Aquino administration ‘definitely far worse’ than Arroyo's, CPP claims

The Communist Party of the Philippines on its 46th anniversary President Benigno Aquino III's administration is "definitely far worse" at respecting human rights than the previous administration.  

 

"The Aquino regime is definitely far worse than the Arroyo regime in imprisoning far more people on trumped-up multiple charges of rebellion and common crimes in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Hernandez political offense doctrine," the CPP said in a statement. 

 

CPP noted that the Aquino administration detained 14 political consultants of the National Democractic Front of the Philippines for violating the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees. 

 

Human rights group Karapatan has said that the cases of human rights violations have been increasing since Aquino became president. From July 2010 to June 2014, Karapatan recorded 204 extrajudicial killings and 21 enforced disappearances. 

 

The Palace previously said the Aquino administration is determined to uphold human rights. 

 

"Umiiral ang demokrasya at umiiral ang rule of law sa ating bansa. Mayroong mga usapin na naiharap na laban sa mga nagsagawa ng mga tinatawag na extra-judicial killings," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said last month. 

 

A source from the military dismissed the CPP's statements as propaganda, adding the statement was expected since "they have lost so many of their members already."

 

The communist party also accused the Aquino administration of using the terms "good governance" and "peace development" as an excuse in "further denationalizing the economy and liberalizing the operations of foreign capital and attacking the revolutionary movement with Oplan Bayanihan."

Oplan Bayanihan is the government's internal peace and security campaign.

 

Corruption 'knows no limit' 

 

The CPP also commented on the string of corruption allegations against Aquino and his administration starting with the Acceleration Program and Priority Development Assistance Fund. 

 

The group pointed out  that even though the Supreme Court has ruled that DAP and PDAF are unconstitutional and illegal, Aquino still insisted on creating a personal discretionary fund.

 

"Stubbornly, the Aquino regime persists in making most of the P2.6-trillion budget for 2015 and the so-called off-budget accounts (like the Malampaya fund, PCSO earnings and the like) the personal discretionary fund of the president," the CPP said. 

 

On Christmas Day, former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco asked the Supreme Court to declare the P2.606-trillion proposed national budget for 2015 unconstitutional. He said the proposed spending plan contains lump sum items similar to the pork barrel funds. 

 

The president signed the "pork-free" national budget on Tuesday. 

 

He said that the 2015 budget has safeguards to curb corruption. 

 

"Pinabilis na natin ang proseso ng pagba-budget. Nabawasan na natin ang pangangailangan sa SARO; sa pagpirma natin, good as released na ang mga budget ng ahensya. Ililinis at nililinaw natin ang proseso para higit pang mabawasan ang espasyo sa katiwalian," Aquino said in a speech after signing the 2015 GAA. 

Calamity funds

 

The CPP also said aid programs for victims of calamities like Typhoon Yolanda were not "spared from the thieving hands of bureaucrats and military officers."  

 

Earlier Friday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said that all the beneficiaries of the government's conditional cash transfer program are accounted for. The statement was in reaction to a 2013 Commission on Audit report that found red flags like double entries, data errors, delayed cash releases in the program.

 

The agency also said that victims of Typhoon Sendong were given proper housing despite delays. — Trisha Macas/JDS, GMA News