At a glance, Erap’s arrest maybe hailed as a triumph of justice in the Philippines. At last, a plunderer of a highest degree who once held the highest office of the land finally landed in jail. So we say, “let it be, as it should be so... but let this event be never just a show,” as there are many more crooks of same scale continuously enjoying the privileged seats of and influence in the land. This is our challenge to the Macapagal-Arroyo Government, as we watch the play of judicial irony employed to the former president and that which befall our political prisoners. One significant thing, the later do not befit the “honors” accorded to the former.
It is good to note that the Arroyo Administration upholds the basic rights of Mr. Joseph Estrada. Unfortunately, it is another thing for the 268 political prisoners still languishing in jails nationwide to experience the same protection. The strict observance of due process was granted to the former president but not to most, if not all, political offenders. She even has the gall to project that her administration excels more favorably than those of her predecessors, while her vow to review all cases of these political prisoners remains an unfulfilled promise.
The wheel of justice in this land is running flat. While, it tramples steadily on the rights and lives of ordinary citizens, it bloats its upper side to show the world it is working. What messes this up today though is that the government exceeds in capitalizing on the arrest of Mr. Estrada. It politicizes Estrada’s criminal offense, while criminalizes the political offense of the political prisoners.
Most of the political prisoners are arrested without warrant, some are suspected “John Does”, while others have been crafted to possess illegal drugs and deadly weapons. Situations they can never put up to accost government or influential people of the land. Even just the reading of the “rights of the accused” is never accorded to the political prisoners. Such practices are deeply ingrained in the operations of the country’s military and police. Worst, elements of the military and police almost always resort to physical torture to extract self-incriminating information.
We call on this government to lay down her policies on human rights, and stop the practice of torture and warrantless arrests based on the United Nation’s Human Rights principle of non-selectivity.
Stop hiding behinds the rhetoric of reviewing the cases of political prisoners – all of them should be released immediately!
Or else, we believe that just like her predecessors, the Arroyo administration leaves no opportunity for the political prisoners to be free. And, the observance of the rights of a former president was just a show and not for real. Simply put, GMA cares only for Erap and not for political prisoners.
PAHRA Coordinating Committee on Political Prisoners Plus
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), SANLAKAS, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), SARILAYA, Kapisanan ng Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino (KAKAMMPI), Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), Ecumenical Commission for Displaced Families and Communities (ECDFC), Philippine Jubilee 2000 (PJ2000), Medical Action Group (MAG), BALAY Rehabilitation, Inc. Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearances (FIND).
Authenticated by:
Mr. RENATO MABUNGA
Deputy Secretary General for Organization
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)
