Friday, July 09, 2004 CHR-10 accused of dragging feet on case vs Emano By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE regional office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR-10) is not working on the case filed against Mayor Vicente Emano and Cagayan de Oro City Police (Cocpo) OIC-director Antonio Montalba for having ten suspects do the shame parade early this year.
This was the statement issued by lawyer James Judith, the lawyer of the suspects who were made to march around the city streets under the heat of the sun wearing placards marking their names and the alleged crimes they committed.
Some of the suspects alleged that they are not even facing any criminal charge in court.
Three of the ten suspects were minors - two are 17 years old while the other, 14 years old.
The suspects were made to do what is now called by many as the shame parade around Divisoria Park, Cogon and Agora public markets and other major streets in the city.
Judith said he has filed the criminal and administrative charges against Emano and Montalba in behalf of his clients last February but until now has not yet received any response from CHR-10.
"Wala man gyud nila gilihok ang kaso (They are not working on the case)," he said in frustration.
Sources disclosed that the case filed against Emano and Montalba over the shame parade controversy was long dismissed by CHR-10 already.
They said the CHR-10 has already conducted their investigation over the charges and found that it did not merit the filing of information to the City Prosecutors Office.
But Judith said CHR-10 could not have dismissed the charges he filed without informing him about it.
"Wala man gyud ko'y nadawat gikan sa Commission on Human Rights sukad sukad (I have not received anything from CHR-10 eversince I filed those charges)," he said.
Earlier, Emano was challenged by the local opposition to continue with parading suspects even minors around the city streets.
The mayor in return said he would have pushed through the shame parade of suspects and make it a regular Friday event in the city to help the people recognize these suspects and be wary whenever they are around.
"Pero ang mga police maoy ning hangyo kanako nga dili nalang ipadayon (But it was the police who requested that we discontinue it)," he said.
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