Cardinal Rosales indirectly absolving the AFP, Arroyo over extrajudicial killings

MANILA -- On his sixth day of fasting, Anakpawis Representative and
political detainee Crispin Beltran today said that Manila Archbishop
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales 'completely missed the whole point' on the
issue of the extrajudicial killings and worsening human rights
situation in the country. He said that Rosales was essentially
defending the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and absolving the
institution and its members from culpability over the killings by
giving credence to its arguments that the New People's Army (NPA) were
also guilty.

"It's most unfortunate that Cardinal Rosales can even think to say
that the extrajudicial killings under the incumbent government are
nothing compared to those perpetrated by the Marcos dictatorship. It's
like he's trying to downplay the urgency of the need to find justice
for the victims and put an end to the killings. Is he saying that we
should wait for the number of extrajudicial killings under
Macapagal-Arroyo reach or exceed the record set by Marcos before we
sound the alarm?"

"Cardinal Rosales has begun to be convinced by the twisted arguments
and lies of the AFP that the progressive party-lists are fronts for
the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines, and this is a very
terrible mistake. The victims of the extrajudicial killings are
unarmed civilians, members and leaders of the progressive party-lists,
and all the signs point towards the AFP as the perpetrators of the
killings. Cardinal Rosales sounds like he is already giving up on the
campaign to find justice for the victims and is now just spreading the
blame around instead of focusing on the institution that's mainly
responsible for upholding human rights in the country but is now
violating them: the Macapagal-Arroyo government," he said.

Beltran expressed hope that other bishops, cardinals and priests will
not take the same tack as Rosales and instead see the issue of the
extrajudicial killings as it really is: the responsibility of the
Macapagal-Arroyo government. He also lauded Manila Auxiliary Bishop
Broderick Pabillo and his report endorsing the public call for the
pull-out of AFP troops from the urban poor communities and residential
areas in the National Capital Region.

In the meantime, Beltran said that he was already preparing to welcome
the delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union as the IPU conducts
its own human rights mission in the Philippines in April. He expressed
thanks to the IPU for its continued support to his case and to that of
fellow detained lawmaker Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo.

"The more the international community speaks out in condemnation of
the extrajudicial killings and over-all worsening of the human rights
situation in the country, the greater the chances of the Arroyo
government being compelled to stop the killings, as well as the
harassment against the progressive party-lists and their lawmakers,"
he said.

He also said that he will also update the IPU on the slow
developments in thelegal proceedings on the cases surrounding his
arrest and continuing detention. Beltran and his lawyers are set to
file a petition for certiorari on Beltran's sedition case at the
Quezon City Municipal Trial Court. Beltran's attorneys want to elevate
the case to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court and there press for
the immediate dismissal of the sedition charges against Beltran.

Beltran is being charged of inciting to sedition and rebellion on two
separate counts. The rebellion charges were filed at the Makati
Regional Trial Court. #
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