Advocates want stronger laws to stop violations

CEBU, Philippines - Advocates for human rights protection stressed that it is high time for the Philippine government to strengthen laws and regulations to eradicate cases of human rights repression in the country.

With the commemoration of the 64th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Universal Human Rights Day yesterday, various groups in Cebu held activities to air out their concerns on the increasing cases of human rights oppression, especially in Central Visayas.

Fara Diva Gamalo, head staff of the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines- Visayas, said that as of December 2012, there are already 73 political prisoners and political detainees in the whole of Visayas.

Gamalo said that since the Marcos regime until the present Aquino administration, the documented cases of human rights violations have alarmingly increased, mostly those of arrest and detention, illegal demolition and harassment.

She said that they see the increase to continue by the coming years if no change would transpire under President Benigno Aquino III’s watch.

Gamalo believes that one of the major changes that would help solve cases on human rights is on the alleged participation of those working for law enforcement agencies who are “supposedly there to protect the people”.

In the statistics shown by Gamalo, the highest number of alleged torture perpetrators is from the Philippine National Police, followed by the Philippine Army, as well as those from the Intelligence and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit.

She explained that the Miranda doctrine, which informs arrested citizens of their rights prior to any investigation, is usually forgotten by law enforcers. “Doon pa lang ang laki pa ng dapat baguhin. (Even with that, there’s a lot that need to be changed.)”

Nally Murillo of the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance-Cebu (FIND-Cebu) believes that penalizing those involved in cases on enforced disappearances would help eradicate the problem in the country which has also increased throughout the years.

“Naay committees but igo ra mag-investigate. Kailangan may batas na mag-penalize. Yun ang call namin on this celebration of the Declaration of Universal Human Rights. (There are committees but they just investigate. There has to be a law penalizing violators.)”

Murillo also said that they hope the pending Anti-Enforced Disappearance Bill that is only waiting for Aquino’s signature to be passed into law, be made a priority by the government and strictly enforced as a law.

Meanwhile, Teodirico Navea, spokesperson of Sanlakas Sugbo, said that human rights oppression also impacts the economy of the country as it includes the labor sector and the rights of even those on the poverty line to have a decent place to live in.

He said that even with the Urban Development and Housing Act, proper relocation sites are still not provided to those reported illegal settlers or those living in high-risk areas. Navea said that this should be highlighted by the government as well as the protection of workers in various sectors in the country who are being deprived of their rights as employees.

He said that the government should address the high electricity rates in the country that forces investors to allocate 30 percent of their investments instead of allotting it to the salary of workers. — (FREEMAN)