18, 2008.

The three members of the Philippine Congress informed the Canadian public, media and members of Parliament at the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights that more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances have occurred under the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. They revealed that they themselves have been subjected to harassment, arrests and intimidation; 132 members of Rep. Ocampo's party have been assassinated since 2001, along with 49 members of Anakpawis and members of Gabriela.

Members of the Subcommittee who heard their testimonies expressed deep concern, saying that Canada must speak out and condemn the political killings. They acknowledged the grave risk the Philippine legislators have taken in standing up for their country.

The Philippine government appears to be again dredging up murder charges against Mr. Ocampo along with fellow Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Liza Maza and former Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano. Prosecutors in Neuva Ecija province filed the charges on Friday, April 18, this time for the alleged killing of three rebel returnees between 2001 and 2004.

It is to be noted that Casiño also just returned from Geneva, Switzerland where he made front page news exposing the human rights abuses in the Philippines during that country's appearance before the United Nations Universal Periodic Review on human rights last April 11, 2008.

This is not the first time the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the arrest of Mr. Ocampo and the other progressive Party list legislators in order to silence them. Each time the charges have been thrown out of court.

On February 2007, Mr. Ocampo was arrested and detained for 18 days during an ongoing election campaign on charges of murders he allegedly committed in 1984. At that time he was in prison under the Marcos dictatorship. The case was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Rebellion charges were also dismissed in 2006 against Reps. Ocampo, Casiño, Beltran and Mariano, along with Rep. Maza of Gabriela. They spent two months under the protective custody of the Philippine Congress to prevent their arrest. However, Rep. Crispin Beltran, 75, was nabbed and spent 15 months in prison where he suffered heart problems before the charges were dropped.

UN Rapporteur Philip Alston rejected the charges of the Philippine government that the ongoing political killings and abductions are the results of internal purges within the Philippine left and underground New Peoples Army, and instead implicated the Philippine military and police forces.

We demand that the Philippine government immediately stop the harassment and drop all trumped-up charges against Reps. Ocampo, Beltran, Ilagan, Casiño and the other elected representatives of these Party list organizations.

We urge that the Canadian government demand an immediate end to the intimidation and harassment of Rep. Ocampo and ensure his safety along with that of Rep. Beltran and Rep. Ilagan. The three were recent guests of the Canadian people. We call on the Canadian government to take a strong stand against the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines and withhold bilateral assistance to the Arroyo government until Ottawa has proof that suitable measures have been taken.

-- Drop all trumped-up charges against Rep. Satur Ocampo and the
other elected party list legislators;

-- Stop the harassment and intimidation of Rep. Satur Ocampo and the other elected party list legislators;

-- Stop the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines and bring those responsible to justice.

Signed by:

Organizing Committee for Philippine Legislators' Human Rights Mission to Canada 2008
made up of members of the Philippine Solidarity Network Canada, the
Stop the Killings Network Canada and other concerned individuals and organizations:
Basics Community Newspaper
Bayan Organizing Committee, Toronto
B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Canadian Advocacy Group for Philippines (CAGP)
Centre d'appui aux Philippines - Centre for Philippine Concerns (Montreal)
Centre for Research on Globalization (CRM), Montreal
Coalition for the Protection of Caregivers' Rights
Centre for Women's Studies in Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Community Alliance for Social Justice, Toronto
Damayan Manitoba Development and Peace
Dominique Caouette, Political Science Dept., University of Montreal
Friends of Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran and Luz Ilagan of Vancouver
Global and Societal Ministries, BC Conference, UCC
Jean-Philippe Massicotte, University of Montreal
KAIROS
Migrante-Ontario (AWARE Filipino Family Services, Damayan Education and Resource Centre, Filipino Migrant Workers' Movement)
Migrante Youth Collective
Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
PATAC (Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture)
Philippine Network for Justice and Peace
PINAY Montreal
Primates World Relief and Development Fund
Ricardo Caluen (member of Philippine Press Club of Ontario)
United Church of Canada
Victoria Group

Press Release: Stop the Killings Network -Canada

Canadian parliamentarians shocked to hear of human rights abuses in RP

OTTAWA -- Canadian members of Parliament expressed deep concern over the continuing political killings perpetrated by the military in the Philippines and vowed to submit to Parliament the recommendations by three progressive members of the Philippine Congress on what the Canadian government can do.

"It's very shocking what we read in the reports - both (UN Special Rapporteur) Prof. Alston's and Judge Jose Melo's reports - on the human rights violations taking place," said the Liberal Party member of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights, Mario Silva. "We as a country have to speak out and say this is outrageous."

Members of the Philippine House of Representatives Crispin Beltran, Luz Ilagan and Satur Ocampo informed the House Subcommittee on April 15 that more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 180 enforced disappearances have occurred under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration.

They appealed to the subcommittee to urge the Canadian government to put more pressure on the Arroyo government to end the political killings and to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.They further urged the Canadian government to precondition its bilateral aid to the Arroyo government upon its full implementation of Alston's recommendations.

The Philippine legislators also urged the Canadian government to review its bilateral aid to the Philippine government - in particular, its Military and Police Training Assistance Programs, its mining investments and its development aid - to determine if any part of it is used for programs involving human rights violations.

