Jonas’s brother Jose Luis or JL Burgos was supposed to testify in court as the fifth prosecution witness. Earlier, however, the defense objected to JL Burgos taking the witness stand.
Aquino, when he was still senator, mentioned and assailed Jonas’ disappearance before a speech in the senate back in 2007, in commemoration of his father’s asassination.
Mrs. Burgos, who has held the AFP accountable for the April 2007 abduction of her son Jonas, said the failure of the troops to explain their presence cannot but create suspicion and alarm.
“With the appointment of Gen. Año as army chief there is no hope at all that justice will be obtained for human rights crimes during the watch of Aquino.”
Lawyer Robinson Biñas of the government’s Commission on Human Rights said his investigating team interviewed some 15 witnesses, among them, busboy Jeffrey Cabintoy, who identified Major Harry Baliaga as one of the abductors.
“He promised us, that he would have this case resolved before his administration ends. But where is Jonas now?”
With Palparan in jail, has impunity really been arrested? The human rights record of the Aquino government shows it has not.
Edita Burgos took the witness stand at the first trial hearing of Maj. Harry Baliaga Jr. who is charged with the disappearance of her son Jonas.
“It is amazing how, an injustice, whether this be an extrajudicial killing, an enforced disappearance or torture, gives birth to people who would have otherwise lived a different life, but had now taken up the cudgels for the killed, the disappeared and the tortured.” – Edita Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos
“We have done everything we could. But we are faithful to what we started and we will pursue it until the end.” – Edita Burgos
Asked why the Aquino government does not want to ratify the law, human rights lawyer Edre Olalia said that probably one of the reasons why the government is hesitant to ratify the convention is that once it does, it would be incumbent upon it to allow visits of special rapporteurs in the country.
Ni LOUISE VINCENT B. AMANTE Bulatlat.com “With Malacanang’s tough branding of human rights violations as leftist propaganda, are the authorities now saying that I will never see my son again?” - Edita Burgos, ina ni Jonas Burgos na ngayo’y desaparecido Edita, Sa...
“It has been four years that you have been Commander-in-Chief, yet we do not know the truth about Jonas. Mr. President, is there hope that the truth will finally be revealed while you are still in the position to make this happen?” – Mrs. Edith Burgos
“There is hope that other perpetrators would be identified.” -- Mrs. Edita Burgos
Accused Major Harry Baliaga’s lawyer attempted to have the arraignment deferred but the motion was denied.
"This is good news. I just hope the developments will continue." – Mrs. Edita Burgos, mother of Jonas
“The recent confirmation of Brig. Gen. Año to star rank reminds us of the promotion of Gen. Palparan and many others who had faced serious and credible charges of rights violations,” – National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
"A soldier whose rank is low and who only follows orders is implicated while his superiors are set free. I could not understand this." – Mrs. Edita Burgos
How many more mothers would have to shed tears before justice prevails?
“..the Aquino administration obviously rewards, instead of punishes, human rights violators such as Gen. [Aurelio] Baladad.” – Justice for the Morong 43 alliance
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