Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Condemn the continuing policy of state terrorism and impunity under the US-Aquino Regime!
Do you like this story?
DEFEND KELLY DELGADO, DEFEND ALL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
PRESS STATEMENT
October 18, 2010
Condemn the continuing policy of state terrorism and impunity under the US-Aquino Regime! Defend Kelly Delgado, Defend All Human Rights Defenders!
We strongly condemn the threats on the life and freedom of Mr. Kelly Delgado and all other human rights defenders.
Mr. Kelly Delgado has been a staunch human rights advocate who boldly exposed human rights violations perpetrated by the military on several occasions in Southern Mindanao Region including political killings, enforced disappearance, displacements, and harassments against legitimate dissenters. Because of his advocacy he gained the ire of military officers.
Threats on his life were made known through text messages sent to Charm Radio. Trumped-up charges were filed against him by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), 10th IDPA and by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Together with other human rights defender, Mr. Delgado was included in the Order of Battle (OB) list as target for “neutralization.” A Mission Order (MO) to physically eliminate him was already issued by the Eastern Mindanao Command under which are the 10th and 4th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Army.
We protest the attacks and threats against Mr. Delgado and other human rights defenders!
The false statement made by BGen. Eduardo del Rosario, commanding officer of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (1003rd IBPA), during a press conference held on September 21, 2010 was clearly meant to harass and discredit Mr. Delgado. He accused Mr. Delgado of ordering NPA members to kill Lt. Col Randolph Cabangbang. Such baseless accusations only reflect Del Rosario’s arrogance over due process of law in pointing out criminal suspects and his use of the media in sensationalizing the issue with the intention to harass Mr. Delgado.
If people like Mr. Kelly Delgado are silenced, who will speak in behalf of all human rights victims? Who will voice out the injustices and violations against human life? Only a few people are courageous enough to endure the threats and harassment that comes with the job.
As church people, we are commissioned by God to defend human dignity and the sanctity of life; to defend the oppressed and the marginalized. God created us in His own image, thus, we are all created equal. We have equal rights of existence and with equal rights over all resources that God provided for us.
Genesis 9:6 says,“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Impunity, therefore, is not to be tolerated!
We challenge the administration of President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino Jr. to abandon the counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), which is being used as a mechanism to systematically abuse and oppress leaders, activists and critics that they branded as “terrorists.”
We believe that P-Noy’s “daang matuwid” should not mean silencing legitimate dissent and the people’s clamor for justice and lasting peace. To trail “daang matuwid” is to uphold the rights of God’s creations - the right to a life with dignity and the right to fight for a just and democratic society.
We strongly condemn the threats on the life and freedom of Mr. Kelly Delgado and all other human rights defenders.
Mr. Kelly Delgado has been a staunch human rights advocate who boldly exposed human rights violations perpetrated by the military on several occasions in Southern Mindanao Region including political killings, enforced disappearance, displacements, and harassments against legitimate dissenters. Because of his advocacy he gained the ire of military officers.
Threats on his life were made known through text messages sent to Charm Radio. Trumped-up charges were filed against him by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), 10th IDPA and by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Together with other human rights defender, Mr. Delgado was included in the Order of Battle (OB) list as target for “neutralization.” A Mission Order (MO) to physically eliminate him was already issued by the Eastern Mindanao Command under which are the 10th and 4th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Army.
We protest the attacks and threats against Mr. Delgado and other human rights defenders!
The false statement made by BGen. Eduardo del Rosario, commanding officer of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (1003rd IBPA), during a press conference held on September 21, 2010 was clearly meant to harass and discredit Mr. Delgado. He accused Mr. Delgado of ordering NPA members to kill Lt. Col Randolph Cabangbang. Such baseless accusations only reflect Del Rosario’s arrogance over due process of law in pointing out criminal suspects and his use of the media in sensationalizing the issue with the intention to harass Mr. Delgado.
If people like Mr. Kelly Delgado are silenced, who will speak in behalf of all human rights victims? Who will voice out the injustices and violations against human life? Only a few people are courageous enough to endure the threats and harassment that comes with the job.
As church people, we are commissioned by God to defend human dignity and the sanctity of life; to defend the oppressed and the marginalized. God created us in His own image, thus, we are all created equal. We have equal rights of existence and with equal rights over all resources that God provided for us.
Genesis 9:6 says,“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Impunity, therefore, is not to be tolerated!
We challenge the administration of President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino Jr. to abandon the counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL), which is being used as a mechanism to systematically abuse and oppress leaders, activists and critics that they branded as “terrorists.”
We believe that P-Noy’s “daang matuwid” should not mean silencing legitimate dissent and the people’s clamor for justice and lasting peace. To trail “daang matuwid” is to uphold the rights of God’s creations - the right to a life with dignity and the right to fight for a just and democratic society.
______________________________
The Defend Kelly Delgado, Defend All Human Rights Defenders is a Movement whose cause is engraved in its name.
It is a joint effort of different religious organizations, institutions, church workers, peace and human rights advocates in response to series and recent threat to life of staunch human rights Kelly Delgado and all Human Rights Defenders in the course of their service to advance and uphold basic and internationally promoted human rights of peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, the urban poor and other oppressed sectors.
FOR REFERENCE:
SR. ETTA BANAYO, ma
2732669
This post was written by: Exodus for Justice and Peace
Exodus for Justice and Peace is a clergy-led peace group. Follow EJP on Twitter
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Responses to “Condemn the continuing policy of state terrorism and impunity under the US-Aquino Regime!”
Post a Comment