FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

FINDINGS ON THE ISSUE OF
POLITICAL KILLINGS AND
OTHER FORMS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
On 15 November 2005, the third day of the CCTA proceedings, the lawyerpresenters
offered testimonial and documentary evidence on the true human rights
situation in the country under the regime of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
covering the period of January 20, 2001, the time she assumed the presidency, up to
the present. It was shown that perpetrators of violations of human rights are the
military, police and other agents of the state; while the victims are mostly activists,
militants, journalists and people from various sectors seeking meaningful reforms in
Philippine society.
Seven key witnesses were presented. They were: MARIE ENRIQUEZ, an expert
on human rights with extensive experience and unwavering commitment as a human
rights activist since the martial law era; RENE GALANG, president of the 5,300-strong
United Luisita Workers’ Union (ULWU) that fell victim to union busting by the
Hacienda Luisita management and witness to the bloody massacre of striking workers
by the combined forces of the military, police and private army of the management;
ADELIZA ALBARILLO who at the age of ten saw by her very own eyes the cold-blooded
murder of her parents perpetrated by the military; CRISTINA ABALOS, whose father
was abducted by the military and to date remains missing; RICHARD MARGALLO, a
farmer survivor of the November 21, 2005 Palo, Leyte massacre perpetrated by the
military; and, Bayan Muna Party-list Representative SATUR OCAMPO who on various
occasions had the opportunity to personally speak with Pres. Arroyo and brought to
her attention the politically-motivated extrajudicial killings, forced disappearance,
torture and other forms of human rights abuses committed by the military, police and
paramilitary forces.
National Human Rights Situation
MARIE H. ENRIQUEZ, 52 years old, testified that she has been a human rights
worker/advocate since the Marcos dictatorship when she herself, together with four
members of her family, was tortured while under illegal detention. Her sister was
killed in Camp Crame in 1973. After Marie’s release from unlawful detention in 1976,
she decided to work full time for the promotion of human rights.
She was a founding member of the now defunct Kapisanan ng mga Kamaganak
at Kaibigan ng mga Bilanggong Political (KAPATID). She was also a member of
Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detention at para sa Amnestiya (SELDA) and
was also formerly with the Philippine Alliance on Human Rights Advocate (PAHRA).
She has attended and spoken at numerous international conferences on human
rights. She is one of the prime movers of the human rights class action suit against
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