Karapatan decries the most recent Bureau of Immigration order denying Sr. Patricia Fox’s appeal on the BI’s earlier ruling to revoke her missionary visa as an act that truly reflects the agency’s propensity to deny due process rights to foreign missionaries and human rights defenders like Sr. Pat, at the whim and caprice of President Duterte.
Threat of nationwide martial law still alive, Sison warns
The threat of a nationwide martial law remains with President Rodrigo Duterte’s constitutional reform advisers seeking ways to make it easier for its declaration, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison said. Reacting to a news report that a series of attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) may […]
Groups hold testimonial for Sr Pat
As they awaited for the Bureau of Immigration decision on her deportation case, various groups held a testimonial for Sr. Patricia Fox, NDS for her nearly three decades of service to poor communities in the Philippines at the Baclaran Church compound last Saturday. The Solidarity with the Poor Network, The Redemptorist Church, Promotion of Church […]
Sister Fox camp to appeal Immigration deportation order to DOJ
The legal counsel of Sister Patricia Fox reacted to the recent move of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) denying her motion for reconsideration of the April 23, 2018 order downgrading her Missionary Visa into a Temporary Visitor’s Visa and for Fox to leave the country in thirty (30) days from said date.
According to the Sister Fox camp, they will appeal to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and expect the BI to observe her right to due process.
“While she had already expected that the Bureau of Immigration will deny her Motion for Reconsideration, she was still hoping that the Commissioners would be enlightened that the complaint or report against her that she had engaged in political activities has no factual and legal basis,” said Atty. Jobert Pahilga, counsel for Sister Fox and member of the Sentro Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo.
Pahilga also belied claims of the BI stating that the said Order is final and executory. He said that Sister Pat is not precluded from filing an appeal to the Secretary of Justice.
He cited that under the BI Omnibus Rules of Procedures of 2015, “an Order cancelling one’s Visa becomes effective fifteen days after receipt of such Order, and is tolled by the filing of a Motion for Reconsideration and by the subsequent filing of an appeal.”
Pahilga stressed, “Sister Pat has the right to be accorded due process and equal protection of the law.”
Pahilga also said that Sr. Fox also expects the Bureau of Immigration to follow the rule of law and their own procedure, to not arrest or forcibly deport her, and to give her the opportunity to appeal.
“Sister Fox also finds it necessary to exhaust all available legal remedies to challenge the cancellation of her Missionary Visa, since it has far-reaching implications to other foreigners sojourning in the Philippines, especially those engaged in missionary or solidarity works with the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized,” Pahilga said.
Sister Fox also reiterated that what she did, including her participation in gatherings or assemblies of farmers, indigenous peoples who demand that their rights to land and resources be respected; workers in their demand for humane and just wages, security of tenure, and humane conditions of work, and the like, are not political activities but are simply to help promote and protect the rights of the poor and the needy.
The camp of Sister Fox is also convinced that they are consistent and in accordance with her mission and the charism of the Sister of our Lady of Sion to promote peace, social justice, and human rights.
“These are covered by the constitutional guarantees on freedom of expression and to peaceably assemble to which Sister Fox and other foreigners sojourning in the Philippines, are equally entitled to exercise,” Pahilga said.
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Marawi’s lament
A year after the City of Marawi was ruined by war, displaced residents continued to lament over their plight.
Mga grupong Lumad, Moro, at ibang sektor, nananawagan ng pagtigil ng martial law sa Mindanao
Sa pangunguna ng mga grupong Lumad na nagmula pa sa Mindanao, nagsagawa ng kilos-protesta ang iba’t ibang progresibong sektor sa Mendiola, Maynila, upang gunitain ang unang anibersaryo ng pagdeklara ng Martial Law sa Mindanao.
Ayon sa Barug Katungod Mindanao, lalong dumami ang mga kaso ng paglabag ng karapatang pantao sa buong isla. Simula nang umupo sa Malacañang si Duterte ay halos 37 na kaso ng pagpaslang sa mga Lumad ang naitala. Isa sa mga nabigyang-diin na pagpatay ay ang pagkakapaslang kay Datu Victor Danyan at pito pang kabilang sa mga tribo ng T’boli-Dulangan at Manobo sa Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato noong Disyembre 3, 2017.
