Philippines
23.06.00
Urgent Interventions

Philippines: Extrajudicial executions

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY

PHL 001 / 0006 / OBS 060
Extrajudicial executions
PHILIPPINES
23rd June 2000

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an FIDH and OMCT venture, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Philippines.

Brief description of the situation :

The Observatory has been informed by the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), member of the FIDH, of the killing of Ustadz Hadji Esmael Omar and Akmad Samin, Muslim activists of the NGO Task Force Mindanao, which works for a cessation of war in Mindanao, a peaceful settlement of the conflict and a stop to human rights violations against Moros in the Philippines.

The two activists were killed on 8th June 2000 by the Western Police District’s Police Intelligence Unit. As they were walking from the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, they were approached by four armed men identified as plainclothes policemen, with guns pointed at them. According to witnesses,
they were ordered to lie on the ground and then, they were shot and killed at point blank range. The police later claimed the two were killed in a shoot-out, but witnesses said no guns were seen in the possession of the victims.

According to the information received, the deceased were suspected by the Police to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a rebel group with whom the Philippine government has had an ongoing conflict. Ten policemen were involved in this killing, who were relieved of their duties on 22nd June 2000.

According to the information, these events are closely linked with earlier reports of harassment and intimidation of Moro people in Manila, especially in the Muslim communities of Quiapo, Taguig and Pasig. The incident followed the arrest of 26 Muslim youths in connection with the recent bombings in Metro Manila, and police surveillance of Moro human rights defenders. Moro communities continue to be under threat from the national police, in relation with the ongoing war in Mindanao between the Government of the Philippines and the rebel group MILF.

Action requested :

Please write to the authorities of the Philippines urging that they :

i. carry out a complete and impartial investigation into these facts, as well as bring the persons responsible to trial and apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law ;

ii. adopt the necessary measures to ensure the security and freedom of action of human rights defenders in the Philippines and notably the defenders of the Moro communities ;

iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties ) in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level " and article 12.2 which provides that « The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred in the present declaration ».

iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international Pacts and Covenants ratified by the Philippines

Addresses:

His Excellency, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, President, Republic of the Philippines, Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 735 8006, Email: erap@ops.gov.ph

Secretary Artemio Toquero, Department of Justice, Padre Faura, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 521 1614

Commissioner Aurora Recina Commission on Human Rights, SAAC Bldg., UP Complex, Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 929 0102

Hon. Mamintal Adiong, House Committee on Justice and Human Rights, House of Representatives, Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 818 7391

Diplomatic representatives in your country.


Geneva - Paris, 23rd June 2000

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above.

The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Fax: +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch