Press Statement ! Continuing impunity rains on Aquino’s ‘good governance’ parade in Europe—Karapatan

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy September 15 2014

publicinfo: Sep 15 10:40AM +0800  Press Statement September 15, 2014 Reference: Cristina “Tinay” Palabay, Secretary General, +63917-3162831 Angge Santos, Media Liaison, +63918-9790580     Press Statement <http://www.karapatan.org/Continuing+impunity+rains+on+Aquino%E2%80%99s+parade+in+Europe>   Days before BS Aquino’s scheduled ‘good governance’ parade during his four-nation European-trip, several Europe-based organizations sent a letter to Malacañang on the prosecution of notorious general Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. "While BS Aquino boasts his so-called achievements before the leaders of Spain, Belgium, France and Germany, he also has to answer issues such as human rights and impunity," Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said. London-based organization, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers wrote to BS Aquino: The abhorrent nature of the offences, and Gen. Palparan's alleged involvement whilst holding position as a high-ranking military official, mean that we, and many other international legal, judicial and political organizations, will be watching the progress of the trial with great interest. "We also urge the Philippine Government to grasp this opportunity to take further steps in finding the many hundreds and thousands of people in the Philippines who, like Ms. Empeño and Ms. Cadapan, have been disappeared and to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice," said the letter signed by Liz Davies, chair of Haldane Society of Society Lawyers. Meanwhile, Netherlands Philippines Solidarity Association also wrote the Philippine President saying, "We are aware that these crimes were committed before you became president. But, as current Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and incumbent President of the Republic of the Philippines, you have the power and responsibility to ensure that genuine justice and rule of law will prevail." The Dutch organization also brought up the issue of human rights violations against farm workers of Hacienda Luisita, an issue BS Aquino is easily piqued. "These human rights violations were committed, according to the independent human rights investigations, during the time Palparan was assigned as commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army assigned in Central Luzon," the letter said. It cited the killing of labor leader Ricardo Ramos, Florante Collantes and the disappearance of Ronaldo Intal. "We expect to see decisive actions and concrete steps from you to see to it that justice is served and the impunity ended," the letter stated. "The BS Aquino can paint a picture of the Philippines using words such as 'good governance is good economics,' to distract his audience but the citizens of the European countries are aware of the situation the Filipinos are in—the poverty, the social injustice, human rights violations and impunity. They are watching and acting on the situation, unlike BS Aquino," Palabay ended. ###