Statement of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP)-Korea Chapter 10 August 2014

We urge the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to resume formal peace talks to address the root causes of armed conflict and work towards the reign of justice and peace in the country.


Statement of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines
(ICHRP)-Korea Chapter
10 August 2014

The urgency and immensity of the task of getting into formal peace talks cannot be denied by many people from all walks of life in a war or conflict stricken countries like the Philippines. The resumption of peace talks between the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front (NDFP) is urgent because the armed conflict has been waged by the revolutionary organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) for more than 44 years. The peace talks have been stalled since 2011.

In an interview with Luis G. Jalandoni Chairperson of the NDFP negotiating panel said that the NDFP has reiterated its willingness to hold peace negotiations on the basis of respect for and compliance with past agreements. Such compliance would mean release of NDFP Consultants and political prisoners detained in violation of the CARHRIHL and JASIG. CARHRIHL stipulates that political prisoners charged, detained or convicted for common crimes in violation of the Hernandez political offense doctrine ought to be released. The JASIG guarantees immunity from surveillance, arrest, detention and other punitive activities to all participants of both sides in the peace negotiations.

The B.S. Aquino government since the beginning of his term has been disinterested in engaging in peace talks with the NDFP and his offensive stances against peace talks would lead to the deterioration of the social situation in the country. Furthermore he attacked The Hague Joint Declaration as “a document of perpetual division” in talks held in Oslo in 2011. Subsequently, it declared the JASIG “inoperative” in 2012. In its counterinsurgency plan, OPLAN BAYANIHAN, it aims to render the NPA inconsequential through the triad of psychological war, intelligence and combat operations.

In the unity statement of the newly formed KAPAYAPAAN (peace), an alliance of peace advocates mentioned that the government of the Philippines should respect the agreements signed. It cited Former GRP Chief Negotiator Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, who declared in an interview, “The Aquino government must respect the past peace agreements. Otherwise, who would trust a government that does not respect agreements or contracts it has entered into. It should release NDFP Consultants and political prisoners in accordance with CARHRIHL and the JASIG. It should withdraw its attack against The Hague Joint Declaration as “a document of perpetual division”

When asked about the prospects of resumption of GPH-NDFP peace talks, Luis G. Jalandoni said, “The NDFP must continue upholding, defending and advancing the rights of the peasants, workers, women, youth, indigenous people, and other sectors. It has to develop further its capacity to defend their rights and programs. The overall strength of the people and the revolutionary forces is the firm basis for negotiating fundamental social, economic, and political reforms that are needed to achieve and just and lasting peace. The NDFP continues to cooperate with the Royal Norwegian Government, the official Third Party Facilitator of the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations, in conveying its willingness to resume peace talks on the basis of past agreements. It continues to work with peace advocate organizations in the Philippines and abroad. It upholds the validity of the agreements made in the peace negotiations.”

Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez of the Ecumenical Bishops Forum underscored that the peace must have no pre-conditions but both parties must honor previous agreements. He said, “Resume, Honor, Address are our simple calls. If both the GPH and the NDFP heed our calls, we believe that a just and lasting peace could be made a reality.”

The initial list of convenors and signatories to the unity statement of KAPAYAPAAN include, Archbishop Sergio Utleg of Tuguegarao, Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of San Fernando Pampanga, Bishop Narciso Abellana of Romblon, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, Bishop Joel Baylon of Legazpi, Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, Bishop Roberto Mallari of San Jose Nueva Ecija , Bishop Edgardo Juanich of Taytay, Palawan, Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines, Bishop Lito Cruz of the IFI, Rev. Rex Reyes of the National Church of Christ of the Philippines, Bishop Felixberto Calang of the IFI in Mindanao, Bishop Joel Tendero of UCCP-South Luzon Jurisdictional Area, Fr. Ramon Caluza, provincial superior of CICM, Sr,. Maureen Catabian, provincial superior of the Religious of the Good Shepherd, Makabayan president Satur Ocampo, Dr. Carol Pagaduan Araullo of Bayan, Elmer Labog of KMU, former Representatives Mong Palatino and Rafael Mariano, Councilor Leah Librado of Davao City, Atty. Roan Libarios, Joel Lamangan, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, among others.

