Human Rights

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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Philippines: Grecil Was Victim of Arroyo?s War on Terror

MANILA — ?The military desperately fumbles with their alibis for they cannot explain why they killed a nine-year old girl. After saying she is a combatant, the AFP points its finger on the father. In dire attempts to cover up their crime, the helpless military cannot even get its own story straight.?
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Philippines: The Old Struggle for Human Rights, New Problems Posed by Security

By Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno
Supreme Court

(Delivered on April 18, 2007 on the occasion of the conferment of the
honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of the East.)

?Tomorrow begins in the East,? trumpets the motto of this venerable
institution of learning. In his last moments in Bagumbayan, our national
hero Jose Rizal stared at tomorrow in the eye, veered his bullet-riddled
body to the right and fell lifeless on the ground ?face turned towards
the rising sun in the east. From the cradle to the grave, Rizal
consecrated his life to fight for the human rights of our people.
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