Press Release
September 30, 2007

PGMA CHALLENGED TO PROVE
COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS

Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said the Arroyo administration has yet a lot to prove before it could claim and assure commitment to respect for human rights. This after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo addressed the 62nd United Nations General Assembly in New York last Friday where PGMA said the Philippines "does not tolerate human rights violations at home or abroad."

Escudero said the assurance was "lost in translation" with all the unresolved and continuous escalating number of extra judicial killings and involuntary disappearances in the country. "It is ironic that the

clamor for addressing and arresting human rights abuses in the country has not been given utmost attention that even the international community has lend its voice to join the call."

Escudero, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights said if PGMA is sincere in upholding respect for human rights, she should immediately mend the holes in the country's justice system that covers and protects human rights in the country.

He said that Congress has to add more legislation just to address the grave human rights abuses in the country.

Among the bills Escudero referred to are Senate Bills No. 7 (An Act Penalizing the Commission of Acts of Torture And Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment Or Other Punishments), No. 429 (An Act Creating A Commission On Missing Persons), No. 264 (An Act Defining And Penalizing Enforced Or Involuntary Disappearance and for Other Purposes) and No. 39 ((An Act Penalizing The Commission Of Acts and Torture) which are all now pending in the plenary of the Upper House.

He also noted that the Philippines has been remiss to its pledge being a signatory of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 1985 which was ratified a year later.

"We've failed to comply with the CAT's provisions such as coming up with a law that penalizes the use of torture. Senate Bill Nos. 7 and 39 will help prevent authorities from resorting to torture to extract information and force anyone to make confession to the sin or act he's not involved with," Escudero said.

Then there was the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2002, which provides new mechanism to address torture.

Escudero asked President Arroyo to sign the OPCAT despite the fact that the country has failed to abide by the CAT and other international treaties and conventions against torture.

"If the Arroyo administration is really sincere in upholding democracy and human rights, how come that prevention of torture and protection of human rights seem to receive the least priority under this administration?"

Escudero challenged the administration to put the four pending bills among its priority bills and at the same time urged PGMA to sign the OPCAT if is she really bent on arresting and preventing human rights abuses in the country.

"This time, I hope the Arroyo administration lends credence to its words. A feeling of letdown in our people is already strong about its government's ability to protect them. We at the Senate is doing our job to arrest these impunities and make sure not to let these happen anymore, we hope the administration gives its share because this is for the people we are all mandated to serve."

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