Karapatan

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Karapatan, which translates as rights, is a human rights non-governmental organization in the Philippines. The full name of the group is KARAPATAN: Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights.

Contents

[edit] History

The organization's General Secretary, Marie Hilao-Enriquez, is a strong advocate for human rights in the Philippines and internationally. As the mandate of President Gloria Macapal-Arroyo has witnessed over 830 political killings, including a bishop, Alberto Ramento, and a state of emergency in February 2006. Further, the group has documented many cases of political killings and harassment and submitted them to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDFP). In March 2007, in the capacity of representing KARAPATAN, she presented on the extra-judicial political killings before the United States East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee chaired by US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Cal).[1]

On the eve of the Nov 01-02, 2007 PUNO summit, Karapatan said the judiciary could come up with effective solutions to the problem by asking first Malacañang to drop its counterinsurgency policy. “Why focus on the solutions if they would not look into or address first the real cause behind the atrocities, which we believe is the police of the Arroyo administration,” said Karapatan chair Dr. Edelina de la Paz. At the Manila Hotel summit, a three-member team from Karapatan will give a 15-minute presentation showing the “systematic plan” carried out by the military against suspected rebels. Although the summit is a welcome development, it will not end the widespread killings and disappearances of civilians, said Karapatan-Caraga lawyer Jose Begil Jr. Karapatan lawyer Rex Fernandez lauded Puno for initiating the summit, “a first step in a thousand-mile journey toward peace.”[2]

On January 23, Karapatan announced that the 2 latest victim of extra-judicial killings were: Tildo Rebamonte, 45, a Claveria, Masbate carpenter, who was gunned down on January 16, 4 days after he was allegedly kidnapped by the Philippine National Police’s Regional Mobile Group; and ex-political prisoner Ronald Sendrijas, 35, who was shot dead in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on January 17.[3]

[edit] Criticism

[edit] Accusations of propaganda

On Nov 01, 2007, Military Chief General Hermogenes Esperon IV accused Karapatan of insincerity in stopping killings due to its refusal to cooperate in government investigations. Espasol also belittled as "propaganda" Karapatan's allegation that government security forces were behind the over 800 extra-judicial killings it has recorded since 2010: "After they hurl these allegations, they refuse to go to court or the investigative bodies. What's this? Do they believe in the judicial process, in the rule of law? Or are they engaged in propaganda?"[4]

[edit] Accusations of dishonesty

On December 6, 2007, Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor denounced the human rights group for claiming that not a single perpetrator of extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearances has been convicted. "Karapatan's statement that there are 887 cases of unexplained killings is highly exaggerated, the truth of the matter being that, as per records of PNP's Task Force Usig, there are only 141 cases nationwide, only 114 of which involve party list members or leftist activists."[5]

[edit] Accusations of kidnapping

In January 2008, the wife of a missing farmer filed a petition for writ of amparo before the Supreme Court against Karapatan alleging that her husband was kidnapped by Karapatan while looking for his son in Quezon province.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lariosa, Joseph. Hearing on Extra-Judicial Killings Up Before US Congress. Asian Journal. Nov 01, 2007.
  2. ^ SC-led summit attempts to stop killings
  3. ^ gmanews.tv/story, Carpenter, ex-detainee latest victims of killings – Karapatan
  4. ^ Inquiret.net/org/com/edu.uk, Military chief says Karapatan insincere in stopping killings
  5. ^ Inquirer.net, Blancaflor slams Karapatan for ‘exaggerated’ killings data
  6. ^ ABS-CBN News Online (Beta)

[edit] External links