Human Rights Day Forum
by Governor Carmen Flor
Emerging from the euphoria of the Christmas triple
treat event on the 6th of December, Soroptimists
turned serious and reverted back to the grim realities
of the human rights situation in the Philippines
in a forum on Dec. 10 at the Club Filipino. The Filipino
people was righteously angry and indignant over the
Maguindanao massacre on November 23, of some 57 civilians,
mostly women and journalists in what is considered
the most vile and most inhuman election related crime
in our history.
Our speakers were carefully
handpicked to provide us with the latest development
in the human rights saga of the country. Atty. Ana Luz Cristal,
a hard hitting women's rights advocate titillated
her audience with her frank and incisive comments
on RA 9262, a law protecting women's rights in an
abusive relationship. She was most applauded by the
audience composed mostly of women. Congresswoman
Riza Hontiveros Baraquiel, a pretty activist and
outspoken critic of the administration, representative
of party list AKBAYAN spoke on her stand against
martial rule imposed in Maguindanao. Police Superintendent
Franklin Bucayo, head of the Human Rights Directorate
of the Philippine National Police (PNP) focused on
human rights practices of the PNP, especially in
light of the Maguindanao massacre, where policemen
proved inutile to prevent a string of heinous crimes.
Soroptimists, who have tirelessly worked in the training
of policewomen for years, have always considered
themselves to be "Friends of the PNP". (SIPR, who
sits as chair of the Community Pillar in the Five
Pillars of Justice, has been requested by the National
Police Commission to provide training for policemen
as well.)
Deviating from the usual practice, we invited
an interesting guest speaker, Professor Danton Remoto,
recently retired from the Ateneo de Manila University,
spokesperson and chair of the party list group advocating "gay
rights". Their association called "Ang Ladlad" has
just been denied participation by the Commission
on Elections as a party list in the elections of
2010, on various grounds. Soroptimists were one in
saying that gays have rights too. Our
distinguished reactors were Soroptimsts, namely;
Atty. Claire Padilla, of the Women's Legal
Bureau, SIPR Laws and Resolutions chair, Atty. Maripaz Chua
Tagle; District Director Amar Torres, Dean of the
College of Social Work of the University of the Philippines;
and Gertie Tirona, former Commissioner of the National
Commission on the Role of Filipino Women.
A lively open forum followed, with Police
Superintendent Bucayo, who presented in power point
the efforts of the PNP its defense of human rights,
getting most of the difficult questions. Professor
Remoto who spoke about the obstacles encountered
by their "kind" in getting regular employment and
their encounters with Commission on Election officials
provided humor in an otherwise very serious forum.
Unlike previously conducted human rights fora, attendees
actively participated and remained focused until
the end. Congratulations to our Human Rights Committee,
headed by Lennie Gorospe of SI Quezon City.
On the the Mindanao Carnage
by Governor Carmen Flor
Soroptimist International of the
Philippines Region condemns in the harshest possible
terms the Maguindanao carnage, a cold blooded murder
of innocent civilians, including defenseless women.
This is a crime that no words can aptly describe
as it cries to heaven for justice. We mourn with
the families they have left behind. We weep with
the children who have been orphaned by their mothers.
We strongly appeal to the authorities to render justice
expeditiously. The world is keenly watching us.
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