Press Release
December 10, 2007

KIKO EXTOLS HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES

"The Writ of Amparo Rule is the most potent remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security has been violated or is threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission by public officials or employees and by private individuals or entities, " --- KIKO

As the nation commemorates International Day of Human Rights, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Francis Pangilinan lauds the collective effort of advocates in improving the human rights situation in the country.

Pangilinan, a human rights lawyer before being elected senator, has always been a staunch supporter of such rights and basic freedoms to which all humans are entitled, including the right to life and liberty, free speech, and equal protection before the law.

As a legislator, Pangilinan has sponsored several senate bills and submitted resolutions defending and upholding human rights, which include, among others, investigations on extrajudicial killings and involuntary disappearances.

"Although we still have a lot of work to do to ensure the protection of human rights, we are optimistic that all our efforts would eventually succeed," Pangilinan stressed.

Aside from legislative initiatives, Pangilinan cites the Writ of Amparo Rule promulgated by the Supreme Court recently as one of the notable result of advocating human rights, as against unreasonable governmental intrusions.

"The Writ of Amparo Rule is the most potent remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security has been violated or is threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission by public officials or employees and by private individuals or entities, " Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, other human rights lawyers are also discussing if they can use the writ of amparo against the government after United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston linked the Armed Forces of the Philippines to human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in the country.

The writ requires respondents, whether government officials, agencies, the military or private individuals, to take action to resolve a grievance and not merely deny the allegations against them.

Pangilinan said, The Writ of Amparo may be used to squarely deal with the essence of the Alston report, wherein it was found that the Armed Forces have followed a deliberate strategy of systematically hunting down the leaders of leftist organizations.

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