NTF-ELCAC hits UN rapporteur’s ‘baseless’ accusations

MANILA, Philippines — The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) hit yesterday UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor over her “baseless” accusations against the Philippine government.

Lawlor on Sunday appealed to the government to drop the perjury case filed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. against Karapatan and Gabriela.

“It is sad, if not tragic, that the UN Special Rapporteur lost all sense of objectivity in issuing a statement that is full of bias, prejudice and literally maligns the Philippine government,” NTF-ELCAC acting spokesperson Flosemer Chris Gonzales said in a statement.

“Clearly, Mary Lawlor is ignorant of the real human rights situation in the Philippines. Her notion of human rights defenders is clearly biased and prejudiced,” Gonzales said.

He said Esperon filed the charges against the so-called human rights defenders based on facts.

Gonzales said Lawlor “clearly has not been to communities that were at the receiving end of the most heinous and atrocious crimes committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF terrorist organizations and by their allied front organizations masquerading as human rights defenders.”

The spokesman was referring to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front.

Lawlor said the perjury case against Karapatan and Gabriela “may also be a form of retaliation for the human rights activities of these local human rights defenders.”

“We have seen in recent years that many defenders have been dragged before the courts, smeared, red tagged and murdered in the Philippines. This intimidation should stop immediately,” she said.