In early March, they instantly came out with vigorous denials, condemning the ramped-up red-tagging campaign waged against them, here and in Europe, by the Duterte government. To a considerable degree, the broad-ranged ripostes have blunted the vilification drive against Karapatan and other human rights defenders, militant people’s organizations and alliances, and Left-leaning candidates in the…
“This series of attacks, bigoted and fantastic as they are, is not only disturbing but can be ominous of even worse things to come.”
“I don’t want others to suffer the same fate as that of my son.”
“Our reason for being is put to question. We are being forced to relearn or unlearn what we studied or taught in law school. The Decision revolts against norms we hold dear.”
The NUPL stressed that in the end, the losing party in this fiasco is not the Chief Justice nor any Justice of the Court, nor the Court or the entire judicial system.
“The charges are pathetically not worth the paper they were written on.”
“Such reckless threats are legally questionable and worse, will erupt in even more vicious and wholesale violations and would also constrict whatever democratic breathing space there is left.”
The Honorable Court, the motion for reconsideration stipulated, “grossly ignored the extraordinary circumstance attendant in this case that puts Mary Jane Veloso under the exception instead of the general rule” in the strict application of criminal procedures in the Philippines.
“This is a welcome development though it is five years late.”
“I should have noted every word and every promise they gave our family. All along, I really thought they were handling my sister’s case.”
“In accordance with international and parallel local laws, (Veloso) must not be penalized for any alleged crime which was integral and in connection with such human trafficking scheme, and must instead be repatriated back to the Philippines.”