At the Senate Committee of
Foreign Relations’ hearing
Karapatan stands
firm: VFA blocks justice for Laude's murder
By KARAPATAN
October 22, 2014
QUEZON CITY – "The
killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude by a US serviceman is a
heinous violation of human rights," Karapatan secretary general,
Cristina Palabay, told the Senate today during the hearing initiated
by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairperson of the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
"The current situation of
human rights violations committed with impunity is already bad as it
is. The VFA and recently approved Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement worsen the situation," Palabay told the Senate. "The
political will of the current administration to prosecute fully the
case is also questionable, given the skewed political relationship
between the US and Philippine governments," Palabay said.
Laude’s killing, she said,
“reflects the realities in Philippine society on the extent of
prevalent gender-based violence, the climate of impunity, and the
geo-political structures that exist." These are issues that are swept
under the rug by spinmeisters hired to deemphasize the enormity and
the roots of the problem.
Palabay said “the killing of
Laude and similar rights violations are acts that are legitimized
because of judicial system that turns its blind eye to justice.” She
added that “perpetrators of human rights violation in this country are
usually free from arrests, detention and conviction."
Palabay zeroed in on the
lopsided military agreements between the US and Philippine governments
which provides the context of the crime committed against Jennifer.
Palabay scored the US-RP Military Bases Agreement and the Visiting
Forces Agreement.
She mentioned the rape of
12-year old Rosario Baluyot who died of sepsis because parts of a
vibrator inserted in her vagina remained since her rape for seven
months. Palabay also cited the rape of "Nicole" by US marine Daniel
Smith in 2005. In both cases, the US soldiers accused of raping these
girls were shipped out from the Philippines.
Palabay also enumerated a
long list of atrocities committed by US soldiers against the Filipino
people: the shooting Buyong-buyong Isnijal by Sgt. Reggie Lane; the
killing of the Dr. Julius Ceasar Aguila who testified that Isnijal was
brought by Sgt. Lane and two other US soldiers in the hospital he was
working; the shooting of Arsid Baharun in 2004 by a US soldier; and,
the mysterious murder of Gregan Cardeno in 2010 while inside a US
facility in Camp Ranao, Marawi City and the subsequent death of
Cardeno’s friend, Capt. Javier Ignacio who helped the Cardeno family
shed light on Gregan's death.
