Philippines: Political Killings Draw Calls for Impeachment

16 August 2006

Tensions are mounting in the Philippines' political sphere, with more than 200 citizens filing another impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The complaint marks the eighth this month.

Arroyo survived three impeachment complaints filed in September of last year when the opposition failed to win enough votes. Polls indicate that roughly half of Filipinos believe an impeachment complaint against Arroyo should be reactivated.

The complaints arise from various human rights violations by the Arroyo administration. Amnesty International has released a new report documenting an increase in killings of political and community activists under her tenure as president. There have been 51 documented political killings in the first half of 2006, compared to just 66 for the whole of 2005. Investigations rarely lead to the arrest, prosecution, or punishment of those responsible, Amnesty says.

Most of those killed are members of leftist or left-orientated groups who oppose the government. While President Arroyo condemned such killings in a State of the Nation address to Congress in July and has outlined a 14-point program for the prevention of extra-judicial executions, many believe her actions fail to back her publicly-declared convictions.

"President Arroyo's rhetoric so far is not matched by actions. She should prove that her statements have meaning by taking strong steps to prevent these killings," said Curt Goering, senior deputy executive director of Amnesty International USA.

Amnesty is calling for the United States to take an active role in pressuring the Arroyo administration. The organization is advising President Bush to raise the issue when he meets with President Arroyo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting this November. In the meantime, opposition groups and civilians hope to enact change through their continual filing of impeachment complaints. [Read the full 51-page report from Amnesty on political killings in the Philippines.]

Meanwhile, some observers are concerned that any impeachment hearings will merely be swayed by the same corrupt forces they're targeting within the government. As a result, citizens are calling for lawmakers implicated in a corruption scandal to excuse themselves from hearing the case.

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