PERMANENT PEOPLES’ TRIBUNAL
Founder: LELIO BASSO (Italy)

President:
SALVATORE SENESE (ITALY)

General Secretary:
GIANNI TOGNONI (ITALY)

H.E. José Manuel Barroso
President of the European commission
1049 Brussels, Belgium

His Excellency José Manuel Barroso,
President of the European commission,

As Members of the Jury of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, and as part of the larger human family, we recognize that the dramatic and worsening human rights situation in the Philippines is the responsibility for us all. We commit ourselves to defeat those powers which, under the pretext of the so-called war on terrorism, deprive the marginalized peoples of a life in justice, dignity and peace.

During its Second Session on the Philippines held in The Hague in March 2007, the Tribunal was able to receive voluminous evidences and testimonies leading it to conclude that the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is culpable for the atrocities of extrajudicial assassinations, massacres, tortures and forced disappearances committed against the Filipino people. Moreover, the PPT has found unequivocal evidences that the Armed Forces of the Philippines played a central role in the greatest majority of human rights violations in the Philippines.

It is thus with great trepidation that we receive the news that 43 volunteer health workers have been illegally arrested by combined elements of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 6 February 2010 in the province of Rizal, just east of Manila.

According to reports from the Commission on Human Rights and non-government human rights organizations, the victims include two medical doctors, one registered nurse, one midwife and 39 volunteer community health workers. Security forces of the Arroyo government illegally barged into the private residence of Dr. Melecia Velmonte where the group was conducting a health skills training. The residence was illegally searched, private belongings were carted away, and the victims were handcuffed, blindfolded and herded into military trucks.

The raiding party then produced firearms and explosive devices, which the health workers allegedly had in their possession, to publicly justify the illegal arrest. The 43 victims, meanwhile, remained blindfolded and in handcuffs for the next 36 hours. Under the custody of the 202nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army in Camp Capinpin, in Rizal province, they have been denied food and sleep, they may not talk with each other, and they suffer restrictions and sexual harassment in going to the lavatory. Relatives, lawyers, and human rights organizations have not been allowed to visit them. The Chairperson of the Commission of Human Rights had to go to the camp herself before the relatives were allowed to visit, still under the watchful eyes of a soldier. Just today, the Philippine Army even did not heed the clear orders of the Philippine Supreme Court to present all the 43 prisoners before Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Portia Aliño Hormachuelos at 2 p.m.!

As Jurors of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, we view with the greatest alarm these latest violations of human rights by the security forces of the Arroyo government. We observe that these fall neatly into the pattern of violence and impunity that result from this government's so-called “war on terrorism” in implementing its program, Oplan Bantay Laya 2.

The European Union, we understand, has expressed its commitment to helping improve the human rights situation in the Philippines by providing financial and technical support to government institutions as well as to non-government human rights organizations. At this very moment, the EU can concretely manifest this commitment by reminding the Philippine government to uphold the Filipino citizens' inviolable right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against searches and seizure; right against torture; right to be informed of their offenses; and their right to legal counsel of their choice. The EU can also remind the Arroyo government of the peoples' freedom of assembly and expression.

The Philippine government must also be reminded that it has signed and have the obligation to abide by international conventions on civil and political rights and against torture.

Moreover, the EU can remind the Philippine government that, in the absence of affordable and accessible health services, private citizens should be encouraged to teach and organize themselves for self-help health services. Instead of harassing and persecuting them, organizations such as the Community Medicine Foundation, Community Health and Development and Health Alliance for Democracy should be commended and emulated. The 43 volunteer health workers must be immediately and unconditionally released, and all seized items should be returned.

We pray that the EU increase its support to the Commission on Human Rights, which has striven to remain as an independent human rights body and to the victims of these atrocities instead. We also pray that the EU discontinue further negotiations for development support to the Philippine government until it can concretize its commitment to human rights.

Thank you very much for your attention and consideration.

Salvatore Senese (Italy )– PPT President
Gianni Tognoni (Italy) – PPT General Secretary
François Houtart (Belgium) – Session President
Irene Fernandez (Malaysia) – Session Judge
Ties Prakken (The Netherlands) – Session Judge
Lilia Solano (Colombia) – Session Judge
Øystein Tveter (Norway) – Session Judge

GENERAL SECRETARIAT: VIA DELLA DOGANA VECCHIA 5 - 00186 ROME
Tel/Fax:0039 066877774

E-mail:pp tribunal at internazionaleleliobasso.it;
tribunale at internazionaleleliobasso.it; filb@iol.it

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