Rights Award for Arroyo Slammed; Spanish University ‘Ignorant’ of Situation in Philippines

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today slammed the awarding by the Universidad de Alcala of a Medalla de Oro to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her “defense of human right”.

Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. said that the award was “ridiculous” taken in the light of the more than 800 victims of extrajudicial killings and almost 200 victims of enforced disappearances since Arroyo took power in 2001.

The award was said to be given because of Arroyo’s abolition of the death penalty.

“The award-giving body is either ignorant of the real situation in the Philippines or it chooses to turn a blind eye to the widespread human rights abuses in the country. Abolishing the death penalty is one thing, but the bigger crime that the Spanish academicians failed to see was that the Arroyo regime sanctioned a policy of barefaced repression against its critics,” Reyes said.

“To be simply oblivious of these crimes is to tolerate the same and insult the hundreds of victims. We feel sorry for the Universidad de Alcala for allowing itself to be used in this public relations stunt of the Arroyo government. The credibility of the University will suffer because of this much undeserved award for Mrs. Arroyo,” the Bayan leader added.

Reyes said that the boast of the Arroyo administration that it is persecuting human rights violators is “empty and misleading.”

“The UN special rapporteur has already pinned the blame on the military, yet not one high military official has been prosecuted. The military top brass remain untouchables. It is true what they say that the president is a hostage of the military,” Reyes said.

Last week, the Arroyo administration used police and military power to suppress a protest
action of rebel soldiers and anti-Arroyo personalities. “Just last week scores of journalists were handcuffed and arrested for covering the take-over of a hotel by anti-Arroyo military rebels. Are these violations worthy of accolades?”
Reyes said.

Bayan and the human rights group Karapatan will be holding a protest action on December 10 to mark International Human Rights Day. Families of victims of disappearances and extrajudicial killings are expected to attend the activity.