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So meeting Samuel felt like meeting a brother whom I shared a similar childhood, having activist parents; and a shared pain of losing them. But more than that, it felt like meeting a comrade from the different side of the world, which I shared the same struggle with --the struggle for justice.
The resolution passed by the International Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines cited the “failed justice program” of the Aquino government in calling for the aid’s withdrawal.
Mrs. Salaysay, widow of slain journalist Napoleon Salaysay, expressed hope that the Filipino people would not forget the Ampatuan massacre.
“I am sad but also happy to know that many people continue to support our fight for justice.” – widow of Ampatuan massacre victim
“This simply reeks of fascism to gag legitimate dissent that must be respected by any government that honestly wants to be called even remotely democratic, much less humane or even civilized.” – Edre Olalia, National Union of Peoples' Lawyers
Five peasant activists were arrested, a priest and a bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente were put under surveillance.
“I was cooking banana when soldiers came. They were in uniform and had long firearms. They talked to Papa and Mama. A few minutes after the soldiers left our house, I heard gunshots.” – 13-year-old victim
Halfway through his six-year term, there is no doubt that President Aquino has failed miserably in advancing the cause of a just and lasting peace in the country.
“This statement from a top military official is dangerous and betrays what various organizations and concerned groups have said all along, that the present counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan is no different from the deadly Oplan Bantay Laya.” – National Union of People’s Lawyers
How many more mothers would have to shed tears before justice prevails?
“As people's lawyers, it is only fitting for NUPL to take the side of the people in their demand for their right to health, education, housing and other socio-economic rights." – Julian Oliva, National Union of Peoples' Lawyers – National Capital Region
“..the Aquino administration obviously rewards, instead of punishes, human rights violators such as Gen. [Aurelio] Baladad.” – Justice for the Morong 43 alliance
Connie Ledesma of the NDFP urged the UN SRCAC to advice its Philippine Country Task Force for Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) “to be more discerning and circumspect in the performance of its functions by exercising basic due diligence and not relying solely on reports by agencies of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) such as the AFP, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR).”
“Every single day of their detention is an injustice.” – Courage, federation of government employees’ unions
“The military has been committing grave abuses against civilians through its peace and development operations under the Aquino government’s counter-insurgency operational plan Bayanihan.” – Pastor Sadrach Sabella, Karapatan-Socsksargends coordinator
“What is more revolting is the fact that some of the perpetrators, who have been identified and charged, have been promoted. And Gloria Arroyo was re-elected as congresswoman.” – Justice for the Morong 43
“We have gone to the courts. We have followed the government’s slow judicial process and still, we have not found our daughters.”
“Aquino cannot dismiss torture victims as isolated cases, and not a government policy, because torture is resorted to all over the country as a component of its Oplan Bayanihan.” – Karapatan
“Seven years quickly passed by but the progress of our case has been painstakingly slow.” – Mrs. Concepcion Empeño, mother of Karen
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