Justice for the victims of Maguindanao massacre, no to martial law!
Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP)
December 7, 2009
November 23 was an infamous day that shocked the entire nation and the world when unarmed civilians who were part of a convoy of Ampatuans’ major political rival was abducted and subsequently massacred in Maguindanao province, southern Philippines.
Erstwhile known as the Maguindanao or Ampatuan massacre, the barbaric incident is yet the most gruesome violence leading up to the national elections in the Philippines in May 2010.
It claimed around 57 individuals dug mostly in shallow “mass graves” and found in the vehicles near the massacre site, many of whom bore multiple gunshots and body mutilation. Twenty-two (22) of them are women and 35 are men, all unarmed.
The victims were part of a convoy of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadato’s relatives going to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARRM) to file the candidacy certificate of Mangudadato for governatorial post challenging Ampatuan Jr. Witnesses said the convoy was blocked by around 100 armed men led by Maguindanao Shariff Aguak Chief Police Inspector Zukarno Adil Dicay and Datu
Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of one of the towns in Maguindanao and one of the members of the Ampatuan clan, a major ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the past 2004 and 2007 elections.
This carnage which victimized around 30 journalists is condemned by the world as the single most atrocious attack so far on journalists in the entire history of world journalism. Victims also include human rights lawyers Concepcion ‘Connie’ Brizuela and Cynthia Oquendo who are also members of the Union of People’s Lawyers in Mindanao, and two pregnant women; while forensic reports say at least five women were sexually molested before they were killed.
The Ampatuans, who occupied many local positions in the province of Maguindanao had made use of its power to maintain militias which the government used against its counter-insurgency programs for many years. The horrible crime is already dubbed as a crime against humanity and points to the accountability of the Arroyo government in the arming and condoning of its allies and warlords in
Maguindanao led by the Ampatuans, only severed after the massacre.
While we call for justice for all the victims of the carnage, and call for accountability of the perpetrators which include the state security forces, we also call into account the government’s counter-insurgency plan Oplan Bantay Laya which has emboldened government officials to use para-militaries and even security forces to take law unto their own hands.
According to KARAPATAN or Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights, there had been 1032 victims of extra-judicial executions and 204 of enforced disappearance since Arroyo’s presidency in 2001. Under the culture of impunity under Arroyo, the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity are only emboldened to commit human rights violations.
After the arrest of Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., President Arroyo immediately placed the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City under “State of Emergency” in spite of the public opposition. Most resented also was the declaration of Arroyo of Presidential Proclamation 1959 placing Maguindanao under Martial Law on December 4, 2009 which suspends the privilege of writ of habeas corpus and threatens wider scale violation of human rights under the pretext that it is running after the Maguindanao massacre perpetrators. Thousands of Maguindanaouan had already fled the province because of fear brought by the heavy militarization of the province since the enforcement of Martial Law last Friday.
The proclamation of Martial Law for an indefinite period is an abuse of executive discretion of power. The Filipino people have had enough of the atrocities and brutalities of Martial rule during the Marcos regime and could not warrant another even just in the province of Miguindanao. The Martial Law contravenes the Philippine Constitution since Martial Law could only be declared if there is actual rebellion and invasion.
Martial Law is not what is needed in Maguindanao but the full restoration of civilian institutions and media. Martial Law as declared by the President authorized the military which has a very poor record on recognizing and upholding human rights.
We are wary that President Arroyo expands the scope of Martial Law and may spill over in the other areas of Mindanao and nationwide, which will pave the way for the declaration of No Election or “failure of election” in May 2010. This will be only self-serving to the Arroyo regime which is trying every other way to stay in power beyond 2010.
*APPEAL FOR URGENT ACTION *
Please write the Philippine government officials and express the outrage and call for justice
over the massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao and the call to immediately lift Martial Law in
Maguindanao. As you write to President Arroyo, please also include a copy to other Philippine
government officials and acopies to United Nations Offices listed below:
H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Philippine President
Malacañang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
Voice:63 (2) 564-1451 to 80; +63 (2) 735-8005
Mobile:
Fax:63 (2) 736-1010
corres@op.gov.ph
Hon. Eduardo R. Ermita
Executive Secretary
Premier Guest House,
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel,
3
Manila 1005
Voice:63 (2) 735-5359; +63 (2) 736-1076
Mobile:
Fax:63 (2) 736-1010
erermita@op.gov.ph
Hon. Alberto G. Romulo
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
11/F DFA Bldg.,
Roxas Boulevard,
Pasay City
Voice:63 (2) 834-3010
Fax:63 (2) 832-1597
osec@dfa.gov.ph
Hon. Agnes Devanadera
Secretary of Justice
DOJ Main Bldg.,
Padre Faura Street,
Manila 1004
Voice:63 (2) 521-8344; +63 (2) 521-3271
Fax:63 (2) 521-1614
sad@doj.gov.ph
Hon. Leila de Lima
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (632) 928-5655, 926-6188
Fax: (632) 929 0102
Email: chr.delima@yahoo.com
Mr. Frank La Rue
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
Email: freedex@ohchr.org
*SAMPLE LETTER TO PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO *
INSERT (Organizational Logo/Letterhead)
INSERT (Name of Government Official/Position)
INSERT DATE
RE: Massacre and Martial Law in the Philippines
Your Excellency,
I am writing on behalf of my organization (name of organization) to express and send to your
government our great condemnation of the brutal massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao province,
Mindanao on November 23, 2009.
We are outraged at the victimization of unarmed persons including 30 journalists, 2 human rights
lawyers, women and unborn. We take note that this is the single mass killing of media people in the
history of world journalism so far.
It was reported that security forces such as the police and paramilitary formed by the government had
participated in the massacre.Use of security forces and government sanctioned paramilitaries by local
warlords must effectively be ended by the government.
Time and again, we express our utter disappointment at the climate of impunity plaguing the Philippines which had already victimized thousands of people in the past years.
While we are one with the Filipinos and the international community in calling for justice, we want to get assurance from your government that the full limits of the law be implemented so that the perpetrators be prosecuted, and that militias be disbanded.
However, we share the sentiment that Martial Law is a needless declaration and jeopardizes the human rights of the people of Maguindanao and is an affront to Philippine democracy, especially as the May 2010 elections approaches.
Specifically we demand:
1. That your government dismantle paramilitary groups and disarm them not just in Maguindanao but in national scale.
2. That an independent and credible fact-finding mission be formed to look into the massacre and monitor the human rights situation in Maguindanao province, Mindanao.
3. That Martial Law be immediately lifted and that your government support fully the strengthening of
civilian instituations, media and courts in Maguindanao.
4. That the Pilippine government implement the major recommendations of United Nations Special
Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
5. Allow independent monitoring of elections in May 2010.
Respectfully yours,
Name and Organization
