EU - wants slay convictions.

Resolutions of extra-judicial
slays not up to us — gov’t

11/25/2007 Daily Tribune
Malacañang yesterday said the resolutions of the numerous cases of extra-judicial killings in the country that have happened under the Arroyo administration is not in its hands but with the courts where they are being heard.
Sought for a reaction on the call aired earlier by the visiting members of the European Parliament to the Arroyo government for it to press the convictions of suspects in the killings of local journalists and activists, Deputy Press Secretary Lorelie Fajardo stressed that while the Palace cannot meddle in the courts’ processes, it could make appeals to
them involving the statuses of the cases they are hearing.
“We cannot interfere in the judiciary’s processes because it is outside the jurisdiction of the Executive (department). But we will appeal to the courts to speed up the trials on summary executions,” she said.
Fajardo said the Executive is not sleeping on its job as its is also closely monitoring the progress of the cases of human rights abuses.
“Just like them (European parliamentarians) we would also want to see convictions in the courts. But we would like to assure them that the Executive will do its part to address their concern,” she said.
Earlier, visiting members of the European Parliament said they want to see more convictions of suspects in extra-judicial killings and urged the Arroyo government to do more to stop the murders.
Germany’s Hartmut Nassauer, head of the parliament’s delegation to Manila, stressed that the issue of extra-judicial killings is a serious problem and must be addressed at once by the government.
“From my point of view and as a friendly observation from outside, it would be convincing if there would be cases that would be finished. Cases should be taken to courts and finished. That’s the noble way to deal with murders like extra-judicial killings,” Nassauer said in a press conference.
He said the problem is “so big and serious” that even the European Parliament has taken cognizance of the issue and drafted resolutions urging Manila to immediately take action.
Nassauer lamented that the credibility of the Philippines, which he called the “pillar of democracy” in Southeast Asia, is at stake if it fails to put an end to the killings.
He said the Arroyo government must take responsibility in resolving the problem and go after the perpetrators of the slays.
Nassauer also stressed that those behind the killings “should be convicted and not pardoned” by the government.
At the same time, he reminded the government that extra-judicial killings can not be applied with the state of law.
“We encourage the government to do its utmost to stop this development which has obviously increased since 2001. Since 2001, it has been publicly discussed. So this is one of the problems we see and we hope there is a chance to solve it,” Nassauer said.
Close to 900 cases of extra-judicial killings and 300 forced disappearances in the Philippines have been recorded by local human rights group Karapatan (Rights) since Mrs. Arroyo took over the presidency that year. The Philippine military and police forces have been linked to the killings, but they have vehemently denied any involvement in them.
A commission formed by Mrs. Arroyo in 2006 to investigate the series of assassinations of local members of the media and militant groups also cleared the Armed Forces and the National Police of any hand in the murders. Sherwin C. Olaes
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