[Six years after Empeño-Cadapan abduction] Workers call for justice over Arroyo’s rights violations

Joining a multisectoral protest in front of Camp Aguinaldo to mark the 6th year of the abduction of two University of the Philippines students by the military, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno renewed calls for justice over human rights violationscommitted under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

KMU condemned the government of Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III for failing to seek Arroyo’s conviction and imprisonment over the numerous cases of human rights violations committed under the former president’s term, including the abduction of Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

“We are indignant that six years after Karen and Sherlyn’s abduction by the military, Arroyo has not been convicted and sent to jail over her grave violations of human rights,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary-general.

“The abduction of hundreds of activists and the extra-judicial killing of more than a thousand people should be enough to imprison Arroyo,” he added.

The labor center also condemned the government for failing to arrest and bring to justice Ret. Gen. Jovito Palparan, who is responsible for the abduction of the two UP students and for other human rights violations in various parts of the country.

“It comes as no surprise that Palparan, the smaller fish, has so far evaded arrest because Arroyo, the big fish, has so far managed to avoid conviction and imprisonment,” Soluta said.

“Instead of focusing its energies on imprisoning Arroyo and arresting Palparan, the Aquino government is doing everything to arrest consultants of the National Democratic Front in the peace negotiations,” he added.

“Instead of seeking Arroyo’s conviction and imprisonment, the Aquino government is so busy filing trumped-up charges against NDFP consultants – something which Palparan is surely applauding,” he said.

KMU said the Aquino government’s failure to convict and imprison Arroyo and arrest Palparan raises questions on its sincerity in going after the former president and the former general for their human-rights violations.

“Instead of seeking the conviction and jailing Arroyo on the basis of her widespread violations of human rights, the Aquino government merely filed a weak electoral sabotage case against her,” Soluta said.

“The Aquino government, clearly, lacks the political will to go after Arroyo and Palparan for their human-rights violations,” he added.