"I'm personally very troubled that 12 (Filipino) officers will be trained in this country," said New Democratic Party Subcommittee member Wayne Marston. "We need to get to the bottom of that."

Marston also highlighted the need for Canada to heed a two-year-old subcommittee report on corporate and social responsibilities of Canadian mining firms operating in the Philippines, a few of which have been alleged to have used military and paramilitary forces for their security.

"I am quite astounded, despite (this subcommittee's report) that was produced two years ago, that this situation has not yet been corrected," added Bloc Quebec member Diane Bourgeois."I'd like us to discuss that (report) in this subcommittee to find out what the government did to follow up. "I am hoping that Canada will not once again be losing face."

Marston also acknowledged the grave risk the Philippine legislators have taken in bringing forward their criticisms and opposition against what they view as an oppressive government.

"I am very respectful of the courage that I am seeing here and that you are standing up on behalf of your country," Marston said.

The Filipino legislators welcomed the response of the subcommittee to their report and are optimistic that Canada will lend its voice to the growing international condemnation of the Arroyo administration and its gross human rights violations.

We are also very pleased with the response of the subcommittee members", said Stop the Killings Network Canada spokesperson Bern Jagunos. "We will certainly follow up on the subcommittee's promise to bring the recommendations of the Filipino legislators forward."

"We will also continue our lobbying efforts calling on the Canadian government to disclose to the public how taxpayers'money has been spent in the Philippines and to suspend development, financial and military aid to the Arroyo government pending a full review of its bilateral relations." #

Malaya Marcelino
Stop the Killings Network-Canada,
(416) 797-6681

Philippine UPR Watch - Geneva Account (by Rep. Teddy Casino)

RP made to account for killings, disappearances in UN

My trip to Geneva, Switzerland as part of the Philippine UPR Watch delegation culminated yesterday in a picket-protest in front of the United Nations headquarters.

After listening to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita deliver the Philippine National Report to the UN Human Rights Council, I joined some 30 Filipinos and Swiss citizens who had put up a picketline right outside the UN gates to dramatize our people's continuing quest for an end to the killings, disappearances and the impunity by which human rights atrocities are committed in the Philippines.

The Philippine report, presented by no less than Sec. Ermita with his extraordinarily large contingent of bureaucrats flown in from Manila, was a self-serving, selective and totally one-sided depiction of the Philippine human rights situation.

The aim of the report was to depict the Arroyo administration as a vanguard defender of human rights and good governance in the country.

I was particularly flabbergasted to hear Sec. Ermita boast of the government's superlative gains in fighting graft and corruption in the Philippines.

I almost fell from my seat listening to him expound on government efforts to strengthen the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan, the success of its electronic procurement system, and effectivity of its lifestyle checks.

In the light of the latest swine scam and the NBN-ZTE deal, this is chutzpah of the highest degree, inspired by no less than a cheating, lying and stealing President.

Fortunately, not all countries took this line hook and sinker. At least 16 countries -- including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom -- expressed concern on the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances and, in typical diplomatic language used in the UN, practically told the Philippines it was not doing enough on the matter, especially with regards to the recommendations of UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Philip Alston.

Other issues of great concern to the international community were the violations of the rights of Filipino migrant workers and those of women and children.

In other words, the Philippine government's attempt to downplay the killings and disappearances and project the image that the situation was improving did not wash. In part through the efforts of the Philippine UPR Watch, the truth came out and the Arroyo government was held to account for its failures by the international community.

I am leaving Geneva with the knowledge that the world is watching the Philippines and is in solidarity with its quest for truth, justice and accountability.

Winnipeg Free Press (April 12, 2008-news clip)

Satur hails Canada’s stand on RP human rights situation before UNHRC

Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo expressed gratitude to the Canadian government’s stand on the current state of human rights in the Philippines.

During the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review last Friday, the Canadian government expressed concern over the state of impunity prevailing in the Philippines, including the impact of Pres. Arroyo’s Administrative Order 197 on the Writ of Amparo. AO 197 declared that operations and any information related to extra judicial killings and enforced disappearance are confidential in nature, thereby, preempting the submission of evidence in an amparo petition.

“I am very thankful that the Canadian government has taken that position. It looks like the Canadian government is going to recognize the validity of our complaints and that something must be done,” says Ocampo, who is in Canada in a “Human Rights Mission” together with Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luz Ilagan.

Ocampo, Beltran, and Ilagan will meet with the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa today, April 15.

“Our reason for coming to Canada was to make an appeal to the Canadian Parliament to accept pressure on the Macapagal-Arroyo government to stop the killings. And more than that, to identify, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.”

This comes after UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston attributed the killings to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Ocampo said not a single case has been properly investigated and that any soldiers involved with the killings have been exonerated. He also said that the Arroyo government has charged opposition leaders, including himself, with rebellion.

“Although the Philippines is seeing some positive developments,” Ocampo said “Bayan Muna will not stop campaigning until the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances stop.”

He said the Arroyo government protects state security forces and ignores protests until international organizations get involved.

“Unless, and until, the government has taken very concrete steps to end impunity, to arrest and paralyze the perpetrators, the killings may never stop,” he said.