Philippine Chief Justice Won Praises from KABATAAN (Youth)for Defense of Human Rights

Philippine Chief Justice Won Praises for Defense of Human Rights


MANILA, Philippines --Philipppine Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno won praises for his fighting words in defense of human rights and the sweetest praise came from the Kabataan party-list group, which gave him a mocha cake.

Kabataan vice president Carl Ramota delivered the cake to the court but court spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said Puno was at a meeting and received it on behalf of the Chief Justice. Marquez said Puno had been told about the cake and thanked the group for it.

The icing on the cake read: “CJ Puno Kampeon ng Karapatang Pantao. Idolo ng Kabataan (Champion of Human Rights. Idol of the Youth).”

Puno, in a commencement speech at the University of the East, warned against the “mindless” scramble to end terrorism at the expense of human rights and civil liberties.

He candidly said that a government with credibility problems could do little to solve the country’s problems of poverty and security.

“We are happy to know there are still people, like Chief Justice Puno, in government ... who stand up for truth, justice and democracy,” Ramota told reporters.

He said Puno was someone the youth could emulate.

“That is what the youth are looking for, people who could inspire the youth to continue to stand up for their rights, for truth, justice and democracy,” he added.

Puno also said the anti-terror war has led to legal shortcuts that “have scarred the landscape of [human] rights in the Philippines.”

He cited the escalation of extrajudicial killings in the country, which has earned the administration the increased scrutiny and criticism of the international community. The Chief Justice also noted that the extrajudicial killings invited retaliation from communist rebels.

More than 835 Filipinos have veen killed since Arroyo assumed power in 2001 and at least 220 people have been missing. There at at least 215 activist have been detained as political prisoners, the most prominent is ANAKPAWIS Pre. Crispin Beltran who has been languishing in jail since last year when Arroyo declared a "state of emergency.

Also in military jail are at least 60 officers and men including 2 generals, scores of colonels and majors who are being charged with attempted coup since 2003.

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