Together with the convenors and committed persons from the different sectors of society, the International Coordinating Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (Korea Chapter), The Asia Pacific Workers Solidarity Link (APWSL-Korea), The Osan Workers Cultural Center, and The Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea (KASAMMAKO), urge the NDFP and the GPH to resume formal peace talks with earnestness and urgency. The masses of Filipino who have been suffering from poverty situation, landlessness and unemployment have been waiting for the time when justice and peace becomes a reality in their lives, in their communities and the entire nation.

RESUME PEACE TALKS NOW!
LET JUSTICE AND PEACE REIGN IN THE PHILIPPINES!
STOP EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS!

Signed:




REV. JEONG JIN-WOO
ICHRP-Global Council

REV. JANG CHANG-WEON
APWSL-Korea

CARLO OLIVER
KASAMMAKO

JONES GALANG
Osan Workers Cultural Center

Is the Philippine government of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III sincere in pursuing peace?

Is Aquino really sincere in pursuing peace in the Philippines?



The illegal arrest and detention of peace consultants is a step backward in the peace process.

This is the statement of the Asia Pacific Committee for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (APCHRPP) as it condemns the illegal arrest by the Philippine government’s security forces of Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria in Cebu, Philippines last March 22, 2014.

Both Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria are consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and are helping very actively in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP/GPH) and the NDFP.

The GRP/GPH is imperiling the peace negotiations as well as violating agreements that it has signed with the NDFP with the arrest of Tiamzon and Austria. The specific agreement that the GRP/GPH violated is the JASIG, or the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.

Both Tiamzon and Austria are holders of Document of Identification as well as a Letter of Acknowledgment signed by then GRP/GPH Negotiating Panel Chairman Silvestre H. Bello III. The said Letter of Acknowledgment states that the holder of the said Letter is entitled to safety and immunity guarantees as provided in the JASIG, which was signed by members of the negotiating panels of both the GRP/GPH and the NDFP on February 24, 1995.

Composed of various organizations and networks in many countries based in the Asia Pacific region, the APCHRPP is concerned that the Philippine government is only further prejudicing the peace negotiations by arresting and detaining peace consultants like Tiamzon and Austria.

The group also questions the inquest of Tiamzon and Austria in Camp Crame, a military camp in Manila, where they were also charged with additional cases like illegal possession of firearms and explosives. According to the lawyer of the two arrested peace consultants, Atty. Rachel Pastores, the validity of the inquest proceedings itself is in question while the new charges did not register in earlier reports of the arrest. Such proceedings being led by the government are highly contentious and unacceptable.

The arrest of Tiamzon and Austria comes on top of many human rights violations being committed in the Philippines. According to Philippine human rights group Karapatan, since Philippine president Benigno Aquino III took office, 169 cases of extrajudicial killings have been documented, in addition to 179 cases of frustrated extrajudicial killings, 19 cases of enforced disappearances, 86 cases of torture and 570 cases of illegal arrest and detention.

How will just and lasting peace be achieved when those in authority are the ones violating the very agreements that they signed with the NDFP? Why would they arrest those who are important to the peace negotiations? With this new development, it is hard not to cast doubts on the sincerity of the Philippine government to pursue peace when their actions clearly run counter to their statements.

If President Aquino and the Philippine government really want just and lasting peace, then it should heed the urgent demand to release immediately and unconditionally Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria.



For reference: Rev. Joram H. Calimutan,
Secretariat

When will the government ever uphold the right to life, freedom and democracy of the people?

March 17, 2014

An Open Letter to President Benigno Aquino III
Condemning the Massacre of Freddie Ligiw, Edgar Ligiw and Licuben Ligiw

Dear President Aquino,

We, the members of the International Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines – Canada chapter, condemn in the strongest terms the brutal killing of Freddie “Fermin” Ligiw, Edgar Ligiw and their father, Licuben Ligiw on March 2, 2014 in Baay-Licuaan, Abra. In solidarity with their family and indigenous community, we demand speedy justice for them. We call on you to immediate order an independent and impartial investigation, prosecution of those responsible for this heinous crime and speedy justice for the victims.

