EDITORIAL

‘Few killings, but no convictions’

The European Union lauded last week the “significant decrease” in the cases of unexplained killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines in recent months, but expressed concern that no perpetrator has been brought to justice.

The EU issued this statement before delegates of the two-day 2008 Philippine Development Forum, which ended in Clark, Pampanga last week.. The EU said it is “heartened” by President Arroyo’s “emphasis on the need for speedy prosecution and conviction of those responsible for such heinous acts,” but “notes with concern that to date, in no case have the perpetrators been made accountable.”

“The EU welcomes the work of the Supreme Court in this field and urges the government to implement fully the recommendations of the United Nations Special Representative Philip Alston,” the EU statement read.

“The EU reaffirms its willingness to provide relevant technical assistance to the Philippines in this field,” it added. Last week, the police task force investigating the unexplained murders of journalists and leftist activists said it was set to release its most wanted posters of suspects in the killings.

Task Force Usig also reported that not a single unexplained killing was recorded during the first quarter of the year. Its chief Director Jefferson Soriano reported an 83-percent decline in the killings from 2006 to 2007.

At present, a total of 161 people are wanted for the unexplained slays, but only 66 of them have been identified and 23 have pending warrants of arrest. Soriano said at least 27 cases have been pending before prosecutors offices, 13 others have been provisionally dismissed for lack of evidence or witnesses, and 14 other cases are still under prosecution.

The Supreme Court had created special courts to handle cases of killings of militants and journalists, where Soriano said seven cases have been referred to.

A human rights group urged the UN last week to take the Philippines to task for failing to prosecute soldiers suspected of involvement in a string of unexplained killings. New York-based Human Rights Watch said the Philippines has done little to implement recommendations made last year by Alston as well as Manila’s own fact-finding commission.

Both have linked soldiers to hundreds of deaths and disappearances of mostly left-wing activists belonging to political organizations that the military brands as fronts for communist rebels.

“The list of actions touted by the Philippine government as progress unfortunately seems little more than ‘window-dressing,’” said Elaine Pearson, Human Rights Watch’s deputy director for Asia. Pearson told reporters that the actions seemed “designed to merely deflect... criticism.”

The left-wing human rights group Karapatan also reported considerably fewer activists killed or abducted last year, 68 slain and 26 missing, down from 185 dead and 93 missing in 2006.

The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council will hold its first Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines’ human rights record on April 11, during which council members can question government representatives in a public session.
All governments are subject to review.

“This is something we take seriously,” Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told reporters. “I am sure the government will make the appropriate explanation to the international community.” Bunye said the Presidential Human Rights Commission was prepared to meet with the UN council to address the issue. This time, the government should show it matches its words with actions on the issue.