In a statement sent to Bulatlat, the Philippine UPR Watch said Ermita consumed the time of the whole session and left the Committee members with little time to ask more searching and probing questions even after being reminded, a couple of times, to shorten its report. “It was pretty obvious to the Philippine and international NGOs that the Philippine delegation was just “dribbling” the time away to avoid being put to task for its general and high-falluting replies spruced up with cute acronyms that – in the words of another Committee member – have “nothing on the practical side” and have no value on the ground,” the group said.
BY RONALYN V. OLEA
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Bulatlat
Torture survivors and human rights organizations said members of the Philippine government delegation lied about the reality of torture incidents before the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT).
Farmer Raymond Manalo and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Pastor Berlin Guerrero and the Philippine UPR Watch slammed the 27-member Philippine government delegation, headed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, to the 42nd session of the United Nations CAT in Geneva, Switzerland.
The CAT reviews the compliance of state parties to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment (UNCAT). The Philippines has been a state party to the UNCAT since June 18, 1986.
The Philippine government delegation presented its report, April 28. Members of the delegation answered the questions from Committee members on April 29.
‘Outright lies’
Manalo and Guerrero who were present at the CAT session together with Karapatan secretary general Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Karapatan special legal consultant on UN mechanisms lawyer Edre Olalia, Karapatan intern Trisha Garvida and other NGO representatives said the government panel led by Ermita ‘shamelessly evaded the issues to cover up the reality of torture in the country.’
Ermita, Enriquez said, claimed that the government “neither engages in nor encourages acts of torture.”
Ermita was quoted as saying that the Philippine Government is “proud of the gains it has achieved with regard to its compliance to the Convention” and is one with the Committee in “championing the cause of human rights.”
In a statement sent to Bulatlat, the Philippine UPR Watch said Ermita consumed the time of the whole session and left the Committee members with little time to ask more searching and probing questions even after being reminded, a couple of times, to shorten its report. “It was pretty obvious to the Philippine and international NGOs that the Philippine delegation was just “dribbling” the time away to avoid being put to task for its general and high-falluting replies spruced up with cute acronyms that – in the words of another Committee member – have “nothing on the practical side” and have no value on the ground,” the group said.
Manalo said, “Inubos nila ang oras sa pagle-lecture!” (They [government delegation] used up all the time with lectures!). “What will happen now to the cases of Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeño and Tatay Manuel Merino? How can justice be served to these people?” he asked.
In his affidavit, Manalo said he witnessed how the military tortured the UP students and how Meriño was killed.
