Sunday, June 30, 2008 RP ranks 3rd in ‘pro-torture’ list, survey says
SOME Filipinos believe some degree of torture should be allowed.
This was revealed in a survey by BBC/Globescan/Pipa, which said 40 percent of the Filipino respondents agree to the imposition of some forms of torture.
The Filipinos’ views on torture, as indicated in the international study, alarmed the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) as well as nongovernment organizations against torture, like Balay Rehabilitation Center, International Federation of Human Rights and the International Rehabilitation Council for Tortured Victims.
The survey said the Philippines had the third highest percentage of persons that condoned torture among 25 countries all over the world.
Israel got the highest average with 43 percent of the respondents saying they agreed with torturing prisoners.
Respondents
It was followed by Iraq with 42 percent.
The Philippines and Indonesia followed the list with a percentage of 40 percent each.
Only 29 percent of 27,000 respondents among the countries surveyed agreed to the use of torture.
An average of 59 percent is against all kinds of torture.
In the Philippines, only 56 percent were totally against torture. The figure is lower than the average.
Respondents
The other countries surveyed were Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Uk-raine and the United States.
As members of the United Nations observed last June 26 the International Day for Victims of Torture, allied organizations in the country held a media forum at Richmonde Hotel in Pasig City entitled “Torture: Is it Happening Again?”
The forum speakers presented proofs that it is.
A woman who claimed to be a victim of torture was presented to the media. Questions and information were limited though.
The age, background and the area where the woman experienced the torture were not made available.
Medical
She only said that she was arrested inside a bus along with two others and were not apprised of their constitutional rights or their offense.
She claimed to have been slapped and made to remove her clothing by police officers.
“Doctors were part of it, too,” she said in Tagalog, explaining how a medical certificate was issued but did not indicate the injuries and bruises she had.
Renato Mabunga, secretary-general of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, believe that the country’s war on terror has openly condoned torture.
Endemic
“It is a fact that the use of torture by police and military as methods for criminal investigation and punishment is endemic in the country. What is shocking is the negligible effort to eradicate torture or the lack of legal remedies available to victims,” a statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission also said.
Since torture is not considered a criminal offense in the Philippines, they said victims can only file a case for physical injuries.
But aside from the absence of a law to penalize it, getting justice will also take time.
“Litigation is a long drawn process and there is that fear of police reprisal,” said Ernesto Anasarias Jr., research and development coordinator of Balay. (JGA)
