April 27 to 29, 2009 will be the time for the Philippine government to submit its overdue report to the United Nations Committee Against Torture. The Philippine Report covers the period from June 1989 to June 2007, seventeen (17) years late, a clear neglect of State obligations under Article 19 paragraph 1 of the Convention Against Torture (CAT).

After 17 years of backlog the government will be submitting their long tale of lies and parables to the United Nations.

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) strongly condemns the brutal torture and extrajudicial killing of Rebelyn Pitao, a 21-year old teacher at St. Peter School in Toril, Davao City. According to the report (Alfred Dalizon, People’s Tonight, Saturday, March 7, 2009), Ms. Pitao’s body was found Thursday, a day after she was abducted by unidentified armed persons last Wednesday, March 4, at 6 pm in Kanto Bago Galera in Talomo near the Apo Golf Course.

Since time immemorial, torture has been humanity’s option for clinging to power and in suppressing truth. This happened to St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, during his stoning to death. This was humanity’s betrayal of Christ which ended up in the nailing on the cross. Indeed, He was a torture victim. Being sold for thirty pieces of silver; tried in public to denounce the supremacy of God over Ceasar; scourged at the pillar to test the vulnerability of the Son of God; crowned with thorns to disgrace the very sanctity of His Father. Torture was a method perpetrated with presumed regularity within the very procedures in the implementation of the law of man. Today, this is still happening. This is happening to any Juan, Pedro, and Maria in their quest to protect integrity and dignity as individuals or communities in the Philippines.

Ang Lanao Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (LAHRA), Inc. ay nakikiramay sa mga pamilya ng lahat ng naging biktima ng magkasunod na pagsabog sa Uni City Department Store at Jerry’s Shoppers Mall sa Iligan City noong nakaraang December 18, 2008. Ang karumaldumal na pangyayari ay buong lakas na kinokondena ng LAHRA. Ito ay hayagang paglapastangan sa karapatang pantao, ang gawain ng mga hindi sibilisadong nilalang.

Ang pangyayaring ito ay mas lalo pang nagpalala sa di pagkakaunawaan sa pagitan ng mga Moro at Kristyano na nabuhay dahil sa usapin ng MOA-AD at ng naganap na pag-atake ng mga miyembro ng MILF sa mga bayan ng Kauswagan at Kolambugan noong nagdaang Agosto 18, 2008 na naging mitsa ng malawakang kaguluhan sa Mindanao. Subalit kailangan nating maintindihan na ang pangyayaring ito ay lalo lamang nagpapalakas sa loob ng mga masasamang elementong walang ibang nais na gawin kung hindi guluhin ang mapayapang syudad ng Iligan at maghasik ng takot at kalituhan sa mga sinasakupan nito.