Remember Nanay Patria Andal - #rememberML@40

“Anong hirap pala ang mawalay sa mga mahal mo sa buhay, sa katulad kong isang ina. Ngunit ang damdamin ko ay lalo kong pinagtitibay; hangad ko pa rin ang paglaya at muling magkapiling tayong lahat.” – Nanay Andal

Nanay Patria Andal

Nanay Andal. Source: TFDP
Her story is that of a mother’s unselfish love for her children, on March 2, 1979, in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro. Element of the Philippine Constabulary and Integrated National Police raided her house and retrieved a carbine under the bed in the room formerly occupied by Reynante, Nanay’s late son.

Nanay Andal had to be fetched from her small meat stall in the market, and her other son, Ervin were arrested and detained at the Provincial Jail.

It took ten days before they were arraigned in court and both pleaded innocence to the charge. The lawyer assigned to them convinced Nanay to plead guilty. He told her, that if she plead guilty, her son will be set free and she would get, at the most, two years in jail. She agreed. She withdrew her plea, and instead, entered a plea of guilty. Two years imprisonment was little sacrifice for her son’s freedom.

In the decision of the court dated December 14, 1979, Nanay Andal ws sentenced to a minimum term of 20 years to a maximum of life imprisonment.

The gun found at her house, was a momento she kept of her dead son Reynante, who was killed by members of the Task Force Lawin of the Philippine Army in 1971.

Source: “Filipino Women in Struggle” TFDP

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=406567262717209&set=a.406566046050664.98469.383902711650331&type=1&theater

On the 40th Anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, let us push for the ‘Compensation Act’ for all victims
of human rights violations of the Marcoses,
JOIN us in our pledge to remember, inform and inspire the youth with the truth and lessons that our nation learned from this dark period of our history.
I pledge to…
Never Again to Martial Law!
We remember, we inform, we inspire
Our youth with the truth and lessons of Martial Law.
#rememberML@40
and Invite people to…
1. Like and share the “Remember ML@40” FB page
2. Invite/recruit 40 or more others to like “Remember ML@40” FB page and ask them to recruit 40 more
3. Submit and/or post own “Pinky Pledge Photo” and ask others to do the same
4. Like and share all posts from “Remember ML@40” FB page
5. Participate in the “Online action day”
6. Change profile pic on September 21, 2012

Lack of P-Noy’s explicit policy on human rights opens doors for violations on the ground

In commemoration of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) reiterates its call to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to combat torture and other forms of human rights violations.

There is a need for P-Noy to explicitly declare that he is waging war against human rights violations in the same way that he promised to fight corruption during his campaign for presidency.  Situations on the ground demand a stricter and more serious order from the leadership to its personnel to give the highest respect for human rights.

P-Noy should consider that human rights violations are also rooted from poverty.  The eradication of human rights violations may even be more important than the fight against corruption. 

Paradigm shift, as the authorities call it, must not remain a mere proclamation. It is a must that the military and the police discontinue their practice of torturing people.  It is imperative that P-Noy looks into this matter seriously with urgency.   

The recent cases of harassment of human rights defenders in Bulacan and the cases of torture and illegal arrests in Central Luzon and Mindanao prove that the “paradigm shift” has still a long way to go.  The government must prove its sincerity and gain the people’s confidence. 

After the legislation of Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act of 2009, cases of torture still persist.  Worse, perpetrators still operate with impunity. 

P-Noy’s lack of an explicit policy on human rights, against torture and human rights violations, in particular, may be considered as the weakest link.  This can be interpreted that P-Noy is either not in control or that human rights is not really part of his agenda.

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, TFDP also reiterates its appeal for the release of all political prisoners.  TFDP has already communicated to the Office of the President the urgency of the case of Tatay Umbrero, a political prisoner who has stage four cancer.  TFDP implored for executive clemency since it is within P-Noy’s power to immediately act on the case of Tatay Umbrero.  But the government only responded by referring Umbrero’s case to the Board of Pardons and Parole.

It is hard to comprehend why Umbrero’s case would not deserve the urgent and immediate attention and action of P-Noy.  Is this not equally important as the issue of wangwang that merited inclusion in his previous State of the Nation Address?  Is human rights not included in P-Noy’s matuwid na daan?

The UNCAT recommends among others that the Philippine Government educate its members specially its security sectors about the right not to be tortured.  How can P-Noy raise awareness among his ranks when he seems to be busy only with issues that will hit the headlines?  Or could it be that it is P-Noy who needs human rights education?

Stop torture. Prosecute perpetrators.

Free Tatay Umbrero. Free all Political Prisoners.

Political Prisoners press for freedom for their ailing comrade after Araw ng Kalayaan

Political prisoners in New Bilibid Prison (NBP) pressed government to release their ailing comrade Mariano Umbrero in line with Independence Day.

Juanito Itaas, the longest held political prisoner, convicted for the killing of Col. James Rowe, through the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), a human rights group, is calling the attention of President Aquino and DOJ Secretary De Lima to urgently act on the release of Mariano Umbrero, a political prisoner at the New Bilibid Prison suffering stage 4 cancer.

4 o’clock habit campaign: prayer/appeal for Umbrero’s release

Dear Friends,

The Task Force Detainees of the Philippines’ (TFDP) S.O.S. appeal campaign for the release of Mariano Umbrero, a political prisoner who has cancer, now in the fourth stage, started few months ago with the sending of an urgent appeal (letter of appeal) to various partners.  It was followed by an online barrage of appeals posted on Facebook.  This was done to call the attention of P-Noy and other concerned government agencies and for them to act on the case of Umbrero.  TFDP also directly sent a letter to the Office of the President, while the Medical Action Group (MAG) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

As a result, students from the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, with the help of the Social Action Center responded by sending individual letters of appeal to government agencies.  The students asked their friends to do the same.  Members of ACAT, one of the TFDP’s international partners, also sent letters to P-Noy and DOJ.  Many friends on Facebook also responded by bombarding P-Noy’s Facebook page, as well as the page of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  Communications were also sent to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Episcopal Commission on Prison and Pastoral Care of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

TFDP has already received some responses.  Both the DOJ and the DSWD referred the request to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP).  The Office of the Political Adviser under the Office of the President also replied by asking us to provide them with  pertinent documents regarding Umbrero’s case.