This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VII, No. 9, April 1-7, 2007
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Arroyo, Bush Guilty of
Crimes vs Humanity
The Permanent Peoples’
Tribunal (PPT), an international opinion tribunal, declared both Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and US President George W. Bush, guilty of
crimes against humanity. BY
EMILY VITAL The Permanent Peoples’
Tribunal (PPT), an international opinion tribunal, declared both Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and U.S. President George W. Bush guilty of
crimes against humanity. The 13-page verdict was
released March 25 around 2 pm at the Pax Christikerk in The Hague, the
Netherlands, after three continuous days of hearing testimonies from at least 13
witnesses. A copy of the verdict was sent to Bulatlat by the
international coordinating secretariat of the PPT’s Second Session on the
Philippines. Francois Houtart, president
of the PPT’s Second Session on the Philippines, said, “The tribunal, having
considered the evidence given before it is of the opinion that the reported
killings, torture and forced disappearances fall under responsibility of the
Philippine government and are by no way justified in terms of necessary measures
against terrorism.” Houtart said that all of
the charges against Arroyo and Bush were substantiated. The respondents were
charged with “gross and systematic violations of civil and political rights:
extra-judicial killings, abduction and disappearances, massacre, torture; gross
and systematic violation of economic, social and cultural rights; and gross and
systematic violations of the rights to national self-determination and
liberation.” The PPT has also found
“unequivocal evidences that the military have a central role in the greatest
majority of the scenarios of human rights violations in the Philippines.” It
described the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a structural component
and instrument of the policy of the “war on terror” declared jointly by the
Philippine and the U.S. governments. The “war on terror,” Houtart said, is being
used to justify all illegal actions and impunity of both governments. The seven-member jury also
said that the membership of the Philippines in the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) is “unacceptable” because it is an “intolerable offense” to the
victims. The PPT added that the inclusion of the Philippines undermines the
credibility of UN in the field of human rights. Victory In a protest rally
organized by Bayan and allied organizations at the Plaza Miranda, March 27,
Evangeline Hernandez, spokesperson of Hustisya (Victims United for Justice) and
mother of slain human rights advocate Benjaline Hernandez, said in Filipino,
“This government did not listen to our pleas. We came to the Permanent Peoples’
Tribunal and it did not fail us. We are no longer alone in the struggle for
justice. The whole world already knows the real face of Gloria Arroyo. We were
robbed of our rights. Our dignity as humans was trampled upon. Our loved ones
who were killed by this government were even defamed as terrorists. Today, the
real terrorists have been revealed.” Speaking at the rally,
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said, “It is important that we celebrate the
verdict of the PPT for it has shown the fascist nature of the Arroyo regime. It
is not surprising that the Arroyo regime dismisses the PPT verdict. .. [It
employs] deception, denial and cover-up toward investigations of international
bodies.” Meanwhile, Renato Reyes
Jr., secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), said in a press
conference last March 26 that they will campaign for the removal of the
Philippines from the UNHRC. He said that the verdict of the PPT must convince
foreign governments to withdraw their military aid to the Philippines. Bayan is also one of the
complainants in the case against Arroyo and Bush. In a statement sent to
media through email, Angelica M. Gonzales, MD, executive director of the
international coordinating secretariat of the PPT’s Second Session on the
Philippines, said that the verdict will be transmitted to the UN, International
Court of Justice and European Parliament. Hernandez said, “We who
have lost our loved-ones, who have been violated, will not allow Arroyo to
prolong her stay in Malacañang… The Filipino people will make this government
pay for its blood debt.” In 1980, the PPT’s First
Session on the Philippines declared then President Ferdinand Marcos guilty of
human rights abuses. The dictator was ousted in 1986 through a popular uprising.
Bulatlat © 2007 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Int’l Tribunal Verdict Detrimental to Macapagal-Arroyo
Bulatlat