A group of foreign lawyers found government efforts to address human rights violations in the Philippines wanting.

The conclusion from the International Fact-finding Mission organized by the Dutch lawyers for Lawyers Foundation found that government agencies are ambivalent in their efforts to abet and solve extrajudicial killings, particularly in cases involving the military and police as perpetrators.

The study cited data from the National Union of People’s Lawyers and the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties that 15 judges and 22 lawyers have been killed since 2001. Judges and lawyers are also being subjected to death threats and reportedly included in the military’s order of battle or under surveillance.

This is the second time that the Dutch organization of lawyers had been to the Philippines to look into extrajudicial killings of judges and lawyers. The first was in June 2006.

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo today delivered a speech before the House
of Representatives to deplore the resurgence of extrajudicial killings
and trumped-up charges against activists.

Full text of Ocampo’s speech follows:

Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, I rise on an issue of collective
and personal privilege regarding the resurgence of political killings
and trumped-up criminal charges against members of my party Bayan Muna
and other legal organizations.

A recent study of independent thinktank IBON showed that Filipinos are reeling from the financial crisis that has rocked all economies worldwide. I t showed that 75% of Filipinos surveyed admitted that they are having difficulty buying enough food and paying for basic expenses.

The study was conducted with 1,494 respondents and held last October.

This was a rise from the 55.7% Filipinos who considered themselves poor a year ago. A survey in October 2007 showed that 50% said their livelihood was worse, while 42.6% said their livelihood remained the same.

NSO pegged the inflation rate at 11.8% last month.