Blog ng Kabataan

Friends and fellow civil libertarians,

Greetings of peace and solidarity!

The Permanent People’s Tribunal, an international jury, has stated its verdict: The Philippine government is guilty beyond reasonable doubt of grave human rights abuses in the Philippines.

The PPT, composed of a forum of reknowned lawyers and human rights activists recently held a trial in The Hague and found the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo responsible of unsolved extra-judicial killings, disappearance, political repression and other human rights violations in the Philippines. It also held accountable the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the ‘central force’ implementing rights abuses in the country. The PPT was founded in 1979 in Italy by lawyers, writers and intellectuals, and since then has examined and judged complaints regarding violations of human rights submitted by vicitms or groups from different countries.

As expected, the Arroyo administration was quick to denounce the PPT verdict as ‘unfair and biased’. It has time and again refused to acknowledge the magnitude and gravity of human rights abuses in the Philippines and instead continues to conjure fabricated excuses to escape accountability for the unending spate of killings, disappearances, political repression and other rights violations. It is precisely for the Arroyo administration’s denial of responsibility that rights abuses continue to hound our countrymen with impunity.

The victims of grave threats to life and liberty include Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo who was recently arrested under false charges of murder following the discovery of alleged mass graves in Leyte; and Anakpawis Rep. Crispin ‘Ka Bel’ Beltran who has been incarcerated for more than a year now for rebellion and sedition charges.

Critical youth and students, likewise, fall victim to political repression and tyranny. The forced disappearances of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, and the brutal killings of student leaders Chris Hugo, Ambo Guran and Farly Alcantara in Bicol, illustrate the government’s merciless attitude towards its critics.

Militarization and human rights violations, including the extra-judicial killings of over 800 activists, journalists and civilians make the Arroyo government the worst human rights violator in the post-Marcos years. This alarming situation will furthermore be aggravated by the recently-railroaded Human Security Act of 2007, or the anti-terror law.

Unexplained military presence in campuses and communities within Metro Manila is causing widespread fear, panic and indignation among youth and students. Troop deployments were documented in campuses such as the Philippine Normal University and Polytechnic University of the Philippines; while residents complain of military harassment in Payatas, Pandancan, Tondo and Kalookan.

No freedom-loving youth could ever find legal and moral justification for the wave of warrantless arrests, press freedom repression and over-all suppression against groups and individuals expressing dissent against the government. In the guise of maintaining peace and order, such abuses have been committed mainly against the leaders and members of people’s organizations and political parties that continue to demand proper closure on the issues of Arroyo’s legitimacy amidst the fraud, corruption and human rights violations committed by her regime.

We maintain that press freedom and civil liberties are essential exercises in a democracy. The role to defend human rights is crucial to every Filipino citizen, especially the youth. In times of crisis, we, young Filipinos are tasked to forge the deepest unity against all forms of political repression and rights abuses.

It is in this light that the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) invite you to “I DEFY! I Defy Political Repression, I Defy Tyranny; A gathering of young civil libertarians and press freedom advocates,” on March 29, 10AM to 12NN at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

We must add our voices to stop the return of dark days when political activists and supporters of people’s movements demanding regime change are arrested without
warrant, brutally killed and forcibly disappeared; when freedom of the press is suppressed; and when all instruments of the state are directed to quell dissent of people seeking urgent political and socio-economic reforms.

Let us DEFY political repression. Let us DEFY tyranny. Let us stand for democracy!

For inquiries, feel free to contact Jose (0918 243 3779) or Alvin (0906 245 8411).

Thank you and we are looking forward to seeing you in this timely and noble gathering.

Sincerely,

(sgd).
Jose Cosido
CEGP, National President

(sgd.)
Alvin Peters
Secretary- General, NUSP