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roads lead Monday to the historic Manila Hotel, where
officials of the three branches of the government will
seek solutions to the alarming incidence of
extra-judicial killings and mysterious disappearances
involving journalists, lawyers and judges and political
activists.
The
normally reclusive Supreme Court will lead the two-day
gathering dubbed the “National Consultative Summit on
Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances
—Searching for Solutions.”
Chief
Justice Reynato Puno, who will deliver the keynote
address, earlier noted that the “first and foremost of
human rights is the right to life.”
Puno
added: “The extrajudicial taking of life is the ultimate
violation of human rights. It cannot be allowed
anywhere and it has to be resisted everywhere.
Extrajudicial killings also constitute brazen assaults
on the rule of law. It is the constitutional duty of
our judiciary to protect the rule of law and we will
link with all efforts to prevent its erosion.”
The
Chief Justice has vowed to use its rule-making power
under the 1987 Constitution to protect political and
civil rights, particularly to address the problem of
extrajudicial killings and disappearances.
He noted
that under Article 8, Section 5 of the 1987
Constitution, the Supreme Court is given the power to
promulgate rules concerning the protection and
enforcement of constitutional rights, pleading,
practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission to
the practice of law, the integrated bar, and legal
assistance to the underprivileged.
Supreme
Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the summit aims
to arrive at wholistic solutions and provide inputs to
the SC in its objective of enhancing existing rules, or
promulgating new ones, in the protection and enforcement
of constitutional rights, including the protection of
the witnesses.
Likewise, it aims to examine the concept of
extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances
pursuant to the standards provided for by local and
international laws, including United Nations
instruments.
“Moreover, the summit aims to revisit the rules of
evidence and to explore more remedies for the aggrieved
parties aside from the writ of habeas corpus,” Marquez
said.
Among
the speakers are retired SC Justice Jose AR Melo,
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, Human Rights Commission
chief Purificacion Quisumbing, AFP Chief of Staff Gen.
Hermogenes Esperon Jr., PNP Director General Oscar
Calderon, Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., Justice
Secretary Raul Gonzalez, former Senate President Jovito
Salonga, constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, Prof.
Luis Teodoro, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez and
former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita is also expected to
attend the summit.
Members
of the diplomatic corps, various international
organizations as well as local and foreign observers
have been invited to attend.
On the
first day of the summit, the invited speakers will
present their respective papers comprising significant
inputs on the issues from their respective sectors.
At the
end of the summit, the participants will be divided into
12 groups for a workshop. Each group will be chaired by
a Supreme Court associate justice.
The
summit highlight will be a plenary session where each of
the 12 groups shall report to the body their
recommended solutions. The reports and proposals will
be synthesized and transmitted to the concerned
government agencies for appropriate action.
Marquez
said the High Court will act immediately on proposals
pertaining to special rules concerning the judiciary.
Earlier,
the SC announced that a total of 99 regional trial
courts have been designated as special courts to
exclusively and expeditiously hear, try and decide cases
of extrajudicial killings.
In
designating the special courts, the SC directed judges
not to allow any postponement except on clearly
meritorious reasons, and punish for indirect contempt
those who file pleadings for dilatory purposes. |
