CBCP: HR abuses during Marcos regime still exist today

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday said the human rights violations that existed during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos are still present under the Aquino administration.

“For me, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, I would give President Aquino a 5 because recently, journalists, including a radio commentator, have been killed, aside from politicians and miners. It seems that the scenario during the time of Marcos is still the scenario now,” Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Bastes issued the statement after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its World Report 2012 where it mentioned that the Aquino administration “has not fulfilled its promises of reform and made little progress in ending impunity or abuses by state security forces.”

One of HRW’s recommendations was for the government to disable abusive paramilitary forces and take concrete steps against those responsible for killings and other human rights violations.

“I think the Aquino government intends to do something to show the government’s respect for life. Maybe he (President Aquino) has good intentions but he has no control over the latest developments,” Bastes said.

The prelate said that even in Sorsogon, there are several people who are victims of human rights violations.

He added that the President should address this problem in the same way he is addressing the problem on graft and corruption.