Philippines Landmark Human Law Passed against enforced disappearances or abductions by government officials

Philippines Landmark Human Law Passed against enforced disappearances or abductions by government officials

The President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino has signed a new human rights law on the forced disappearance of individuals by state officials.

The legislation makes a distinction between simple kidnapping and the abduction of people by government security forces.

The law cannot be suspended even during wartime

The law does not permit amnesty for those convicted.

Superior officers of those found responsible are to be equally penalized.

Punishment - life imprisonment for state agents convicted of being involved in enforced disappearances

The new law defines an enforced disappearance as the abduction or "any other form of deprivation of liberty" of a person by state officials or their agents who subsequently conceal the person's fate or whereabouts.

Human rights groups have reported that such people have been kept in a network of "safe houses" where they are tortured and sometimes killed.

The law also bans secret detention facilities and authorizes the government to carry out regular and unannounced inspections of all places of detention and confinement.

Law also provides for the creation of an updated list of all the people held in our detention facilities,"

Normally what happens is real culprit is never punished only a small fish gets a punishment like suspension etc.

Reality views by sm –

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Tags – Philippines Human Rights