Reyes said that around the same time, the Switzerland delegation was in Geneva presenting the report to the World Council of Churches, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) and various country-missions in the UN.

When the UNHRC announced that it will undertake the UPR and the Philippines was among the first countries to be subjected to it, the Philippine UPR Watch was formed.

The UPR is a process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations.

The Philippine UPR Watch delegation went to the First Session of UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva on April 7-18, 2008. The delegation was composed of Reyes; Karapatan’s Enriquez; Jonathan Sta. Rosa, younger brother of slain Ptr. Isias Sta. Rosa; lawyer Edre Olalia, Bayan Muna (People First) Rep. Teddy Casiño and Joan Carling of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA).

Reyes recalled, “Time and effort were made to give copies of the statements of the UPR Watch and updates on the human rights situation in the Philippines to various missions in the UN. Some of these were followed by personal conversations and reaching-out initiatives. Interventions were made in the UNHRC session to dispute the Philippine Government report.”

He continued, “These efforts, I believe thwarted the Philippine government’s brazen attempt to conceal the truth through its deceptive report at the UPR.”

Two months later, on June 2-18, 2008, the Philippine UPR Watch delegation went to the 8th Session of the Human Rights Council. The 8th session was the occasion for UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions Prof. Philip Alston to present his report on the Philippines, among others.

Alston went on a mission to the Philippines in 2007 to investigate the spate of extrajudicial killings and came up with a report specifically pointing to the military’s involvement in these violations.

It was also a time for the Council to act on the Philippine Government report. This time, the Philippine UPR Watch delegation included Edith Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas.

Journey of a mother

In her speech during the launch of the NCCP book, Burgos said her participation in the Philippine UPR Watch helped her observe up close the dynamics of the UN.

“To tell you the truth, from a lay person like me, I found the dynamics unbelievable and incomprehensible,” Burgos said.

“It has helped me make a resolution that the peddlers of lies cannot go on and be left unchecked. Yes, they may be Goliath but the presence of Goliath also gives birth to little Davids. The widow’s might has more value than all the rhetorics by people who participate in these dynamics,” she said.

Edith Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas, shares her own journey for justice at the launching of the book “Let the Stones Cty Out!” . (Photo by Ronalyn Olea)

Burgos said, “I am grateful to be given a chance to participate though in a small way because it has also strengthened the family who now is totally involved in the Desaperacidos. Whereas before, there were only two activists: my husband the late Jose Burgos, Jr. was himself an activist, and my son Jonas. There were only two before Jonas was abducted, now there is a whole family and a clan who are activists.”

She said further, “I remember taking the witness stand and I was being questioned by the representative of the Office Solicitor General. And I remember saying something like, ‘Why can’t the soldiers understand that the only way to win people is to help them obtain justice. Now look what you have done to us. If you had two enemies before, then all of us are your enemies because of what you did.’ And the representative of the OSG decided to stop questioning.”

“So today, after that experience, I have adopted the admonition from the Sacred Scripture to be gentle as a dove but to be cunning as a serpent,” she continued.

Burgos said, “How do I describe the victims, the families, the mothers? I see anger, I see hatred, I see anguish. Most of the time, I see dismay. We are given the run around.”

“The sin of the others who were abducted and killed is the same as my son’s sin and that is to care for others more than they care for themselves and to give their lives and what they can do for the country,” she said.

Burgos said she sees forgiveness and purification. “One of the biggest blessings that a victim of an injustice can receive is support of non-victims. It has been more than a year, actually, one year, nine months and 19 days and a few hours since I last heard from my son Jonas.”

“Yes we know that at the end of the day, I still don’t have Jonas. Our dead will remain dead. Well, at least for the missing, we hope to be able to embrace them again,” she said.

“And yet, we find a bright side there by the knowledge that you will stand side by side with us in our search and we’ll continue for as long as we are here. We are emboldened to look forward to the next dawn. I remember a quotation that says it is darkest just before dawn and I hope that it is to be the dawn of our society. I know that you will be with us and the dawn will be beautiful,” Burgos added.

She praised the Philippine UPR Watch team. “I saw how dedicated the team was. I saw how efficient the support method in the Philippines was. To say it accurately, I was edified by these people who could do so much under limited conditions and under threats and risks to life and limb,” she said.

Burgos said, “I congratulate all those who have made this book Let the Stones Cry Out! Without you knowing of it, I keep on praying that you will be kept safe by the Creator of the stones so you can publish some more publications to bring the truth to a bigger audience and to be able to catalyze more people. On our part, we at the Desaperacidos will be as firm as a big boulder. We may be small pebbles crying out but together we will cry out with you and seek justice.”

 Save as PDF