HK rights advocates to check on political killings in RP

By Philip Tubeza
Inquirer, Philippines

HONG KONG, Philippines -- Human rights activists and journalists are set to arrive in Manila on Tuesday to investigate what has happened to the cases of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines.

Members of the Second HK Mission for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines will be in Manila until October 22 and are hoping to meet with government officials, including Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

The fact-finding team includes Hong Kong democracy activist and legislator Leung Kwok-hung, known here as “Longhair,” and members of media who will document the human rights situation in the Philippines.

“One year after the [first] mission, we would like to know what has happened. We would like to know what the government has done to resolve the killings that have become an international concern,” said Rey Asis, a member of the team.

“Has justice been given to the victims of human rights violations? Are the moves of the Philippine government to resolve cases of extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances enough? What is the current situation and future of human rights in the Philippines?” he added.

The mission, organized by the HK Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP), first visited the country in July 2006 and found out an “appallingly real” situation of cases of extra-judicial killings continuing to rise and enforced disappearances “slowly” cropping up.

Jackie Hung, project officer of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong and a member of the mission, said their findings in 2006 led the diocese to ask the Vatican to take a tougher stance against the extra-judicial killings.
Hung added that copies of their report were also submitted to Western diplomats based in Hong Kong.

“International and national pressure have been exerted and promises of the government have been made. Now is the time to collect,” Asis said.

He said they would meet with members of the Commission on Human Rights, the Philippine National Police’s Task Force Usig, and the Public Attorney’s Office.

“Even more importantly, we shall meet with families of victims of human rights violations to know what has been done to the cases of their loved ones and how they view their situation. We’ll meet some of those we interviewed last year in July, as well as families of more recent victims,” Asis said.

The other members of the team include representatives from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Asian Monitor Resource Center (AMRC), Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples (ACPP), Asian Students Association (ASA), Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) and the Hong Kong Federation of Christian Students (HKFCS).