Japan Group Releases Report on Killings in Philippines

HRN is aware of the human rights violations by non-state actors in the country. The fact that non-state actors are committing human rights violations does not negate the state’s own obligation to protect human rights. At the same time, HRN urge all party of the internal conflicts in the Philippines to adhere of international humanitarian law and refrain from attack and abuse of civilian.

Lastly, HRN would like to call upon the government and CPP/NPA to proceed with peace negotiations and to implement the CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law).


International Community, in particular the top donor Japanese government, should play a meaningful role to restore human rights and peace in the Philippines.

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Introduction

Human Rights Now (HRN), a Tokyo-based international human rights NGO, conducted an investigation of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines on April 14-21, 2007.

In the Philippines, hundreds of social activists and human rights defenders have been unlawfully killed as well as subjected to enforced disappearances since the Arroyo Administration came into power. The majority of targets are people who are lawfully criticizing governmental policies by means of peaceful measures such as speeches, writing, and mobilizing people, for instance, lawyers, judges, human rights activists, leaders or activists of labor movements, farmers, priests, and activists of leftist parties.

As friends and fellow Asians, Japanese civil society is very concerned about these human rights violations. Human Rights Now shares this concern and decided to conduct a fact-finding mission in the Philippines.

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Activities of the Fact-finding Team

The HRN fact-finding team conducted a thorough investigation of several cases involving alleged victims and relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. The fact-finding mission conducted interviews concerning 15 cases of extrajudicial killings (involving 33 victims) and three cases of forced disappearances (involving 9 victims). Additionally, the team conducted interviews to understand the background to the series of human rights violations. For example, we conducted interviews to learn what countermeasures and preventive measures had been taken in the Philippines.

While we did not have an opportunity to meet senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (hereinafter AFP) or Task Force USIG (hereinafter TFU), we met with DILG senior personnel, the staff of the Commission of Human Rights, the president and attorneys of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and several rights groups: PAHRA (Philippines Alliance for Human Rights Advocates); Ecumenical　Movement for Justice and Peace; TFDP（Task Force Detainees of the Philippines; Philippine Human Rights Information Center; CODAL（Counsels for the Defense of Liberties); Medical Action Group; Ateneo Human Rights Center and most extensively, KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples’ Rights).

We also had a chance to exchange information with the Japanese Embassy.

We greatly appreciate the kind cooperation of all sectors involved.

Table 1: The Itinerary of the Fact-finding Mission
Date Activities
April 14 (Sat) Arrival at Manila
April 15 (Sun) Interview with KARAPATAN, Ecumenical　Movement for Justice and Peace, Attorney Neri Javier Colmenares (CODAL)1
April 16 (Mon) Interview with victims and witnesses in Quezon

Urban poor community visit (Payatas)

- interview with a Gabriela member
April 17 (Tue)
Interviews with victims’ families and witnesses in Central Luzon

* in Hacienda Luisita
* visit to Philippine Independent Church in Tarlac

April 18 (Wed) Interview with victims’ families and witnesses in Southern Luzon

* visit to the detention facility of abduction victims
* interview with victims’ families of extrajudicial killings