A human rights activist warned that the extrajudicial killing and disappearance of activists in the Philippines could spike again in 2008, following steep declines last year.
Aurora Parong of Amnesty International said that poor witness protections, inadequate forensics and slow prosecution may threaten gains made against the killings, which claimed 33 lives last year, down from as many as 96 in 2006.
Parong also said that extrajudicial killings should be a separate class of crime from murder, and that families of victims may not be aware of legal measures that could help their cases, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.
She called for federal officials to be more responsive to communities, and blamed the lack of prosecutions on incompetance or “unwillingness” to pursue the cases.
Source:
“Lack of due diligence denies justice in extrajudicial cases”
Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 18, 2008
THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES ONCE SAID THAT HE WILL RATHER SEE HIS COUNTRY RUN LIKE HELL THAN BE RULED BY A COLONIAL POWER.I THINK HE GOT HIS WISH.THE CORRUPTION IS SO RAMPANT FROM ALL BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT.BEING ELECTED IN OFFICE IS A PATHWAY TO RICHES. PAYOLAS IS A WAY OF LIFE. MILITARY IS IN CAHOOTS WITH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.WHISTLE BLOWERS ARE EXTERMINATED OR SILENCED THROUGH INTIMIDATION.ECONOMY IS DEPENDENT ON OVERSEAS WORKERS AROUND THE GLOBE SENDING REMITTANCES TO THEIR LOVE ONES.THERE ARE NO SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS AND THE CHURCH THAT CONTROL THE MEMBERS GETS MILLIONS OF GIFTS AND MONEY UNDER THE TABLE FROM POLITICIANS JUST TO GET THEIR ENDORSEMENT.HEALTH CARE IS IN THE BOTTOM OF THEIR AGENDA AND REGULATIONS AND RED TAPE IS KILLING EFFICIENCY IN BUSINESS ANDTRHE DAY TO DAY AFFAIRS.
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