COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / July 22, 2013) – Filipino activists and international human rights advocates slammed President Benigno Aquino’s 4th State of the Nation Address, saying nothing has changed in the Philippines.
The Kabataan party list group said it was not surprised that Aquino brandishes his regime with achievements far-beyond reality.
Jerome Succor Aba, of Kabataan party list, said they are concerned on the plight of the poor which are being pushed against the wall three years after Aquino assumed the presidency.
The Human Rights Watch also said it was dismayed by Aquino’s State of the Nation Address because the President chose not to talk about the continuing culture of impunity in the country where extrajudicial killings continue unabated.
“We are disappointed that he did not take the opportunity to communicate to the military and the police that they will be held accountable for human rights violations.”
“President Aquino’s failure to denounce abuses against outspoken activists, environmentalists, clergy and journalists sends the wrong message to abusive security forces and corrupt politicians,” James Ross, Legal and Policy Director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice social injustices and inequality worsened and persisted because of elite ownership and control of economic resources combined with neo-liberal economic policies implemented by previous governments and continued by the Aquino government.
It called on the Aquino administration to take decisive steps to shift away from inequitable, harmful and dirty growth-fixated economic strategy. “He has wasted the past three years of his administration; there is still time to take on a different path,” it said.
The State of the Nation Address sparked widespread protests in the country.
20