UP Law Faculty joins call to stop “Chain of Killings”
Statement from Academe and Scholars
We are professors and scholars of various academic institutions in the Philippines.
We are non-partisan, non-political and independent. We teach and apply the idea that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This statement has nothing to do with political partisanship or affinity with individual politicians. Rather, it upholds values and rules enshrined in the Philippine Constitution as approved in a plebiscite by the Filipino people, and recognized in international human rights treaties signed by the Philippine government in the exercise of its sovereignty.
These rights cannot be the subject of political bargaining. Their validity and application do not depend on the whims of those in power or the flaws and vices of the victims. Rather, these are universal rights, as embraced by the sovereign people in binding legal documents.
For over a year now, thousands of lives have been lost with some victims killed even while in police custody; others have been killed by unknown assailants, their bodies found mutilated, at times showing signs of torture or cruelty.
At least 50 of these victims are young, some aged 4, 5 and 6, apparently shot by police when they were caught in the crossfire. Seventeen-year old Kian de los Santos was killed by the police as he begged for his life, his death recorded by security cameras and recounted by witnesses. Most recently, 19-year old U.P. student Carl Arnaiz was gunned down and found dead in a morgue in the same city where Kian’s lifeless body was discovered. Carl’s 14-year-old companion, Reynaldo de Guzman was dumped at least two hours’ drive away from the neighborhood from which he was taken: his body bore 26 stab wounds.
Yet, as of today, only two criminal cases have found their way to the courts, and pending investigations have yet to ripen into actual charges and indictments.
What is at stake is not just the constitutional right of persons against being “arbitrarily deprived of life.” Equally at stake is the right “to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.”
The chain of killings must stop.
The President, a lawyer himself, took a constitutional oath to “faithfully and conscientiously fulfill [his] duties as President … preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man.”
We therefore call on the relevant government agencies to pursue their respective investigations with dispatch so that the perpetrators of human rights violations can no longer hide under the mantle of an official policy that targets the most vulnerable sectors of our population in the guise of a crackdown on criminality.
We call for the creation of an independent and credible Truth Commission with the power to subpoena witnesses; grant testimonial immunities to encourage key witnesses to step forward; and accredit persons or private institutions to give sanctuary to victims, their families, and witnesses.
We call on the President to demonstrate that the Philippine government is willing and able genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution of these crimes.
Finally, we call the President to desist from making statements that may be construed as encouraging the government’s armed personnel to shoot or kill, whether with the promise of pardon or immunity, the prospect of reinstatement or promotion, or outright cash awards.
The killers and masterminds must be brought to justice and impunity must end. For the bereaved families, knowing the truth of how their loved ones died or vanished is a crucial part of the justice they seek. For the rest of us who are blessed enough so far to have been spared, exposing that truth and dispensing the justice it demands is indispensable to our healing as a nation.
Signed and ratified on 19 September 2017.
| (SGD.) Prof. Elizabeth A. Pangalangan
Institute of Human Rights, UP Law Center UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Dr. Tesa de Vela
Miriam College Women and Gender Institute |
| (SGD.) Atty. Ray Paolo Santiago
Ateneo Human Rights Center |
(SGD.) Dean Ana Maria Abad
Adamson University College of Law |
| (SGD.) Prof. Florin T. Hilbay
UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Prof. Jay Batongbacal
UP College of Law |
| (SGD.) Atty. Voltaire Veneracion
UP Institute of Human Rights |
(SGD.) Atty. Marwil Llasos
Institute of International Legal Studies, UP Law Center |
| (SGD.) Prof. Dante B. Gatmaytan
UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Prof. E. (Leo) D. Battad
UP College of Law |
| (SGD.) Dr. Sylvia Estrada Claudio
Dean, UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Dr. Cielo Magno
UP School of Economics |
| (SGD.) Atty. Celeste Cembrano Mallari
Institute of International Legal Studies, UP Law Center |
(SGD.) Dr. Jasmin Nario-Galace
Center for Peace Education Miriam College |
| (SGD.) Asst. Prof. Pacifita Fortin
Dept. of International Studies and Department of Social Work Miriam College |
(SGD.) Atty. Michelle San Buenaventura Dy
Institute of Government and Law Reform, UP Law Center |
| (SGD.) Atty. Raymond C. Baguilat
Institute of Human Rights, UP Law Center |
(SGD.) Atty. Michael T. Tiu, Jr.
