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SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO

THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCE (FIND)
ON ITS 25 TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY

Bulwagang Claret, Immaculate heart of Mary Parish
U.P. Village , Diliman, Quezon City
23 November 2010

In behalf of the Commissioners, Directors and employees of the Commission on Human Rights, I would like to extend to the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) our warmest greetings and congratulations on the occasion of its 25 th Founding Anniversary. In the 25 years of its existence, FIND has become a national icon in the struggle for human rights and justice in the Philippines and has won well-deserved praise and recognition for its work from the international community.

It is remarkable how an organization like FIND has lasted this long through all these years of political turmoil and armed conflict. It is a tribute to the courage and dedication of its leaders and members that it has continued to do its difficult work all these years. At the same time, it is a sad commentary of our times that an organization like FIND continues to be with us and to find a reason for its existence. It means that the scourge of involuntary disappearance continues to haunt us.

They say that involuntary disappearance is the most cruel of all human rights violations because of the almost perpetual uncertainty that it brings to a person who does not know where his loved one is, whether he is still alive, and whether he will see him again. We are fortunate to have an organization like FIND around to be in the forefront in the fight to eradicate this scourge.

Founded in 1985, FIND helped in exposing to the world the massive violations of human rights in the Philippines committed by the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and his security forces against the Filipino people. The cases of involuntary disappearance, along with the many cases of torture and extrajudicial killings committed by the military, paramilitary and police forces at that time, helped in isolating the dictator domestically and internationally, finally leading to his downfall in the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986.

Sadly, the phenomenon of involuntary disappearance in the country did not end with the fall of Marcos from power, as the military and the security forces continued with their ways as they became part of the new government of President Corazon Aquino, unreformed. FIND continued with its work of documenting cases of involuntary disappearance, searching for the victims, whether alive or dead, helping rehabilitate surfaced victims, providing psychological therapy and comfort to the families, advocating for the passage of an anti-enforced disappearance law, supporting efforts for the enactment of legislation for the compensation of victims of human rights violations during the dictatorship, and working for the adoption of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, for its signing by the government and for its ratification. But as one administration was replaced by another, cases of involuntary disappearance along with torture and extrajudicial killings have continued.

Even as we celebrate FIND’s 25 th anniversary, we pause to remember the monstrous atrocity that was the Ampatuan massacre committed one year ago today. It is a reminder to all of us that dark forces still operate in our society, nurtured by unequal and unjust political, economic and social structures and processes, perpetrating the same crimes that their counterparts committed with impunity 25 years ago.

But we are fighting back as best we can. Today, FIND, together with other human rights organizations, continues to fight the culture of impunity and violence that continues to prevail in the security sector, militias and private armies. We, in the Commission on Human Rights, are happy to be in this fight with these civil society organizations. We do our part in the discharge of our functions as the national human rights institution of our country and as an independent office under our constitution. We investigate cases of involuntary disappearance and other violations of civil and political rights including torture and extrajudicial killings. We are continuing our quiet investigation of the Jonas Burgos case, as directed by the Supreme Court.

We also monitor compliance by the state of its treaty obligations under the core international human rights instruments, including economic, social and cultural rights, in the performance of our main function as an independent monitor. We help in the implementation of the new Anti-Torture Law and the new IHL law. Together with FIND and other human rights organizations, we support the passage of an anti-disappearance law, and the signing and ratification of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The challenge is there, as expressed in the theme of today’s celebration: “Matuwid na Landas ay Bula Kung ang Tao’y Patuloy na Winawala”. But I am confident that together and step by step, we will eventually win this fight. This is expressed in the theme of our own forthcoming celebration on 13 December, to which you are all invited, of 100 days in office and facing the next 1,725 until 2015: “Karapatang Pantao: Sama-sama sa Isang Daan.”

Thank you.


LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES
Chairperson