Activists: Aquino failed in human rights landscape

Video by INQUIRER.net’s Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines -Taking their march once more to the iconic Mendiola Bridge, activists blasted President Benigno Aquino III and his administration for alleged inaction on crimes against human rights.

Photo by RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

Commemorating International Human Rights Day on Wednesday, several activist groups trooped to Plaza Miranda before trudging their way to Mendiola amid intense heat as they hauled a 10-foot effigy of Aquino.

Max de Mesa, chairperson of Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (Pahra), described the Aquino administration’s handling of the human rights situation in the Philippines a failure.

“This government has failed in the human rights landscape in the country,” de Mesa said. “He’s guilty because of his lack of action in the situation.”

According to activist group Karapatan, 226 people have been subjected to extrajudicial killings from July 2010 to November 30, 2014.

Members of Pahra, Karapatan, Bayan, Manila and other groups comprised the nearly 1,500-strong protesters that took to the streets to air their grievances.

Christina Palabay, Karapatan Secretary General, demanded that Aquino and his administration be held accountable for the crimes committed against human rights.

“Our cry for today is that we demand that the administration of Aquino be accountable for the crimes that violated human rights,” Palabay said. “We should end this culture of impunity.”

The groups brought placards of victims of extrajudicial killings including a picture of environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega.

Palabay also cried foul against the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which they turned Mindanao schools into camps in for use of Filipino soldiers and American troops stationed in the country.

“This shows how rotten their awareness of human rights is,” Palabay said.