Professional Documents
Culture Documents
For
this
reason,
we
appeal
to
President
Rodrigo
Duterte
to
release
all
political
prisoners.
It
is
our
firm
belief
that
the
release
of
all
political
prisoners
is
a
critical
step
to
achieve
success
in
the
Peace
Talks.
The
president
himself
recognized
this
when
he
made
his
promise
to
free
all
political
prisoners
in
conjunction
with
his
declaration
to
resume
the
Peace
Talks
with
the
National
Democratic
Front
of
the
Philippines.
We
believe
in
the
sincerity
of
President
Duterte
to
pursue
the
peace
negotiations
and
end
the
war
that
has
cost
so
many
lives
and
caused
untold
human
suffering.
We
welcome
the
goodwill
gesture
of
the
President
in
releasing
22
consultants
of
the
NDFP
so
they
could
participate
at
the
Peace
Talks
last
October
in
Oslo,
Norway.
It
was
in
this
spirit
of
fostering
a
favourable
condition
for
the
negotiations
that
the
agreement
signed
by
GRP
and
NDFP
panels
stipulates
that
the
government
panel
will
recommend
to
President
Duterte
the
issuance
of
an
Amnesty
Proclamation
for
the
release
of
prisoners
who
are
listed
by
the
NDFP.
We
are
therefore
deeply
concerned
by
recent
statements
from
the
President
that
signal
a
reversal
of
his
commitment
to
release
all
political
prisoners
and
pursuit
of
a
successful
Peace
Process.
We
are
particularly
disturbed
that
his
government
is
now
backtracking
on
previous
commitments
adding
new
conditions
such
as
a
signed
ceasefire
agreement
between
the
GRP
and
NDFP
panel
as
a
precondition
to
the
release
of
political
prisoners.
We
fear
that
this
condition
which
is
not
stipulated
in
the
joint
agreements
between
the
GRP
and
NDFP
panels
could
deteriorate
the
relationship
of
trust
and
confidence
that
is
so
crucial
for
the
Peace
Talks
to
succeed.
In
solidarity
with
the
Filipino
people
who
have
long
aspired
and
struggled
for
just
and
lasting
peace,
- We
appeal
to
President
Duterte
to
ensure
the
continuance
and
success
of
the
Peace
Talks
and
guarantee
that
the
peace
negotiation
does
not
collapse
by
the
failure
to
release
all
political
prisoners.
- We
urge
the
President
to
abide
by
the
agreement
signed
by
the
GRP
and
NDFP
panel
and
take
immediate
steps
towards
the
issuance
of
an
Amnesty
Proclamation
and
to
use
his
persuasive
leadership
to
get
the
proclamation
approved
by
Congress.
- We
call
on
him
to
release
the
3
consultants
of
the
NDFP
who
remain
in
detention
as
a
confidence-building
measure.
- We
call
on
him
to
release
immediately
on
humanitarian
grounds
all
the
130
ailing
political
prisoners.
The
tragic
death
of
political
prisoner
Bernabe
Ocasla
on
November
28highlights
the
urgency
of
their
release.
- We
call
on
President
Duterte
to
further
foster
favourable
conditions
for
the
Peace
Talks
by
putting
an
end
to
the
counter-insurgency
program,
Operation
Plan
Bayanihan,
and
returning
military
troops
to
their
barracks.
The
release
of
all
political
prisoners
is
an
issue
of
justice.
We
appeal
to
President
Duterte
to
protect
the
right
of
his
countrys
citizens
to
speak
and
act
on
their
political
beliefs.
We
urge
him
to
rectify
the
injustice
committed
against
those
who
are
imprisoned
for
exercising
their
right
by
releasing
all
political
prisoners
NOW.
Signatories
NATIONAL
and
REGIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
1. Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
2. Hassan Yussef, National President, Canadian Labour Congress
3. Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
4. National Union of General and Public Employees (NUPGE)
5. Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
6. Kelly Moist, National Executive Member CUPE Manitoba
7. Paul Moist, Past President, Canadian Union Of Public Employees
8. Mining Watch Canada
9. Rev. Rosemarie Lambie, Executive Secretary, Montreal and
Ottawa Conference, United Church Of Canada
10. Jennifer Henry, Executive Director, KAIROS Canada
11. Rev. Japhet Ndhlovu, Program Coordinator, South Asia The
United Church of Canada
12. Thomas S. Saras President and CEO, National Ethnic Press and
Media Council Canada
13. John Cartwright, President, Ontario Federation of Labour
14. International Committee for Human Rights in the
Philippines (ICHRP-Canada)
15. Bern Jagunos Global Council Member International Committee for
Human Rights in the Philippines ICCHRP
16. Douglas Booker Global Council Member International Committee
for Human Rights in the Philippines ICCHRP
17. Rose Tijam, President - Philippine Press Club of Ontario
18. Joceylne Dubois, International Director, Canadian Labour
Congress
19. Louise Casselman, Global Justice Officer Public Service Alliance of
Canada
BRITISH
COLUMBIA
20. Mable Elmore NDP Candidate Vancouver-Kensington
21. CUPE BC International Solidarity
22. Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (LRWC)
23. Alliance for People's Health (APH)
24. Grassroots Women
25. Red Sparks Union
26. Ayotzi68 Cultural Society
27. South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy
(SANSAD)
28. Migrante BC
29. Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (CPSHR)
30. Philippine Artist Network for Community Integrative
Training Collective (PANCIT)
31. Mining Justice Alliance (MJA)
32. Dr. Valerie Raoul, Professor Emerita Institute for Gender, Race,
Sexuality and Social Justice University of British Columbia
33. Rev. Stuart Lyster, St. Stephens United Church, B.C.
34. Dr. Leonora C. Angeles, Associate Professor of Community and
Regional Planning and Women's and Gender Studies University of
British Columbia
35. Bert Monterona, International visual artist
36. Andrew Leger, President CUPE Local 1004
37. Katie Techen, BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union
38. Ronnie Nicolasora, UNIFOR 468W
39. Simon Lau, UNIFOR BC Young Workers Committee
40. Val Cadamia CUPE Local 728 Surrey Schools Support Worker
41. Linda Harding, Regional VP Pacific, Government Services Union,
PSAC
WESTERN CANADA
OTTAWA
QUEBEC
ATLANTIC
NORTH