the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal (PPT), described the recent statements
of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita against the Tribunal's Second
Session on the Philippines as part of the government's current
propaganda strategy of denial and obfuscation of the extrajudicial
killings in the Philippines.
In his letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and
Ermita, Dr. Tognoni further stated that whatever other declaration of
transparency and willingness to cooperate in the investigation of the
extrajudicial killings by the Philippine government would necessarily
be considered only in this context.
According to Dr. Tognoni, in accordance with the PPT's statutes, the
formal invitation to attend the Second Session on the Philippines was
sent earlier to Arroyo and president George W. Bush of the United
States of America, through their respective governments' embassies in
Rome, Italy and in The Hague, The Netherlands. The invitation to hear
the side of the accused parties or their representatives was once
again extended during the opening session of the PPT last 21 March. No
reply was received by the Tribunal.
Dr. Tognoni was responding to the conflicting statements made by Sec.
Ermita. He was quoted by a 22 March news report as saying that the
Arroyo administration is willing to cooperate with the PPT. But just
over a week prior, a news report also quoted Ermita, saying that he
'dismissed' the invitation of the Tribunal as 'mere gimmickry', and
that the Department of Foreign Affairs reportedly 'rejected' the PPT's
letter.
The case filed before the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal was initiated by
Victims of the Arroyo Regime United for Justice (HUSTISYA), Society of
Ex-Detainees for Liberation from Detention and Amnesty (SELDA),
Families of the Desaparecidos for Justice (DESAPARECIDOS), Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance), Alliance for the
Advancement of People's Rights (KARAPATAN), Public Interest Law Center
(PILC), Peace for Life, Philippine Peace Center, Ibon Foundation,
Inc., Ecumenical Bishops Forum and United Church of Christ in the
Philippines.
FOR REFERENCE:
Angelica M. Gonzales, MD
Executive Director, International Coordinating Secretariat
Permanent Peoples' Tribunal
Second Session on the Philippines
secretariat@philippinetribunal.org
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