One of the gravest human rights crises of our time is the fact that more than one billion people are living in extreme poverty. Poverty is not just an issue of lack of income. Poverty is the denial of access to the resources, capability, security and power. All people need all these, in order to realize their human right to live with dignity.
As an organization concerned with the victims of human rights abuses, Amnesty International Pilipinas welcomes the Philippine Supreme Court’s formulation of the rule governing the Writ of Amparo and its promulgation before the 62nd anniversary of the United Nations on October 24.
(London) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International today as it launched Amnesty International Report 2007, its annual assessment of human rights worldwide.
This memorandum submitted to Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International contains three parts: Summary of key recommendations from full report “Philippines: Political killings, Human Rights and the Peace Process”; Summary of recent reports indicating that political killings are continuing to take place; Guidelines and key principles that Amnesty International considers would help ensure that the work of the Melo Commission of Inquiry gains wide public credibility and acceptance as independent, impartial and effective.
Over recent years the number of killings of political and community activists in the Philippines has continued to increase. The methodology of the attacks has led Amnesty International to conclude that the attacks constitute a politically-motivated pattern of killings. The organization remains gravely concerned that members of the security forces may have been directly involved or been complicit in the killings. In this report Amnesty International highlights a number of recommendations, addressed to the government, international organisations, civil society organisations and the armed groups, and calls for concerted action.
Let’s face it, having the faintest and most unrecognized voice in terms of truly engaging in issues on political turmoil and adverse economic situations in the country, the youth is the last one heard. We are only given the opportunity to talk and get our point across for the sake of “tokenism”. A sad fact even after being so often used as mediocre warm bodies for rallies, exploiting our unsullied vigor and idealism.
Amnesty International Pilipinas unconditionally and unreservedly condemns the excessive use of force of the anti-riot police against peaceful demonstrators during the march to Mendiola on the night of October 14. The use of violence by the police to disperse demonstrators is unacceptable and could have been avoided. It only serves to provoke and increase tension in an already volatile situation. By using this level of force to break up what had been a largely peaceful demonstration, the authorities violated the right of the protesters not only as citizens but moreover, as human beings trying to express their grievances in a way that is fit under the law. The Philippine National Police (PNP) invokes the “No Permit, No Rally” policy as the reason for the dispersal. This, however, should not be used as a pretext to crack down on peaceful dissent and the right to freedom of expression and association.
Madrid.- In time for the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Amnesty International is again urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to abolish the death penalty in the Philippines and grant all death row convicts an executive clemency.
A group of women staged a picket in front of the Supreme Court today in support to the filing of a disbarment complaint for Atty. Rodrigo A. Reyna. The basis of the complaint is a series of questionable conduct by said lawyer, as well as his involvement in Iris Alberto’s rape and kidnapping case. Reyna is representing Iris’ alleged perpetrators, Arturo S. Calianga and son, Gil Calianga, all are believed to be priests of the Mormon Church in the Philippines (Church of Latter Day Saints).
More than 100 women mobilized by the Women Working Together to Stop Violence Against Women (WWTSVAW) trooped to the Supreme Court today to support the filing of the disbarment complaint against Atty. Rodrigo A. Reyna. The disbarment complaint against Atty. Reyna was filed earlier today at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) office in Pasig. The complaint stems from a series of “questionable” conduct by the said lawyer, as well as accusations alleging his involvement in the Iris Alberto rape and kidnapping case. Reyna serves as the legal counsel of alleged perpetrators, Arturo S. Calianga, and son Gil Calianga. Atty. Reyna and the two Caliangas are known to be priests of the Mormon Church in the Philippines (Church of the Latter Day Saints).
Dear Editor,
As part of continuing efforts to regulate migration flows, in July of last year, Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Azmi Khalid announced plans to expel more than one million ‘illegal immigrants’, many of whom are undocumented migrant workers, from the country by the end of 2005. This is part of Malaysia’s periodical implementation of “special operation: mass expulsions” within specified time frames. Amnesty International (AI) believes that the government’s mass deportation has been resulting into serious human rights violations. This year’s expulsion is definitely not a first of its kind.