Mga larawan nina Noreen Cataag at Maria Mercedes Mendez
Bukod sa mga pagpatay, 234 ang bilanggong pulitikal sa Mindanao; 404 ang mayroong gawa-gawang kaso sa hanay ng mga lider-magsasaka, katutubo, human rights workers, at environmental activists; at 462 kaso ng ‘red-tagging’ ng mga Moro.
Dumami rin ang mga kaso ng ‘fake surrenderees’ na kung saan inaakusahan ang mga lumad na rebelde at sapilitang pinapasuko at kung hindi susunod ay binabantaang papatayin.
Ayon sa Barug Katungod Mindanao, ang martial law ay “diversion” lamang upang makamkam ang mga lupain ng mga Moro at Lumad upang maibenta sa mga kapitalista at gawing base-militar.
Nanawagan rin ang mga grupo sa pagkamit ng hustisya at reparasyon para sa mga biktima ng Marawi crisis noong nakaraang taon. Makalipas ang tuloy-tuloy na pamomomba ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa Marawi City ay siya rin namang pagkawasak ng nasabing siyudad. Tuloy-tuloy din ang paghihirap ng mga Meranao, pagkawasak ng kanilang mga tahanan, pagkawala ng kanilang mga hanapbuhay at bahay-dalanginan.
Isa sa mga puntong iginigiit ng mga Meranao ay noong Oktubre 2017, idineklara na ng gobyerno na malaya na ang Marawi sa kamay ng mga terorista subalit patuloy pa rin ang pagdating ng mga sundalo sa loob at labas ng siyudad. Ayon sa Tindeg Ranao, hanggang sa ngayon ay ni isang bakwit ay hindi pa rin nakababalik sa lungsod at nananatili pa rin sa mga evacuation centers, tents at temporary shelters. Aabot a 400,000 Meranao ang nagbakwit simula noong 400,00. Kinukendena ng grupo ang panggigipit ng militar sa pamamagitan ng pagharang sa mga relief goods.
Nagkaroon din ng programa ang AFP na tinatawag na Kambisita na kung saan ay pinahihintulutang bumalik sa kanilang mga kabahayan ang pitong myembro ng bawat pamilya upang isalba ang anumang gamit ang mayroon pang pakinabang. Para sa Tindeg Ranao, isang panandaliang solusyon ito ng gobyerno sa halip ng pagbubuo ng programang rehabilitasyon at pagpapanumbalik ng mga Meranao sa kanilang lupang ninuno.
Nagpahayag rin ng pagtutol ang grupo sa planong tulong ng Asian Development Bank (ADB) at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) para sa rehabilitasyon ng Marawi na sa tingin nila ay magiging balakid sa pagbabalik ng mga bakwit sa lupang dating kinatatayuan ng kanilang mga bahay.
“Malinaw na walang maasahan ang mga Meranao mula sa gobyerno kaya’t nararapat na magakaisa tayo para ipanawagan ang pagbabalik natin sa ating mga tahanan – ang pagbabalik natin sa ating lupa sa Marawi City. Ipanawagan natin hustisya para sa nangyari sa Marawi City at sa mga Meranao,” sabi ni Abdul Jalil Datuan ng Tindeg Ranao.
The post Mga grupong Lumad, Moro, at ibang sektor, nananawagan ng pagtigil ng martial law sa Mindanao appeared first on Manila Today.
Mindanao Under Martial Law, A Year of State Terror – Karapatan
Days before the first year of the declaration of martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2018, Karapatan received reports on the killing of an industrial worker of a banana plantation and the arbitrary arrest of a trade union organizer, both in the Southern Mindanao region.
Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said that “these two latest reported cases are emblematic of the type of human and people’s rights violations perpetrated by state forces in Mindanao under martial law – brazenly committed with impunity targeting civilians considered ‘enemies of the state.”
1st year anniversary of Duterte’s Martial Law: A bloody year for Mindanao, rights group say
One year after the Proclamation 216 was signed declaring the suspension of habeas corpus and the implementation of Martial Law in Mindanao, human rights group rounded up numerous cases of abuses.