UN Officials Prompt Probe on Death Threats vs Right Worker

In response to the joint letter sent by two United Nations Special Rapporteurs, the Davao City police initiated an investigation on the death threats received by a human rights activist.

BY BULATLAT
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Volume VIII, Number 26, August 3 – 9, 2008

DAVAO CITY – A human rights defender appeared August 1 before the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Investigation and Detection Management Section (IDMS) in connection with the investigation of the death threats he received.

Kelly Delgado, secretary general of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, received death threats through a text message last May 16 following a radio interview on the assassination of peasant leader Celso Pojas.

The investigation was conducted in response to the joint letter sent by Mr. Ambayi Ligabo, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders of the United Nations (UN) to the Philippine government.

The UN has urged the government to take all necessary measures to secure and guarantee the rights and freedoms of Delgado against threats to his life. It also called for holding those responsible for the death threats accountable for their acts.

The case and the results of the investigation will be reported to the UN Human Rights Council.

Delgado said, “As human rights defenders, we are very thankful for the attention given by the United Nations that resulted to the urgent action of the government.”

“We are also pleased with our friends from other international human rights groups who have reported my case to the two UN Special Rapporteurs. We are somehow hopeful that something good will happen out of these efforts,” Delgado said.

The investigation made by DCPO-IDMS under Police Chief Inspector Antonio E. Rivera, Delgado said, only sought to obtain details and knowledge on the death threat and surveillance activities.

Police escort

Delgado, however, declined Rivera’s offer to provide him police escort. Instead, he asked for a direct line with the police so he could report directly incidents related to the threat and imminent surveillances.

Delgado explained, “I am not amenable to having a police escort as I need to protect the interest and safety of our clients.”

He said that most of the cases that they handle are human rights abuses perpetrated by state security forces specifically the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “It would be inappropriate and unethical to work with such condition especially that our clients have given to us their trust and considering the confidentiality of the information they give us,” Delgado said.

He said he believes that the UN Rapporteurs will understand the validity of his refusal and will continue to look into his case.

Delgado said that he remains cautious of his security. “We have been very vocal in criticizing the Arroyo government and its implementation of Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2. This poses dangers to our lives,” Delgado said.(Bulatlat.com)

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