WeDpro, Inc. A feminist collective working for women’s empowerment

Arroyo signs anti-torture law
November 13, 2009

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose administration has been linked to the extra-judicial killings of activists, has signed into law a bill criminalizing torture and other inhuman punishment.

Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9745 or the Anti-Torture Law of 2009, which prescribes penalties ranging from one-month imprisonment to life sentence for the crime of torture, last Nov. 10 but it was only announced by Malacañang on Friday.

RA 9745 defines torture as an act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for purposes such as obtaining information, or intimidating another person.

Commission on Human Rights chairperson Leila de Lima called the signing of the law a “historic moment for human rights in the Philippines."

“The passage of the Anti-Torture Law provides, with greatest clarity, the declaration not only of a 'no torture policy' but matches this with the accountability in certainty of proportionate punishment when torture indeed takes place," she said in a statement sent to the media on Friday.

Quezon City Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights, said the passage of the law is a step towards putting a stop to the “culture of impunity" in the country.

In 2007, United Nations rapporteur Philip Alston reported that the Arroyo administration, through the military, has been carrying out a national policy of torturing and killing activists. Malacañang has repeatedly denied Alston’s report.

Tañada also noted that the signing of RA 9745 has taken the Philippine government a step closer to fulfilling its international obligations, the country being a signatory of the 1984 UN Convention Against Torture. [See: Palace gets 'rebuke' from Alston over unsolved political killings]

The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) welcomed the signing of the law, but at the same time, challenged the government to enforce its provisions to the fullest.

“Let not this government’s commitment against torture be only on paper. There must be a serious effort in rooting out this rights abuse within institutions like the police and the military," Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said in a text message. - ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/176905/arroyo-signs-anti-torture-law

November 15, 2009

Dear Friends,

President Arroyo signed the Anti-Torture Bill into law last Tuesday, the 10th of November, two days earlier than our announcement. The Freedom from Torture Law in the Philippines has been assigned the Republic Act 9745.

Kindly find attached the Joint Public Statement of the OMCT (World Organization Against Torture) and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), on the passage of the Anti-Torture Law.

We have also been informed that the sponsorship speech on the OPCAT at the Philippine Senate will most likely take place sometime after the 1st of December. We are very optimistic that its ratification is within grasp since Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations and strong willed legislator is championing the instrument.

As you all know, the next step for all of us is to work on the formulation of a strong Implementing Rules and Regulations fr the measure but it is important to bear in mind that it remains necessary to strengthen the Anti-Torture Law in the near future, through other avenues, for the protection and redress of all torture victims in the Philippines. We hope that we can continue our partnerships, exchanges and dialogues towards this end.

Our best wishes to all!

Budit

Ellecer Ebro Carlos
PDRP-STOV Team
BALAY Rehabilitation Center, Inc.

URL: www.balayph.net & www.opcatph.org
----
PUBLIC STATEMENT

November 15, 2009

The Philippines: A Considerable Step Forwards thanks to the President Arroyo:
The Anti-Torture Bill was signed!

Copenhagen - Geneva, 13 November 2009. The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) welcome the signing yesterday by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Act Penalizing the Commission of Acts of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, prescribing Penalties Therefore and for Other Purposes. The signing of the Act is a considerable step forwards in preventing and eradicating all forms of torture and ill-treatment in the Republic of the Philippines.

OMCT and IRCT, along with national, regional and international NGOs and other stakeholders, had urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to sign without delay the Act that had recently been adopted by the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives [1]. Both organisations particularly wish to congratulate its member organisations in the Philippines, members of the Government and all those
stakeholders who have been involved in drafting the Act and supporting the process of its adoption.

We also thank the President for taking such a significant decision in support of the fight against torture. By enacting the Bill criminalising torture and other forms of ill-treatment the Philippines has made important progress towards implementing the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 23 years after having ratified the Convention.

OMCT and IRCT now call on the competent authorities to take prompt measures to fully and effectively implement this Act, including by approving the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Act in accordance with the Convention against Torture.

Contacts:
IRCT – Sune Segal, Head of Communications, Tel. +45 36 93 87 12, Email: sse@irct.org
OMCT – Alexandra Kossin, Coordinator, Tel. +41 (0) 22 809 49 39, Email: omct@omct.og
1 See IRCT –OMCT joint letter addressed to the President on 27 October 2009.
[1] Furthermore, participants in the Asian Regional Seminar on addressing the economic, social and cultural root causes of torture and other forms of violence organised in Manila from 26 to 30 October 2009 by OMCT and the Philippines Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) in cooperation with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines also issued an appeal on 30 October to the President.

Solons urge GMA to sign anti-torture bill
By: Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

LAWMAKERS yesterday called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to finally sign into law the proposed Anti-Torture Act which was transmitted to Malacañang last Oct. 13.

Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III said the measure is designed to uphold human rights in the country.

“As members of Congress, we consider it as our obligation and responsibility to stop any acts of torture. We owe the citizenry a society free from tyranny, coercion and oppression from anyone or from any quarters in our country,” said Escudero in pushing for the immediate enactment into law of the measure.

Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros also called for the enactment into law of the proposal, saying since the ratification of the Constitution 20 years ago, cases of forced or involuntary disappearance and extra-judicial killings in the country continue to happen.

Hontiveros said no less than the Melo Commission, the Alston Report and the Supreme Court-initiated summit all condemned the reported high incidence of human rights violations and provided recommendations to address the problem.

“It was even our resolve after the EDSA revolution to ensure that the human rights violations committed against our people during the Marcos years, which include cases of forced or involuntary disappearances, shall never happen again,” said Hontiveros.