Human Rights

Grecil’s Parents File Raps Vs Soldiers; Holganza Doubts Girl Was Child Warrior


Justice . Relatives, friends, neighbors and activists march in New Bataan on April 18 to demand justice for Grecil Buya. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

MANILA — The parents of Grecil Buya, the nine-year-old girl killed by the army during a firefight with communist rebels in New Bataan, Compostela Valley, on March 31, filed charges against the military before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Gregorio Galacio and Virginia Buya went to the ombudsman on Friday to file administrative charges against 2nd Lt. Francis John Gabawa and his men in a platoon belonging to the 67th IB who were responsible for Grecil’s death.

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2 ComVal Residents Killed, 3 Others Wounded in Army Shooting

The soldiers strafed the victims when they failed to stop at checkpoints but according to the human-rights group Karapatan, the victims had difficulty stopping because, aside from the darkness, there were no signs or signals that a checkpoint was being conducted. The soldiers, Karapatan said, suddenly appeared from the roadside.

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Death penalty: Executions fall as pressure grows for universal moratorium

ROME — A death penalty free world is possible if key governments are willing to show political leadership, said Irene Khan, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“Amnesty International is calling for a universal moratorium on executions. Only six countries — Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, the USA and China — were responsible for 90 percent of all executions carried out in 2006. These hard core executioners are isolated and out of tune with global trends,” said Ms Khan.
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EU Parliament Says Political Killings in Philippines a Growing Problem

In a resolution on the Philippines, adopted by 68 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions, Parliament draws attention to the number of politically motivated killings in the country, which it says has risen dramatically in recent years, as well as the general human rights situation in the country.

The local human rights organisation Karapatan has recorded 180 forced disappearances and over 800 killings, most of them by unidentified gunmen, since 2001. Most of those killed, such as opposition party members, church people, community leaders, peasants, journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, trade unionists, have been accused by the government of being front organisations for illegal armed groups and ‘terrorists’.
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Marco Polo Hotel Davao Gets Child Labor Free Award

DAVAO CITY — Marco Polo Hotel Davao was awarded ?Child Labor Free? title besting other top companies all over the country. The search was organized by the Employers? Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

During the Club 888 business and tourism forum last Wednesday, Marco Polo Hotel general manager Stanley Lao of Davao disclosed that they bested the award against other big multi-national companies around the Philippines like Johnsons & Johnsons and Globe Telecom.
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