Opening Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: Press Con, National Federation of filipino American Associations |
Honolulu, Hawaii (29 September 2006) |
| The issue of the
killings of journalists and political activists isn't just a concern to the international
community; it is a deep concern for President Arroyo and her government. She condemns in the harshest possible terms these killings and aims to bring these to a stop once and for all. There is no place in a democracy for this type of abhorrent behavior especially in a country that values human life. The Philippines, as you must have known, recently passed into law the abolition of the death penalty. Just as we have terminated judicial executions, the President is determined to stop extra judicial killings as well, no Philippine citizen , regardless of political affiliation, should have to pay for the right for free speech with their life. Unfortunately, this mode of political retribution has a sad history in our nation. There is a deep and regrettable strain in Philippine politics going back to Marcos that has fueled corruption and political vendetta killings. This stain has never gone away. It has continued during her tenure, and she is determined to do something about it. This is the reason why the President has certified as urgent a bill compensating the victims of martial law. She is gratified that both houses of Congress have passed their respective versions of the bill and we are close to implementing a law which will finally give human rights abuse victims their just compensation. As you know, she recently appointed the Melo Commission, headed by a former Supreme Court Associate Justice with impeccable credentials, with full powers to investigate and prosecute. She has told them to pursue any lead, anywhere, regardless of where it ends up. Their first inquiries have been of the military and police. She thinks that is the right step and she will let the chips fall where they may. On her recent trip to Europe, she reached out to our European colleagues and successfully invited Finland and Spain to send observers to assist us in this effort. Many international groups have spoken out about the killings. She respects their outrage, just as she to, is outraged. She sought a meeting with Amnesty International in order to give them a first hand account of what she is doing to stop these injustices. Incidentally, we have been told that she is the only head of state to ever visit Amnesty International in London, seeking similar assistance. She has also encouraged the Melo Commission to similarly reach out to the domestic and international NGO community to help us shape our response to these tragic killings. She welcomes the meeting and looks forward to working with them to bring this sad chapter to a close. As you can see, she is dead serious about breaking this cycle of violence and political retribution once and for all, and welcomes your interest in this matter. |