Bayan stands by PPT verdict, refutes “kangaroo court” label

MANILA -- The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, one of the
complainants in a case filed before the Permanent Peoples Tribunal in
Europe, stood by the verdict of the international opinion court in
blaming the Arroyo administration for gross human rights violations in
the Philippines. The group took to the streets today and held a
program in Plaza Miranda to celebrate the PPT verdict.

At the same time, the group slammed critics of the tribunal, saying
these people have hardly done anything to stop the spate of
extrajudicial killings and disappearances in the country.

"The tribunal was convened to hear evidence and receive complaints
regarding rights violations in the Philippines. It aims to draw global
attention to the human rights situation in the country so that the
killings would stop. In truth and in fact, this is far more helpful
than what our own government agencies are doing," said Bayan secretary
general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

"Those government officials complaining about the verdict are ignorant
of the facts. The Arroyo government was duly informed of the charges
by the PPT secretariat through the Philippine consulates in Rome and
the Netherlands. There was ample time for the Arroyo government to
give a reply and send a representative for its defense during the
hearings, but they did not. It merely snubbed the indictment and
boycotted the hearings. Now the Arroyo government is complaining that
its side was not heard. The Philippine government is acting like a
spoiled brat," Reyes said.

Sour-grapping officials

Reyes said that Malacañang officials complaining about the guilty
verdict have not done much themselves to stop the killings.
"Sour-grapping officials like Norberto Gonzales, Raul Gonzales,
Hermogenes Esperon and Hermogenes Ebdane have not done anything to
stop the killings despite the powers of their offices. Now they rant
like madmen against the PPT."

Reyes also criticized Dutch ambassador to the Philippines Robert
Vornis for echoing the line that the PPT was a kangaroo court.
"What does Mr. Vornis hope to accomplish with his vigorous
denunciation of the PPT? What has Mr. Vornis done to aid victims of
human rights violations to begin with? His remarks are grossly
misplaced. He too is ignorant of the fact that the accused was
informed of the charges and was invited to attend the hearings," Reyes
said.
Reyes said that Vornis should have followed the example of Alistair
Macdonald of the European Commission who said that they would not
issue a statement on the PPT verdict because the latter was a
non-governmental organization.