The active and continuing efforts of human rights organizations and advocates led to various international condemnation on the state of human rights in the Philippines. Even foreign businesses have issued statements of condemnation.

Yet, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime has not sincerely and effectively stopped the killings, failed in protecting its own citizens, and unable to bring the perpetrators to justice. We can not expect it to remove the political, economic, and social conditions for such killings and other human rights violations.

Tribute to human rights defenders

At this point, let us also take this occasion to give tribute to our human rights defenders. The highest tribute, honor and recognition we can give to our heroes and martyrs is to continue their work. Today let us honor Atty. Arthur Galace, Atty. Romeo Astudillo, and Atty. David Bueno who were active members of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and served as Chairpersons of the Northern Luzon Human Rights Organization (NLHRO). All stood firm during the dark years of Martial Law. They served as people’s lawyers for those incarcerated, tortured and abused at that time.

We also honor Albert Terradano a paralegal worker of DINTEG (Cordillera Indigenous Peoples’ Legal Center) who unidentified assassins of the state mercilessly shot on November 29 last year in Bangued, Abra on his way to work. Despite being a government employee and the sole breadwinner of his family, he unselfishly dedicated much of his time to assist victims of human rights violations. We of course also remember Pepe Manegdeg, Alyce Claver, Marcus Bangit and others that the fascists have snatched from your ranks.

We fear. We grieve. We rage. But let us rise above this fear, and transform our grief and rage to an undying commitment to the cause of people’s rights. Makibaka! Huwag matakot!

I know that this is no easy task. They have taken much too many from our ranks. Many amongst us have been killed, tortured and remain missing to date. We have lost the best sons and daughters of the human rights movement to this senseless killings. However, during these trying times of undeclared Martial Rule by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime and imperialist plunder, let us break silence into a thundering song and transform fear into a movement for justice. Posted by Bulatlat

* Atty. Olalia is the President of the International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL). This paper is his keynote address to the 3rd Regional Assembly of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), December 8, 2006, Baguio City, Philippines.

 Save as PDF