Gerardo Alminaza —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
BACOLOD CITY — The bishop of the Diocese of San Carlos in Negros Occidental and a cause-oriented group welcomed the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on the Ninoy Aquino Worldwide Airport on March 11.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, additionally the vice chairperson of Caritas Philippines, the social motion arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Convention of the Philippines, reiterates its long-standing name for justice for victims of extrajudicial killings through the Duterte anti-drug marketing campaign that resulted in 1000’s of deaths, a lot of which stay unresolved.
“These killings weren’t random. They had been a part of a coverage that violated the basic proper to life,” Alminaza stated.
“The households of the victims deserve fact, reparations, and justice. As a nation, we should be certain that such crimes by no means occur once more,” he added.
Alminaza stated Caritas appealed not solely to Duterte’s supporters but in addition to his political allies, particularly members of his celebration, to put aside private loyalty and select to face with the rule of legislation.
“This second requires leaders to prioritize justice and the frequent good over partisan pursuits. Justice can’t be selective. It should apply to all no matter energy or place,” he stated.
“The rule of legislation should prevail. Justice should be served. Let this be a turning level for our nation—a step towards therapeutic, accountability, and actual change,” Alminaza added.
Bayan Negros stated the arrest of Duterte for crimes towards humanity was additionally a welcome transfer however an extended overdue step in the direction of justice.
“(Duterte) waged an all-out struggle not simply within the cities by means of his pretend drug struggle but in addition within the countryside, the place his counterinsurgency marketing campaign turned total communities into killing fields,” Bayan Negros deputy spokesperson Berlita Ante stated.
“His reign of terror left a path of massacres, killings, coordinated raids, unlawful arrests, and compelled displacement,” she added.
Amongst these killed in Negros had been peasant chief Alexander Ceballos, human rights employee Zara Alvarez, land reform advocate Toto Patigas, and human rights lawyer Ben Ramos.
“Their murders weren’t random acts of violence however a part of a scientific marketing campaign of repression designed to crush dissent and terrorize the individuals into submission,” Ante stated.
“The ICC arrest is only the start. Duterte should be convicted, and all those that carried out his orders, particularly these nonetheless seated in energy, should be held accountable. With out continued public stress, the case wouldn’t prosper and justice might be denied once more,” she added.
Duterte, 79, was arrested final March 11 underneath an Worldwide Prison Courtroom warrant over allegations of crimes towards humanity.
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READ: Victims’ kin, Church, rights teams hail Duterte arrest
