Ikinabahala na ng Commission on Human Rights (CHR) ang serye ng pag-aresto sa ilang indibidwal kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng International Human Rights Day noong Huwebes, December 11.
“It is concerning that the celebration of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week (4-10 December 2020) ended with a string of arrests of journalist and trade unionists,” ani CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline De Guia.
Kung maaalala, dinampot ng pulisya ang mga nagngangalang Lady Ann Salem, Dennise Velasco, Mark Ryan Cruz, Romina Raiselle Astudillo, Jaymie Gregorio, Joel Demate, at Rodrigo Esparago, dahil umano sa pagtatago ng mga armas at eksplosibo.
Pero ayon kay De Guia, mismong mga kaanak ng mga nabanggit na indibidwal ang nagsabi na maraming iregularidad ang nangyari sa gitna ng pag-aresto.
“The fact that arrests were made in the midsts of red tagging of activists and human rights workers.”
Kamakailan nang napatay umano sa isang engkuwentro ang mag-asawang Agaton Topacio at Eugenia Magpantay, kapwa peace consultants ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
Ayon sa pulisya, nanlaban ang dalawang mahina nang senior citizen habang ginagawaran ng arrest warrant.
Para kay De Guia, taliwas sa mga pahayag ng administrasyon ang kilos ng pulisya at militar sa usapin ng karapatang pantao dahil sa mga kaso ng pag-aresto.
“It would be then for the government’s benefit, particularly the PNP, to address these doubts and allegations of anomalous arrests, especially that several pronouncements were already made by this administration—here and abroad—on its commitment to respect and protect the human rights of all.”
Sa nakaraang Human Rights Summit ng Department of Justice, sinabi ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na prayoridad ng estado ang karapatang-pantao.
“I am proud that the Philippines is one of the few countries that signed many of the world’s core human rights treaties. This affirms our serious commitment in honoring and fulfilling our treaty obligations and prioritizing the human rights agenda as a means to achieve our country’s sustainable development goals,” pahayag ng chief executive.
Ayon kay Atty. De Guia, mawawalan ng silbi ang mga pangako ng pamahalaan kung ito mismo ang unang-una na hindi tutupad.
“These commitments need to be translated to actual reforms, including effectiveness of redress mechanisms in addressing similar allegations and different human rights violations.”
“For if these pledges will remain as words, then we would not only fail the human rights cause, but this would also render hollow the government’s primary assertions that it will abide by its obligation to uphold the rights of all.”
