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Karapatan reports political EJKs to UN rapporteur Callamard
By ANNA FELICIA BAJO,GMA NewsA militant human rights watchdog group has reported what it claimed were political killings under the Duterte administration to UN special rapporteur for extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard.
Karapatan claimed that it had documented 47 cases of extrajudicial killings from July 2016 to March 31, 2017, with victims coming from the ranks of peasants, indigenous peoples, Moro, workers, women and youth.
The victims, according to Karapatan's data are:
- Gaudencio Bagalay
- Emeranciana dela Rosa
- Violeta de Leon
- Eligio Barbado
- Ariel Diaz
- Jimmy Sotto
- Alexander Ceballos
- Orlando Eslana
- Ian Borres
- Lorendo Borres
- Gilbert Bancat
- Renato Anglao
- Matanem Lorendo Pocuan
- Makenet Gayoran
- Remar Mayantao
- Rogen Suminao
- Senon Nacaytuna
- Hermi Alegre
- Elmer Del Rosario
- Jessybel Sanchez
- Jerry Layola
- Jimmy Barosa
- Totong Gascon
- Rita Gascon
- Jimmy Saypan
- Joselito Pasaporte
- Veronico Delamente
- Venie Diamante
- Wencislao Pacquiao
- Glenn Ramos
- Emelito Rotimas
- Edweno Catog
- Pipito Tiambong
- Jerson Bito
- Willerme Agorde
- Roel Rico Satingasin
- Ariel Gelbero
- Leonila Pesadilla
- Ramon Pesadilla
- Billamin Hassan
- Nurudin Muhlis
- Nurmayda Abbi
- Arman Almonicar
- Arlene Almonicar
- Cora Lina
- Pedro Pandagay
- Renel Miraballes
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"We allege that State security forces are responsible for these killings that happened even when the Duterte government has resumed the long stalled formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) last August 21, 2016, and the government declaration of unilateral ceasefire with the New People’s Army (NPA)," Karapatan said.
"The political killings and other rights abuses escalated after President Duterte lifted the government’s unilateral ceasefire and cancelled the GRP-NDFP peace talks on February 3, 2017. Shortly after, the Armed Forces of the Philippines declared an all-out war against the NPA," it added.
The group said the victims came from different sectors of society: peasants, indigenous peoples, Moro, workers, women and youth.
"The victims of killings are peasants, indigenous peoples and workers; many faced harassment and vilification by the military because of their advocacy and actions to defend people’s rights and are thus considered as human rights defenders," Karapatan said.
Karapatan also mentioned the number of supposed extra-judicial killings under the administrations of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former President Benigno Simeon Aquino.
"Under Arroyo, Karapatan documented at least 1,206 individual victims of extrajudicial killing. Under Aquino, there were 334 victims of extrajudicial killing," it said.
"These killings are all in the context of the counter-insurgency programs implemented from one regime to another that supposedly seek to end the armed rebellion of revolutionary movements in the Philippines," the group explained, noting that if armed conflict will remain unsolved, political killings and human rights violations would continue.
Karapatan also noted that they are planning to submit the list to states engaged in the 3rd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines.
The group also submitted the information to the negotiating panel of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines in its peace talks with the communists.
Karapatan is an alliance of individuals, groups and organizations working for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines. —NB, GMA News