Etta to CHR a double black-eye for human rights – Anakbayan

Youth group Anakbayan today slammed the appointment of former Akbayan representative Etta Rosales as chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and called on President Noynoy Aquino to reconsider what they called ‘the worst dis-appointment of Noynoy so far’.

“The appointment is just wrong in so many levels. First, it is an obvious act of political patronage, exactly the thing President Aquino campaigned against during the elections. There are certainly more qualified candidates than Rosales, so her appointment runs counter to efforts to professionalize the CHR, as well as the entire civil service” said Anakbayan national vice-chairperson Anton Dulce.

The partylist group Akbayan, of which Rosales belonged to, was one of the most vocal supporters of Aquino during the campaign period.

“This is the reward for their being Noynoy’s attack dog against progressives who were, and continue to be critical of him and his polices” said Dulce.

He was referring to several statements made by Akbayan leaders and members, including former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros, against progressive senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza, accusing them of links with the underground Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army.

“If you are going to appoint her, you might as well appoint someone like (former Defense secretary Norberto) Norby Gonzales or (retired General Jovito) Palparan” he added.

Both names have largely figured in the staggering number of human rights violations under the nine-year rule of Gloria Arroyo, including 1,300+ cases of extra-juidicial killings, and more than 300 enforced disappearances. Both have also publicly gone on record to claim that the said victims, many of whom are members of the same partylist groups as Ocampo and Maza, are members of the CPP-NPA.

Finally, Dulce added “We applauded the appointment of (former CHR head) Leila de Lima to the Dept. of Justice because she has proven her integrity during her tenure in the CHR. The appointment of Etta however is quite the opposite: you are replacing de Lima with someone who has not proven her integrity, and has a stained track record”.