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BAGUIO CITY — Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said they are looking forward to a faster and more effective investigation of human rights complaints after the chief of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reiterated his commitment to reinvestigate cases previously archived or unfavorably resolved for the victims.
In a March 29 interview, CPA Secretary-General Sarah Dekdeken mentioned reopening the investigation on the frustrated extra-judicial killing of Brandon Lee, which the office archived last year. She said CHR would also review the findings on the abduction and torture of CPA leader Stephen Tauli.
She also acknowledged the commission’s efforts to partner with non-government organizations to promote human rights education and build the capacity of grassroots organizations.
“We also hope to see more efforts from the CHR in reaching out to victims of human rights violations in the provinces, where many cases of human rights violations remain undocumented and unreported,” Dekdeken said.
CHR assurance
CHR chair Richard Palpal-latoc assured Dekdeken and other civil society group representatives on March 24, during the agency’s Lakaran: Lakbay Karapatan Tungo sa Kalayaan Program in Baguio City.
He told Nordis he was committed to adequately addressing their concerns despite his absence when Northern Luzon activists and human rights defenders had a dialogue at the central office in Quezon City.
Palpal-latoc said investigating human rights violation complaints primarily falls on the regional offices. “But in cases where there are serious issues, we usually deploy personnel from the national office,” he added.
“We investigate, gather evidence and after that, the region and the investigation team will be submitting reports and recommendations on what actions to be taken,” he added.
Groups from the Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos trooped to the National Capital Region on March 20 and 21 to raise their concerns about the rising number of attacks against activists.
During this activity, they talked with CHR about the archived case of Brandon Lee and the “seeming lack of exhaustive investigation” on the abduction of Steve Tauli before rendering a dispositive resolution. They also asked the office to investigate the trumped-up rebellion charges against Jennifer Awingan, Sarah Alikes, Lulu Gimenez, Nino Oconer, Renz Kang, Steve Tauli, and Windel Bolinget, collectively known as Northern Luzon 7. Also included in their agenda was the documented harassment, forced and fake surrenders, and intimidation in Cagayan and Kalinga.
They also talked with the Kalinga and Mountain Province Congressional representatives, with Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel. The three lawmakers promised to file a resolution to probe the reported bombing.
Manuel also delivered a privileged speech urging his fellow members of congress to address the plight of Northern Luzon activists and human rights defenders.
Stand with the North
In an emailed press release, Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas expressed support to activists and human rights defenders from the Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos regions in their campaign against escalating human rights attacks against them and their communities.
The national indigenous organizations’ alliance called on all “peace-loving” citizens to stand with indigenous activists and human rights defenders from Northern Luzon in their campaign against escalating rights violations in the north.
Katribu added, “the trooping of the delegation from different regions is a first of a series of activities calling for judicial and legislative reforms to protect activists and human rights workers.”
“The struggle continues for us human rights defenders to resound the calls and demands of Northern Luzon,” Katribu stated.
In a separate statement, Task Force for Indigenous People’s Rights (TFIP) said that these human rights violations are counterattacks from the government and corporations who criminalize their opposition to destructive development projects in the area.
“Opposition to these [development projects] are often deemed by the government and its agents as anti-development, criminal, and even terroristic,” TFIP stated.
“The human rights violations are reactions of the government, corporations, and their agents to the opposition against so-called development projects,” TFIP added. # with reports from Gwen De Leon and Alexandra Ysabelle Holgado
