INTERNATIONAL COURT TO TRY GLORIA TODAY

INTERNATIONAL COURT TO TRY GLORIA TODAY

Senator Jamby Madrigal is now in the Hague, The Netherlands at the invitation of the Peoples Permanent Tribunal to give a report on the human rights problems in the Philippines and observe the indictment proceedings today (3:00 p.m. Manila time) against Mrs. Gloria Arroyo.

This international court, convened by jurists and persons of proven independence, is the same tribunal that indicted former President Marcos in 1981 for crimes against humanity.

As a Filipino and human rights advocate, it is my duty to bring the issue of human rights violations in the Philippines in all forums and ensure that repression and oppression will come to end, Madrigal said in an earlier statement.

She will be joined by relatives and survivors of human rights victims, the Public Interest Law Center, Peace for Life, Philippine Peace Center, IBON Foundation, United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Ecumenical Bishops Forum.

The Peoples Permanent Tribunal is an international body that examines and judges complaints regarding violations of human rights and rights of peoples that are submitted by the victims themselves or groups representing them.

The tribunal was founded in June 1979 in Italy by law experts, writers and other intellectuals. It succeeded the Russell Tribunals I and II or the International War Crimes Tribunal which held two sessions in 1967 to expose the war crimes committed against the Vietnamese people.