Institute of Human Rights, UP Law Center |
| (SGD.) Dr. Augustin L Arcenas
UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Dante B. Canlas
Professor Emeritus UP School of Economics |
| (SGD.) Dr. Toby C. Monsod
UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Emmanuel F. Esguerra
UP School of Economics |
| (SGD.) Michelle T. Lao
Institute of International Legal Studies, UP Law Center
|
(SGD.) Ruth Guinto Institute of Human Rights, UP Law Center
|
|
(SGD.) Dr. Nathalie A. Verceles UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Rommel Casis Assistant Professor, UP College of Law |
|
(SGD.) Dr. Marita VT Reyes Former Chancellor, UP Manila Former Dean, UP College of Medicine |
(SGD.) Prof. Ibarra Gutierrez UP College of Law |
|
(SGD.) Atty. Tanya Lat Ateneo de Manila University School of Law |
(SGD.) Dean Joan S Largo College of Law University of San Carlos |
|
(SGD.) Rizalinda L. De Leon Dean, College of Engineering UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Atty. Golda S. Benjamin Lecturer, Silliman University College of Law |
|
(SGD.) Emerson Banez Assistant Professor, UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Dr. Maria Dulce F. Natividad, Assistant Professor, UP Asian Center |
|
(SGD.) Atty. Abraham Rey Montecillo Acosta University of San Jose Recoletos (Cebu) School of Law |
(SGD.) Asst. Prof. Jose Antonio Clemente U.P. College of Social Science and Philosophy |
| (SGD.) Dr. Carolyn I. Sobritchea
Professorial Lecturer, UP Asian Center |
(SGD.) Dr. Lisandro E. Claudio
Department of History, De La Salle University |
|
(SGD.) John Mervin Embate Department of Education Communication, College of Development Communication, UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Maya Tamayo Department of Women and Development Studies, CSWCD, UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Atty. Rene Pambid Professorial Lecturer, UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Dr. Levi Elipane UP Institute of Mathematics |
|
(SGD.) Jaclyn Marie L. Cauyan UP College of Education |
(SGD.) Dr. Reinabelle Reyes Ateneo School of Government |
|
(SGD.) Atty. Armi Beatriz E. Bayot Lecturer, UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Dr. Maria Socorro G. Bautista Professor UP School of Economics |
|
(SGD.) Prof. Solita Collas-Monsod Professor Emeritus UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Carlos Bautista Professor Virata School of Business, UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Dr. Marjorie Pajaron Assistant Professor UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Emmanuel de Dios Professor UP School of Economics |
|
(SGD.) Dr. Teresa J. Ho Professorial Lecturer UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Aleli D. Kraft Professor UP School of Economics |
|
(SGD.) Patricia T. Coseteng Senior Lecturer UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Victoria Quimbo Senior Lecturer UP School of Economics |
|
(SGD.) Dr. Edita Abella Tan Professor Emeritus UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Vivien Supangco Professor Virata School of Business, UP Diliman |
| (SGD.) Lina J. Valcarcel
Professor Emeritus Virata School of Business, UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Dr. Lilian B. Nuñez
Associate Professor Visayas State University |
|
(SGD.) Maria Aurora Teresita Tabada Associate Professor Visayas State University |
(SGD.) Arjan P. Aguirre, M.A. Instructor Department of Political Science School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University |
|
(SGD.) Carmel V. Abao Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Diana Mendoza Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
|
(SGD.) Jennifer Santiago Oreta, Ph. D. Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Gino Antonio P. Trinidad Instructor Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
|
(SGD.) Oliver John C, Quintana, M.A. Lecturer Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Benjamin Gerardo T. Tolosa, Jr., Ph.D. Associate Dean for the Core Curriculum, Loyola Schools Professor, Department of Political Science, School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University |
|
(SGD.) Hansley A. Juliano Lecturer, Department of Political Science School of Social Sciences, Loyola Schools Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Edmund G. Centeno Assistant Professor DEC-CDC, UP Los Banos |
|
(SGD.) Rikki Lee B. Mendiola University Extension Specialist 1 DSC-CDC, UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Pamela Custodio Assistant Professor DDJ-CDC, UP Los Banos |
|
(SGD.) Lynette Carpio-Serrano Assistant Professor CDC, UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Schedar Jocson Assistant Professor College of Arts and Letters UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Wilma Rojas College of Social Work and Development UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Winifredi B. Dagli DSC-CDC, UP Los Banos |
|
(SGD.) Assoc. Prof. Louie C. Montemar Department of Sociology and Anthropology Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
(SGD.) Prof. John N. Abletis Department of Sociology and Anthropology Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
|
(SGD.) Marie Manahan Instructor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
(SGD.) Rhoel Farinas Instructor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
|
(SGD.) Cristabel Rose Parcon Associate Professor 1 Department of Social Sciences College of Arts and Sciences UP Visayas |
(SGD.) Riza Rae Pineda Instructor College of Engineering UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Mark Lester Chico Department of Development Broadcasting Telecommunication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Aletheia Canubas-Araneta DDJ- College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
