This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VII, No. 11, April 22-28, 2007
Arroyo Cabinet Should Demand
Firing of Secretary Gonzalez
CODAL believes that the Justice Department is not only expected to administer
justice and the law, but is also expected to know the law. Affected members of
the Arroyo cabinet and both houses of Congress should express concern over the
Justice Secretary’s remarks which have affected their respective institutions.
President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo should now seriously consider whether it is
beneficial to allow her justice secretary to continue acting as her alter ego. BY
THE COUNSELS FOR THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTIES The Counsels for the
Defense of Liberties (CODAL) urges members of the Arroyo cabinet, Senate
President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Jose de Venecia to demand the firing
of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for issuing a series of statements that show
his intolerance and insensitivity as a person and as a public official.
Secretary Gonzalez
lambasted a high level delegation led by the secretary-general of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for merely expressing a Resolution approved by
the entire membership of the IPU asking for the release of Anakpawis (Toiling
Masses) Rep. Crispin Beltran, curtly telling them “if you don’t want to accept
my explanation you can go home and tell the whole world what you want,” adding
“I don’t want foreigners dictating on us.” Secretary Gonzalez was less
than candid when he told the IPU the matter is “beyond me” because
Representative Beltran remains in detention due to the Department of Justice (DoJ)’s
persistent objection to his release. In fact, it was the DoJ which sanctioned
Rep. Beltran’s warrantless arrest and insisted that Rep. Beltran should not be
granted his right to bail despite the very weak evidence against him. Sec.
Alberto Romulo of the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) should insist that
Sec. Gonzalez be fired, not only for breaking protocol, but also for further
exposing the intolerance of the Arroyo government to dissenting opinions. The
Philippines is a member of the IPU and is therefore bound to give its
representatives common courtesy. Senator Villar and Speaker de Venecia are duty
bound to the IPU to defend its representatives from the bullying of government
officials. Both should publicly demand the firing of Secretary Gonzalez.
Furthermore, Secretary
Gonzalez, who was in the U.S. during Martial Law, is expected to know that under
international law, human rights issues are of international concern since the UN
(United Nations) promulgated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
Philippines is bound under Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights to take action on human rights violations. He cannot denounce
expression of concern over current human rights conditions in the country coming
from the UN, European Union and now the IPU, as meddling or dictation from
foreigners. Secretary Gonzalez also
made another insensitive remark by stating that Julia Campbell was to blame for
her own death because she “carelessly” went hiking alone in the Banaue Rice
Terraces. Under international law, the domestic government has the burden of
preserving peace and order within its jurisdiction and is obligated to protect
foreigners from harm, particularly from criminal elements, while they are within
that government’s territory. A municipal government cannot blame aliens who
fell victims to local criminal elements since the “responsibility to protect”
falls on the government. Sec. Romulo and the U.S. government should demand the
ouster of Sec. Gonzalez not only for insensitivity but for his ignorance of
international law. Tourism Secretary Ace Durano should take notice of Secretary
Gonzalez’s statement, which practically declared Banaue unsafe for tourists.
The statements of the Arroyo government vigorously assuring countries which have
issued negative travel advisories, of the safety of their nationals in the
Philippines, has been exposed as a lie by the voluble Justice Secretary’s
admission. It must be noted that under
the Philippine constitutional system, a cabinet member is the alter ego of the
President and his actions are deemed the acts of the President unless reprobated
or renounced by the President. The statement of the Justice Secretary, unless
renounced, is an admission that as such reflects the position of the Arroyo
government. CODAL believes that the
Justice Department is not only expected to administer justice and the law, but
is also expected to know the law. Affected members of the Arroyo cabinet and
both houses of Congress should express concern over the Justice Secretary’s
remarks which have affected their respective institutions. President Gloria
Macapagal- Arroyo should now seriously consider whether it is beneficial to
allow her justice secretary to continue acting as her alter ego. Posted by
Bulatlat April 20, 2007 © 2007 Bulatlat
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Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Senator
Villar and Speaker de Venecia should publicly defend the IPU
Posted by Bulatlat
Reference: Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares, CODAL Spokesperson