SC orders AFP, PNP to answer militants’ petition

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has granted relief to militant groups led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) against alleged threats and harassment from the police and military.

SC spokesman Theodore Te announced in a press conference yesterday that the justices decided to issue a writ of amparo requiring the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to answer the petition within three days from receipt of notice.

The high court also referred the case to the Court of Appeals for hearing and resolution.

A writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission.

In their petition last week, officers and members of KMU, Migrante and Kabataan party-list group sought the issuance of a temporary protection order stopping the supposed surveillance being conducted by government authorities on them.

Through counsels from the National Union of People’s Lawyer, petitioners claimed they are being harassed pursuant to the government’s internal security policy called “Oplan Bayanihan.”

They added that threats were made through text messages or anonymous correspondences alleging that the recipient is a member of either the New People’s Army or the Communist Party of the Philippines and urging them to cooperate with the military in ambiguous terms.

The petitioners also claimed that unidentified persons are oftenspotted near their residence or place of work, asking bystanders orneighbors for information about them.

Among the petitioners were Darby Santiago, chairman of the Health Alliance for Democracy; Imelda Gerali, a registered nurse and administrative officer of Samahang Sagip Inc. and member of the National Council of HEAD; Rebecca Abelong, national treasurer and administrative officer of the Drug, Food and Allied Workers Federation-KMU; Neil Ambon, media liaison officer of KMU; Renato Asa, secretary of KMU’s public information department;

Maritess Garte, member of the national staff of KMU; Loreto Victoriano, KMU-education and research department and coordinator staff; Josephine Carlos Betana of Migrante Bagong Silang, Caloocan chapter; Lovely Carbon, secretary-general of the National Union of Students of the Philippines; Jessica Ferrera, student regent of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines; John Paul Lapid, member of the Kabataan party-list secretariat.

Named respondents were President Aquino, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri, Major Gen. Virgilio Hernandez, Deputy Commander for Intelligence of the AFP, ISAFP chief Brig. General Arnold Quiapo, Philippine Army, PNP chief Ricardo Marquez and NCRPO chief Joel Pagdilao.

Earlier, the high court granted the petition filed by officers and members of civil society groups, particularly the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), SALINLAHI and the Children’s Rehabilitation Center seeking the issuance of writs of amparo and habeas data.

Habeas data will not only compel military and government agents to release information about victims of enforced disappearances but require access to military and police files.