|
(SGD.) Elaine DC Llarena Department of Science Communication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Renz Frances Abagat Department of Educational Communication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
| (SGD.) Ryan Jay Galang
Department of Development Broadcasting Telecommunication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Aldo Gavril Lim Department of Science Communication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
| (SGD.) Jay A. Yacat
Associate Professor Department of Psychology College of Social Sciences and Philosophy UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Prof. Romel A. Daya
Department of Educational Communication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
| (SGD.) Jyasmin Calub-Bautista
Department of Development Broadcasting Telecommunication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Prof. Olga Lomboy
Department of Science Communication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
| (SGD.) Prof. Lester Ordan
Department of Development Broadcasting Telecommunication College of Development Communication UP Los Banos |
(SGD.) Atty. Ma. Golda Gigi G. Miñoza
Institute of Government and Law Reform, UP Law Center |
|
(SGD.) Mikael Navarro BA Psychology U.P Diliman |
(SGD.) Engr. Louie Arelvi V. Villanueva Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Engr. Bemboy Niño Subosa Instructor, Department of Chemical Engineering UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Engr. John Von Wernher Dela Cruz Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Engr. Marie Angelynne C. Fabro Instructor, Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Nielson G. Pangan Professor, Constitutional Law FEU Institute of Law |
|
(SGD.) Engr. Karl Ezra Pilario Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Junesse D.R. Crisostomo Instructor, College of Arts and Letters UP Diliman |
|
(SGD.) Miguel Paolo P. Rivera Lecturer, Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Engr. Paul Jake Nalzaro Instructor, Department of Chemical Engineering UP Diliman |
| Dr. Teresa S. Encarnacion Tadem Department of Political Science College of Social Sciences and Philosophy UP Diliman |
(SGD.) Atty. Dennis Gorecho
UP Law Batch ‘98 Guest lecturer, John B. Lacson Maritime University |
| (SGD.) Amelia Lourdes Mendoza
College of Law Silliman University |
(SGD.) Atty. Alett C. Nunez
De La Salle College of Law UP College of Engineering |
| (SGD.) Dr. Ma. Joy V. Abrenica
UP School of Economics |
(SGD.) Dr. Merian Mani
President, Romblon State University |
| (SGD.) Dr. Michael Alba
President, Far Eastern University |
(SGD.) Maria Regina Corazon Sevilla Sibal
Executive Director, FEU High School |
| (SGD.) Atty. Aison Garcia
De La Salle College of Law |
(SGD.) Asst. Prof. Mercedes Camille B. Ocampo
Department Chairperson, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| (SGD.) Atty. Elvira Escueta
UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Lourdes Ignacio, M.D.
Professor Emeritus UP College of Medicine |
| (SGD.) Maria Lourdes Quisumbing-Baybay
Miriam College |
(SGD.) Atty. Janet Cruz Regalado
Professorial Lecturer, UP College of Law |
| (SGD.) Atty. Elizabeth Pulumbarit
Professorial Lecturer, UP College of Law |
(SGD.) Atty. Francis Tom Temprosa
Ateneo de Manila University School of Law |
| (SGD.) Benjamin Roberto G. Barretto
Department of Political Science Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Ada Javellana Loredo
St. Vincent School of Theology Adamson University Graduate School |
| (SGD.) Dr. Raul Nidoy
University of Asia and the Pacific Parents of Education Foundation(PAREF) |
(SGD.) Maria Adiel H. Aguiling
Director for Educational Management Parents for Education Foundation(PAREF) |
|
(SGD.) Andrelita Cenzon University of Asia and the Pacific
|
(SGD.) Sofia A. David
Assistant Professor, School of Sciences and Engineering University of Asia and the Pacific |
| (SGD.) Dr. Remmon E. Barbanza
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy Ateneo de Manila University |
(SGD.) Prof. Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles
UP Manila |
| (SGD.) Prof. Jom De Guzman
University of Sto. Tomas |
(SGD.) Amaryllis T. Torres
Professor Emeritus UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Prof. Rowena A. Laguilles-Timog
UP College of Social Work and Community Development
|
(SGD.) Karl Arvin F. Hapal
Instructor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Hazel Cometa-Lambate
Assistant Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Roselle Leah K. Rivera
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Teresita V. Barrameda
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Ma. Linnea V. Tanchuling
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Honorio B. de Dios
Instructor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Rainier Almazan
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) John Erwin S. Banez
Assistant Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Emmanuel M. Luna, Ph.D.
Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development
|
| (SGD.) Marylou L Alcid
Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Yolanda G. Ealdama
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Nancy Endrinal Parreño
Assistant Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
(SGD.) Lenore P. Dela Cruz
Associate Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development |
| (SGD.) Fermin P. Manalo, Jr.
Assistant Professor UP College of Social Work and Community Development
|
(SGD.) Prof. Excelsa TongsonUP College of Home Economics |
on the upper right corner to select a video.