Elements of the 41st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) are believed to be responsible for the killing. On February 19, soldiers from this battalion forcibly took Freddie to serve as a guide in their operation against suspected New People’s Army combatants in the area. Subsequently, Fermin and his brother and father were reported missing and their dead bodies found on March 7. The 41st IB has a long record of human rights violations in Abra province that includes harassment and intimidation, political vilification, arbitrary arrest and detention of ordinary civilians.

The massacre of the Ligiw family is just the latest in the spate of killings, abductions and similarly grievous human rights violations committed against leaders and members of people’s organizations that have been reported since January 2014. Freddie was a member of a youth organization, Sidakan-Anakbayan, and with his brother and father and other family members was member of the Cordillera People’s Alliance, KASTAN – Kakailian Salakniban Tay Amin ti Nagtaudan (People Defending the Ancestral Land) and Baay Licuaan Stand Up for Your Rights that successfully resisted the exploration activities of Canadian company, Olympus Mining Co.

Even as we are writing this letter, another human rights advocate has been killed. Romeo Capalla was killed on Saturday, March 15, 2014 in Oton, Iloilo. The 65-year old Capalla was the chairperson of the board of directors of the Panay Fair Trade Center, a member organization of the International Federation of Alternative Trade.
Mr. President, we are deeply troubled by the deafening silence of your administration in the face of this brutal violence committed by state agents against citizens of your country. Your government’s commitment to human rights has lost credibility. The Aquino government is following the pattern of past President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who played deaf and blind to the extrajudicial killings that escalated into a crisis during her administration, which to this day, has remained unabated. Our observation is supported by the occurrence of extrajudicial killings almost every week since the beginning of 2014:
Marcelo Monterona, killed on January 5 in Maco, Compostela Valley

Arman Padino, killed on January 13 in Hacienda Dolores in Pampanga

Henry Orbina, killed on January 30 in Cabid-an Sorsogon City

Rolando Ambungan, killed on January 31 in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte

Julieto Lauron, killed on February 5 in Haindangon, Valencia City

Rosauro Rayteran, killed on February 6 in San Pascual, Libon, Albay



The pattern indicates to us that the Philippine government is intensifying its implementation of the Operational Plan Bayanihan. It is cynical of the Philippine government to be ramping up the counter-insurgency war, which the United Nations and human rights organizations around the world have pointed to as the root of the extrajudicial killing crisis, while seeking a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

We call on the Philippine government to

Immediately order an independent, impartial and competent investigation into the killing of Freddie “Fermin”, Edgar and Licuben Ligiw and speedy prosecution of those responsible for the crime in order to render speedy justice to the victims

Pull-out the 41st IBPA and all military troops from Abra to ensure that the investigation is independent and impartial

Immediately order the formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the above mentioned incidents of human rights violations, and to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

Effect the immediate withdrawal of Oplan Bayanihan, the Philippine government’s counterinsurgency program to demonstrate its serious intent to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all the major Human Rights instruments that it is a party and signatory to.

Resume the formal peace talks of the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to discuss the roots of the armed conflict, and an end to militarization of communities
Justice NOW for the Ligiw family! Stop the killings NOW! End impunity NOW!

Akdaan (Toronto, Ontario)
Anakbayan – Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)
Asilo (Toronto, Ontario)
Basics Community News Service (Toronto, Ontario)
BAYAN - Canada
Beaconsfield United Church (Montreal, Quebec)
Beaconsfield Initiative
Binnadang-Migrante (Toronto, Ontario)
Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Centre d'appui aux Philippines - Centre for Philippine Concerns (Montreal, Quebec)
Centre des travailleuses et travailleurs immigrants - Immigrant Worker's Centre (Montreal, Quebec)
Filipino Christian Fellowship, Toronto, Canada
Filipino Migrant Workers’ Movement (Toronto, Ontario)
Gabriela – Ontario (Toronto, Ontario)
IWworkers - Association of Filipino Women Workers (Toronto, Ontario)
Migrante Canada
Migrante – British Columbia
Migrante - Ontario
PATAC (Toronto, Ontario)
Philippine Solidarity Group – Toronto (Ontario)
United Church of Canada
Logan Sellathurai - Retired Trade Union Activist
Rev. Stuart Lyster, retired United Church Minister

*The International Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) is a global network of organizations outside the Philippines who are concerned about human rights Philippines and committed to work for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines.