Philippines: OMCT intervention to the European Parliament

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OMCT calls on the European Union to act to end
extrajudicial executions in the Philippines by helping address
their economic, social and cultural root causes"

OMCT intervention before the
Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament
- Brussels, 22 January 2009 -

OMCT welcomes the attention that the Subcommittee on human rights is giving to the alarming level of extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances taking place in the Philippines. OMCT takes also this opportunity to emphasize that the EU Institutions could have a key role in halting these human rights violations and calls on the Members of this Subcommittee, along with the EU relevant authorities, to use all EU instruments available to stop these practices and address their root causes. OMCT has submitted to the Subcommittee detailed information on the economic, social and cultural root causes of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture and other cruel, inhuman ad degrading treatment in the Philippines.

Indeed, the European Union is in a strong strategic position to assist the people of the Philippines in confronting this challenge, in particular because in many cases the root causes of extrajudicial executions are to be found in denials of economic, social and cultural rights. The EU has been the largest source of foreign direct investments that have flowed into the Philippines in the past decade, it can influence the policies and operations of EU-based companies in their activities in the Philippines and it can also work through the implementation of the EU-Philippines Country Strategy Paper 2007 – 2013.

In a recent report, OMCT examined the specific situation of those defending their economic, social and cultural rights, also following a preparatory mission to the Philippines last September. Indeed, many of the victims of extrajudicial executions are activists attempting to defend their economic, social and cultural rights. In many cases this relates to individuals or members of groups struggling for more equitable distribution of resources, better land policy, and better protection of the rights of farmers, indigenous peoples, and workers.  Following the militarization of particular hot spots, extrajudicial killings and other abuses are also used to suppress resistance to large-scale mining, development and other foreign mega-projects that adversely affect local communities’ rights.