Petition on political killings in RP tabled in House of Commons

Petition on political killings in RP tabled in House of Commons

TORONTO–It took only a few seconds, to put pen to paper, to add one more name to a petition calling on the Canadian government to take steps to help end the political killings in the Philippines.

Two months and five thousand signatures later, that simple act of solidarity and support offered by thousands of Canadians has resulted in the petition tabled in the House of Commons Wednesday (May 30).

The petition addresses the alarming deterioration of the human rights situation in the Philippines and the political assassinations of more than 850 human rights workers, lawyers, journalists, church workers, labour organizers, peasant leaders and leaders of political organizations since 2001. Reports issued by Amnesty International, the Melo Commission in the Philippines and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Arbitrary and Summary Killings, all link the political killings to the Philippine military.

The tabling of the petitions is a multi-party initiative undertaken in response to a request by a coalition of Canadian churches, non-governmental organizations and solidarity groups that have been working together on the Stop the Killings Campaign.

During a multi-party news conference on Parliament Hill, three of the thirteen Members of Parliament who will be tabling the petitions were unanimous in condemning the political assassinations and supporting the actions called for in the petition.

“Considering that the promotion of human rights is a priority in Canada’s foreign relations, we must ensure that Canada is not supporting a regime that blatantly denies and abuses the human rights of its citizens,” says Wayne Marston, the NDP Member of Parliament for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek.

Marston explains this is why parliamentarians are calling for “a comprehensive review of all of Canada’s bilateral assistance, trade and investment, military assistance and security cooperation with the Philippine Government.”

“Our aim is to apply as much pressure as possible to ensure the Philippine Government takes all the actions needed to end the political killings and improve the human rights situation,” says Marston.

Francine Lalonde, Bloc Quebecois MP for La Pointe-de-l’ële, Quebec, who presented a motion on this issue in Parliament last May 10, pointed out that, “given the assistance that Canada provides to the Philippines, Canada has a great deal of leverage to press the Government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”

CIDA’s current annual disbursement to the Philippines is approximately $25 million and there is roughly $1.5 billion in bilateral trade between Canada and the Philippines every year.

Lalonde further noted that “the climate of impunity created by the political killings has a corrosive impact on public confidence in the rule of law.”

“It is imperative that Canada show a leadership role and condemns these human rights violations,” says Dr. Ruby Dhalla, Liberal MP for Brampton Springdale.

For further information, please contact: Bern Jagunos (English media); The United Church of Canada, Tel: 416-231-7680. ext. 4077; email: bjagunos@united-church.ca; Dominique Caouette (French media); Departement de science politique, University de Montreal, Tel : 416-343-7069; Courriel: dominique.caouette@umontreal.ca