June 25, 2010. Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) and relatives of political prisoners/detainees join the other members of UATC or the United Against Torture Coalition Philippines and the freedom from torture advocates worldwide in commemorating the International Day in Support of Torture Victims by challenging P-Noy to release all political prisoners/detainees who are most often also victims of torture and to prosecute their torturers.
“We celebrate the criminalization of a gross human rights violation such as torture through the Republic Act 9745 or the “Anti-Torture Act” after decades of lobby and campaigns, but we also grieve that despite its passage torture still remains a practice among the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police,” Emmanuel Amistad, Executive Director of Task Force Detainees of the Philippines stated.
“In fact TFDP documented the torture of 4 Dumagats in Dingalan, Aurora just a few weeks after PGMA signed RA9745 in November 10, 2009. Worse is that the incident happened during the Human Rights Week 2009 celebration when the military illegally arrested and tortured the four victims, forcing them to admit involvement with the rebel group New Peoples’ Army (NPA),” Amistad added.
“Then the most recent case was the Illegal arrest and torture of Hilo Idlao Aytag, 38 years old, of Panaytayan, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, a member of the Mangyan tribe. He was tortured by members of the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army to force him to disclose his alleged membership to the rebel group New Peoples’ Army (NPA). The incident took place on March 12, 2010.”
“Agents of the state continue in using torture with impunity to extract confessions and punish political offenders, human rights defenders, suspected rebels and even ordinary civilians despite the law under PGMA’s claimed legacy of defeating insurgents,” he continued.
TFDP records show that there are 585 documented victims of torture under President Arroyo’s term. There are 3,275 victims of illegal arrests and detention and a total of 271 political prisoners and political detainees languishing in jails nationwide as of June 15, 2010.
“Now, under the incoming P-Noy administration, we cannot help but reiterate our ardent call for justice for all victims of torture. With immediate implementation of RA 9745, P-Noy must prosecute torturers and all human rights violators. We expect P-Noy to be different from PGMA by breaking impunity in human rights violations. We demand that P-Noy release all political prisoners and run after their torturers,” He said.
Lastly Amistad challenge P-Noy to sincerely declare zero tolerance for torture and torturers under his leadership and that no one shall be subjected to torture in his administration and that violators of human rights will be jailed accordingly.
TFDP commemorates the torture victims’ day with fellow advocates through the UATC’s annual “Basta! Run Against Torture or BRAT IV”. The run starts from CHR at 7:00 am and ends at Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon Avenue on July 25, 2010.
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Immediately implement RA 9745! Free all political prisoners/detainees! Jail torturers!
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), as a human rights organization joins fellow advocates and relatives of victims of torture in the worldwide commemoration of the International Day in Support of Torture Victims by calling for the immediate implementation of RA 9745 (Anti-Torture Law) and for P-Noy to release all political prisoners and political detainees who are mostly victims of torture.
TFDP celebrates the enactment of RA 9745, a product of decades of arduous lobby and campaign by all who wish to banish torture from our midst. The war against torture has not been won by the enactment of an anti-torture law, there is still a need to be vigilant and determined in pursuing cases against torturers and other perpetrators of human rights violations. Only when we have sent a crystal clear message to violators that they face retribution through our justice system can we begin to celebrate. Today, torture remains a bloodstain that cannot be washed away until impunity is dead and buried.
Right after PGMA signed RA 9745 in November 10, 2009, TFDP documented the torture of 4 Dumagats in Dingalan, Aurora in December 2009 during the human rights week celebration. Then just last March 12, 2010, another case of an individual from an IP group, this time a Mangyan was illegally arrested and tortured by members of the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Oriental Mindoro.
In both incidents just like in other cases and victims, torture was used to force confession of alleged involvement with the rebel group New Peoples’ Army or NPA. This is what the outgoing president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been bragging about. It was her celebrated legacy of defeating insurgents but at the expense of violating the human rights of the common people.
TFDP records show that PGMA’s legacy will leave 585 number of torture victims, 3,275 illegally arrested and detained individuals, 271 political prisoners and detainees nationwide.
Now, under the incoming P-Noy administration, we cannot help but reiterate our ardent call for justice for all victims of torture. With immediate implementation of RA 9745, P-Noy must prosecute torturers and all human rights violators. We expect P-Noy to be different from PGMA by breaking impunity in human rights violations. We demand from P-Noy the release all political prisoners and the prosecution of torturers.
We challenge P-Noy to sincerely declare zero tolerance for torture and torturers under his leadership. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III must ensure that no one shall be subjected to torture in his administration and that violators of human rights will be jailed accordingly. Our nation deserves not only to break free from the web of corruption but also to liberate ourselves from the pervasive culture of impunity.
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BASTA! RUN AGAINST TORTURE IV
(ANTI-TORTURE ACT OF 2009: WALA NANG LUSOT ANG DAPAT MANAGOT!)
JUNE 25, 2010
ASSEMBLY: 700 – 730 AM, IN FRONT OF COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (COMMONWEALTH GATE)
RUN STARTS AT 730 AM
ROUTE: COMMONWEALTH AVE – PHILCOA – ELLIPTICAL ROAD (TOWARDS VISAYAS AVENUE) – QUEZON AVENUE – BANTAYOG NG MGA BAYANI
PROGRAM: 830 – 930 AM (IN FRONT OF THE INANG BAYAN MONUMENT, BANTAYOG NG MGA BAYANI)
For more information please contact:
Egay Cabalitan Jr. – TFDP Advocacy Staff
Mobile: 09219645017
Office: 437 80 54
Email: egay.advocacytfdp@gmail.com
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