Special courts useless if Macapagal-Arroyo government continues to maintain a state policy of extra-judicial killings, protects Palparan and the AFP
Monday March 5, 2007
Special courts useless if Macapagal-Arroyo government continues to maintain a state policy of extra-judicial killings, protects Palparan and the AFP
Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran today said that the Supreme Court (SC)'s designation of special courts in Metro Manila and other key judicial regions of the country to handle cases of killings of political activists and members of the media sounds like a good idea at the onset, "But over-all it's like a band-aid solution to a gangrenous problem Putting up courts to try the cases of the killings is useless and pointless if the national government continues to maintain a policy of extra-judicial killings against the members of progressive party-lists, militant people's organizations, and journalists," he said.
"We are wary that these courts will only be used a legal means to finally and conclusively dismiss the issue of the killings and to absolve the perpetrators led by Jovito Palparan and the elements of the the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," he said.
Beltran said that before Malacanang and Supreme Court embarks on this project, Pres. Arroyo must first firmly lay down her foot against the extrajudicial killings and order the scrapping Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2. He said that that Pres. Arroyo must stop professing her support for the AFP and Palparan, and make an unequivocal statement denouncing the AFP's role in the killings.
"What use are these courts if Pres. Arroyo herself is protecting the AFP and shielding Palparan from prosecution?"
"Practical and actual considerations also point to the conclusion that these courts will be unable to hear and try even half of the cases of the killings. Will all these courts be able to provide committed and thorough lawyers to help the families of the victims? Can these courts compel the AFP to surrender its soldiers and officials suspected of either masterminding or actually perpetrating the killings? There is also the need to protect the witnesses and their families, as well as the families of the victims themselves."#
Special courts useless if Macapagal-Arroyo government continues to maintain a state policy of extra-judicial killings, protects Palparan and the AFP
Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran today said that the Supreme Court (SC)'s designation of special courts in Metro Manila and other key judicial regions of the country to handle cases of killings of political activists and members of the media sounds like a good idea at the onset, "But over-all it's like a band-aid solution to a gangrenous problem Putting up courts to try the cases of the killings is useless and pointless if the national government continues to maintain a policy of extra-judicial killings against the members of progressive party-lists, militant people's organizations, and journalists," he said.
"We are wary that these courts will only be used a legal means to finally and conclusively dismiss the issue of the killings and to absolve the perpetrators led by Jovito Palparan and the elements of the the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," he said.
Beltran said that before Malacanang and Supreme Court embarks on this project, Pres. Arroyo must first firmly lay down her foot against the extrajudicial killings and order the scrapping Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2. He said that that Pres. Arroyo must stop professing her support for the AFP and Palparan, and make an unequivocal statement denouncing the AFP's role in the killings.
"What use are these courts if Pres. Arroyo herself is protecting the AFP and shielding Palparan from prosecution?"
"Practical and actual considerations also point to the conclusion that these courts will be unable to hear and try even half of the cases of the killings. Will all these courts be able to provide committed and thorough lawyers to help the families of the victims? Can these courts compel the AFP to surrender its soldiers and officials suspected of either masterminding or actually perpetrating the killings? There is also the need to protect the witnesses and their families, as well as the families of the victims themselves."#
posted at 6:41 PM
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