Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Rms. 310-311 Philippine Social Science Center Building Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, 1103 Quezon City Philippines Telefax: 00-632-4546759 Telephone Number 00-632-4907862 Mobile 00-63-9177924058 Email afad@surfshop.net.ph website www.afad-online.org
distinct criminal offense. It provides, among other things, the right to truth and the right not to be subjected to enforced disappearances. Disappointingly, the Philippines is not yet a signatory much less a State-Party to this Convention despite having cited it as one of its voluntary pledges before the UN Human Rights Council when it ran for membership in 2007. The bills criminalizing enforced disappearance have been filed and refiled in both the Senate and the House of Representatives since the 9th Congress. The current 15th Philippine Congress has made some positive steps for its possible enactment. On 9 June 2011, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2817. The Joint Committees of Human Rights and Justice of the House of Representatives of the 14th Congress adopted on 17 August 2011 the approved House Bill 5888 as substituted bill for plenary consideration. The challenge is how to finally enact this bill into law after years of long delay. In the face of continuing human rights violations in the country, we vow our unwavering support to the kin of two missing UP student-activists, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karyn Empeno and all desaparecidos who sacrifice their lives to make democracy truly serve the interest of the Filipino nation. Gen. Palparan should feel lucky to be given an opportunity to have a day in court unlike those who are made to disappear and are killed without defending themselves. Should there be a law criminalizing enforced disappearance, Gen. Palparan would have been the first person to be charged for committing this odious offense. The case of the fugitive retired Gen. Palparan is indeed a make or break in impunity for human rights violations in the country. It is therefore, our social responsibility to make justice prevail.
Signed:
MUGIYANTO Chairperson