2007 Human Rights Report: Only Arroyo Ouster Can Improve Human-Rights Situation

The human rights watchdog KARAPATAN today renewed calls for the ouster
of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in order to improve the human rights
and overall situation in the country.

“The civil, political, economic and social rights of every Filipino
are being violated by this dangerous, fascist regime. Arroyo’s
continued implementation of her counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay
Laya II, the Anti-Terror Law and other draconian measures show her
blatant disregard for the growing criticism of her regime’s human
rights record,” said Marie Hilao-Enriquez, secretary general of the
Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN).

In its 2007 year-end report, KARAPATAN said the number of cases went
down this year, with 68 victims of extrajudicial killings and 26
enforced disappearances compared to 185 killings and 93 disappearances
in 2006. However, militarization of rural and urban poor communities
continues and victimizes the civilian population.

(Download the report here.)

KARAPATAN attributes the lowered figures to the successful campaign to
bring to international attention the extrajudicial killings and
enforced disappearances, the mounting pressure on Arroyo from the US
Senate, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial,
summary or arbitrary executions, the diplomatic community and various
local and international peoples’ organizations and human rights
groups.

The Arroyo regime is also under pressure this year as it prepares for
the April 2008 Universal Periodic Review as a member of the UN Human
Rights Council.

KARAPATAN documentation shows that from January 2001 up to October 31
this year, there are a total of 887 victims of extrajudicial killings,
and 185 victims of enforced disappearances. Enriquez notes that among
these cases, not a single perpetrator had been convicted and brought
to jail.

“Even the remedial measure by the Supreme Court – the writ of amparo –
is proving to be prone to be circumvented by the military. This has
been shown by the pattern of several victims being coerced to declare
that they wish to remain in custody of the military, effectively
clearing the military of accountability in their abduction and
torture,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez said that the climate of impunity on human rights violations
and terror, as well as the dissent and unrest among the people, will
continue under the Arroyo regime. “It is not enough to just change a
policy; the source of this policy must be removed. Mrs. Gloria Arroyo
must go,” Enriquez said. ###

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