Run Against Torture

Vorige week startte ik bij Amnesty International Philippines (AIPH).



AIPH and Philippine National Police (PNP) join in the run against torture

This year is the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Therefore a memorable run, human right activists and the PNP run together from UP Oblation to Quezon City Hall, was held on June 26 - also the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Attended
parties showed with the Basta! Run Against Torture! (BRAT) their support to all torture victims and emphasized that no one should be subjected to any form of torture in the world.

The run was organized by AIPH and Civil Society Organizations, PNP, Quezon City local government, the House of Representatives and the Public Attorney’s Office. In total there were 400 people who contributed to this successful event.

Just before the event started a small group of activists already had gathered in front of the Oblation
building. In silence they showed their solidarity to torture victims and the slogan of the run “Torture, BUHARIN – sa ISIP, sa SALITA at sa GAWA!”. With this slogan in mind, the run kicked of at 8.00am. It started drizzling but it did not seem to bother anyone. AIPH, the other Civil Society Organizations and the PNP all wore their own shirts, a few front runners held flags with their organizations name or the BRAT slogan. The PNP even had written Pulis on their shirt. This made it clear for the many bystanders that also the PNP was supportive to this action, which is -obviously- rare.

At 8.30 the whole procession reached Quezon City Hall where the event proceeded. Speakers who made a contribution and emphasized their solidarity and the importance of erasing torture were: Fr. Robert Reyes, Hon. Matias V. Defensor,Jr. (Congressman and Chairperson House of Representatives Committee on Justice), Hon. Jorge Bolet B. Banal, Jr. (City Councilor), Hon. Janet Babes M. Malaya (City Councilor), Dr. Aurora Parong (section director AIPH), Mr Renato Mabung (SG Philippines Alliance of Human Rights Advocates), Ms. Nilda Sevilla (Co-chairperson Families of Victims of Involuntary Disapperances), Mr. Carlo CLeole (Task Force Detainees of the Philippines), Police Senior Supt. Lina Sarmiento (Philippines National Police Human Rights Office), Hon. Leila De Lima (Chair person Commission on Human Rights), Atty. Macapangkat A. Mama (Deputy Chief Attorney) Atty. Byron Bocar (Akbayan Partylist), Ms. Fely Parcon, Committee Secretary House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights) and Ms. Auxilium Olayer
(Executive Director of Balay Rehabilitation Center) and a Pinoy Rapgroup.

Amidst all the positive and hopeful sounds during the event, one of great importance came from Hon. Matia V. Defensor Jr. (Congressman and Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice). He mentioned that he was going to be the author of a new and more consolidated bill against torture. This new bill will hopefully contribute in improving the state of torture practices in the Philippines.

On Friday 27 of June the event was published in different media, to name two:
http://www.gmanews.tv/nation - in their ‘In Picture’ section
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net – in their breaking news section