Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-26-Speech-4-216"
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"en.20070426.29.4-216"2
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".
Madam President, the Philippines have ratified the key, international human rights covenants and conventions. The government of the Philippines respects its citizens’ human rights in principle. A further positive note is the abolition of the death penalty in June 2006. The EU has worked towards this time and again.
Nevertheless, there is cause for alarm. In 2006, the killings and abductions of journalists, left-wing political activists, civil rights activists and Church representatives increased significantly throughout the entire country. The opposition has provided reports of executions without court proceedings and holds the government and its security apparatus responsible. At the very least, the government is accused of failing to resolve crimes with the necessary vigour. For its part, the government rejects these accusations and suspects, at least in part, purges within the militant left-wing camp.
The most prominent recent victim was Bishop Alberto Ramento, who was extremely critical of the government. His murder was already described as having been cleared up the very day it had been committed. It was alleged to have been a robbery with murder committed by a youth. Grave doubts were expressed by Mr Ramento’s cohorts and criticism made of the inadequate and unprofessional preservation of evidence.
Shortly before starting out on his European trip in the summer of 2006, President Arroyo appointed a Commission chaired by the former Supreme Court judge, José Melo, to investigate the murders of politically active government critics. The Melo Commission report was published in February 2007 in the face of massive public pressure. This report confirmed the accusation surrounding a lack of readiness to produce clarifying evidence and apportioned primary responsibility to the armed forces. An investigation by UN special rapporteur Alston has reached the same conclusion.
The EU has repeatedly addressed the Philippines on this problem in an unequivocal manner through its embassies in the country and political meetings within the framework of the human rights dialogue. On the strength of this, and under public pressure from active Filipino civil society, the government gave a public presentation of the measures taken hitherto, acknowledged its shortcomings and asked the EU for support in establishing special courts and special public prosecutors’ offices, in consolidating witness protection, strengthening the technical and forensic capabilities of the security forces and in consolidating consciousness on the part of the security forces in observing human rights.
At the invitation of the Filipino Government, an EU mission is currently in the country examining the conditions for this request. Furthermore, the national Human Rights Commission and civil society should be strengthened with a view to observing the situation. In addition to the killings and abductions of critics of the regime and government, serious accusations are being levelled in the Philippines concerning torture, the disappearance of individuals, unlawful detention, human trafficking and the abuse of women and children. Above all in the military conflict with various Communist and separatist rebel groups, and in the fight against terrorism, human rights violations are regularly committed by the police and the military and acts of violence also committed by members of extremist groups."@en1
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