The League of College Councils Condemns Human Rights Violations

The Philippines has been through a lot of changes in its government and leaders through time. Yet quite a number of its institutions remain weak, and the military and police who are supposed to uphold the safety and rights of its people still commit human rights violations with impunity. Two years ago, President Aquino was elected on an oath to end poverty and corruption, as well as his pledge to end human rights violations and the killing of journalists. But despite promises of reform, the present administration has made little progress in addressing impunity. The governments primary role is to protect the rights of its citizens. But instead, our government is one of its greatest violators through its counter-insurgency programs such as the Oplan Bayanihan that impinge defenders of human rights and civilians alike. Extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, political persecution, harassment, land-grabbing, and other forms of human rights violations persist, along with the governments failure to acknowledge and address the involvement of its own state security forces in these cases. Politically motivated killings, violent dispersals of residents in several areas resulting to numerous injuries and death continue and are still very much prevalent. Nothing has changed under this administration and social injustice persists. Civil and political rights are under attack and violated. The government legitimizes continuing state violence and repression of the rights of its citizens.
Violation of Civil and Political Rights under the PNoy Aquino Administration (Philippines, July 2010 September 2011)
Violation No. of Victims 55 27 211 139 120 62 6,108 263 5,414 186 4,766 13,162 5,052 32 132

Torture Frustrated extra-judicial killing Illegal arrest without detention Illegal arrest and detention Illegal search and seizure Physical assault and injury Demolition Violation of domicile Destruction of property Divestment of property Forced evacuation Threat/harassment/intimidation Indiscriminate firing Forced/fake surrender Forced labor/involuntary servitude Use of civilians in police and/or 19 military operations as guides and/or shield Use of schools, medical, 11,841 religious and other public places for military purpose Restriction or violent dispersal of 922 mass actions, public assemblies and gatherings Source: http://www.karapatan.org/files/Karapatan% 20Monitor_Q3_2011.pdf

Countless incidents show that UP students are not isolated from persecutions of human rights violators. Desaparecidos Karen Empeo of CSSP and Sherlyn Cadapan, varsity scholar of CHK, are still missing while the hunt against retired Philippine Army Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. continues. Ericson Acosta, former editor of Philippine Collegian, and Maricon Montajes of CMC were illegally arrested and incarcerated for fabricated charges despite bringing service to communities that are long out of governments reach. Earlier this year, three students from CSWCD were harassed, abused and tagged as members of New Peoples Army by the military in Porac, Pampanga while doing field work as part of their course curriculum. A few weeks ago, UP Manila students Nikki Gamara and outgoing USC Vice-Chairperson Cleve Arguelles were also harassed by suspected military agents. The University of the Philippines-Diliman League of College Councils strongly condemns all forms of human rights violations. The LCC believes that everyone possesses these basic human rights regardless of age, sex, religion, socio-economic status, race, color, language, beliefs, nationality, ethnicity and disability. Cases of enforced disappearances, political persecution, extra-judicial killings, harassment, land-grabbing, government neglect in the provision of social services, and violent demolitions are clear examples of violations of human rights committed by our government that is supposed to ensure the peace and security of its stakeholders. We cannot tolerate these violations any longer. We condemn all forms of violence against our lives and rights. We seek genuine social justice for the Filipino people. We call for the immediate actions of the government to give justice for all the victims of human rights violations, and the perpetrators of these heinous acts should be accountable for violating peoples civil and political rights. And we call the UP community to be vigilant and condemn human rights violations of all forms. We must all unite to fight against injustices!

JUSTICE FOR ALL VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS! UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY! PROSECUTE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS! ASSERT AND DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS! END IMPUNITY NOW!