Melo Commission report can be used as evidence for Arroyo impeachment

Survivors and victims demand justice not paper works

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today said that findings of the Melo Commission Report was already “public knowledge” and confirmed the previous statements of human rights groups, families and survivors of political killings.

“The families want justice and not mere paper work. The courts should put their foot forward and start arresting Maj. Gen. Jovito “The Butcher” Palparan and the other suspects and stamp these cases as top priority,” said Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the KMU.

“The blood trail leads to the Cabinet Oversight Committee for Internal Security (COCIS) and the military as the ‘brains and brawn’ in the political killings, abductions and other human rights abuses.” Labog cited the murder case of Jose “Pepe” Manegdeg III, wherein the San Esteban PNP named Captain Joel Castro of the 50th IBPA who was formerly assigned with Military Intelligence Company (MICO) as the main suspect to the killing.

Melo report evidence for Arroyo impeach try

According to Labog, the Melo report can be used as evidence for Arroyo’s impeachment. “Command responsibility points to Arroyo as the responsible for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) actions being their Commander-in-Chief. We should remember that Arroyo praised The Butcher during the State of the Nation Address last August 2006 on his counter-insurgency strategy and therefore admitted in public she support his actions.”

Another unionist killed

Yesterday, Dominador De Luna, local officer of COURAGE in Catbalogan, Samar and a van driver of the National Food Authority (NFA) was shot and killed while on duty. “How can the Melo Commission give justice to De Luna as well as more than 800 victims of political killings? The Commission’s written report is not enough. It has no teeth and is powerless against the continuing killings,” the labor leader said.

Since Arroyo assumed presidency in 2001, 85 unionist and labor activists have been killed. In 2005, Nestle Union President Diosdado Fortuna was gunned down by motorcycle-riding assassins while on his way home.