By
JONG D. CADION
PAGADIAN
CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, (July 9, MPF News) --- The Police, Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Army (PA) implemented the
Anti-Torture Law in full force.
The
statement was announced Friday during the Media Forum and Press conference
organized by the Amnesty International Philippines-Pagadian City Group.
AI
Pagadian City Group assistant Region-9B coordinator Antonio Bayamban said
participants who were invited are the personnel from the City Prosecutor’s
Office, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Integrated Bar of the Philippines
(IBP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), police, military and the
members of the media.
During
the forum, the Civil Military Operation (G7) Officer of the Premier Army’s
Infantry (Tabak) Division, Lieutenant Colonel Victor Tanggawohn Jr. said the
Philippine Army employed professionalism among soldiers following the strict
implementation of Anti-Torture Law and the respect of human rights of every
citizen. “The Anti-Torture Law has set direction to government troops be
professional soldiers,” said Tanggawohn.
Tanggawohn also said the AFP Oplan Bayanihan program showed transparency and good acceptance among stakeholders where military operation was remove to address insurgency problems.
Tanggawohn
added they are supporting the ongoing President’s peace process program in the
south. He said the division continues their information and education campaign
incorporated in the conduct of trainings to their soldiers on human rights and
also had established coordination and partnership with Civil Society
Organization (CSO) especially from the Human Rights advocates in monitoring
human rights violations.
Elsewhere,
Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office deputy provincial Director
Superintendent James A. Turbela said Anti-Torture Law was property observed by
the Zamboanga del Sur police.
Women’s
and Children’s Desk and Human Right Desk are in place to all Municipal Police
Station to accommodate complaints against Child Abuse and Violence Against
Women and monitoring violations human rights, Turbela said.
The
ZSPPO has also set weekly radio program to educate people on their policies
regarding abuses from the members of the police force as incorporated in the
PNP Transformation Roadmap “PNP Patrol 2030,” he added.
Turbela
said the PNP has also standing order not be accepted detainees without proper
physical medical examination through medical certification from the physician.
Proper
observance regarding visiting hour’s protocol to detainees was also properly
imposed inside the detention cells, the director said.
BJMP
Pagadian City Jail Human Rights Officer JO3 Jeremy Bantilan shared their side,
saying, human rights of every prisoner are respected inside city jail.
Bantilan
said it is the policy of the BJMP to impose the “no-acceptance-policy” to every
accused person before detaining inside the detention cell without their medical
examination.
Meanwhile,
provincial Prosecutor Attorney Mary Ann Tugbang-Torres speaking for herself
said her appearance in the forum is not an official representation of the
department.
Torres
said she accepted the invitation to shade lights to the participants regarding
the law. Torres also expressed views that the law is one sided.
She
said in the law the non agent of authorities are not charge with similar
offense.
“The
people are not property inform what is the exact substance of the law except
the human rights advocates,” said Torres.
Torres
also said she had received several invitations from barangays to explain them
about human rights in a forum.
Torres
also expressed appreciation over the efforts of the Amnesty
International-Pagadian City group in organizing the activity.
AI-Pagadian
Group Coordinator Leah Agonoy said the activities are part of the global
campaign of the AI that was supposedly conducted last June 26 but because of
the unavoidable circumstances it was finally done last Friday.
Agonoy
said the forum also aimed to raise public awareness on Anti-Torture Law to
update the stakeholders about the Anti-Torture Law in this province and at the
same time inquiring the law-enforcement agencies on how they implemented the
law.
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