UPLM holds 2ND Mindanao Peoples’ Lawyers Gab

Calls for PGMA's Ouster

Amidst burgeoning economic crises and escalating cases of extralegal killings in various regions of Mindanao, the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) convened last week the 2^ND Mindanao Assembly of Peoples’ Lawyers here in Cagayan de Oro City. With its theme “Manlalaban sa Katawhan: Panalipdan ang Tawhanong Katungod! I-asdang ang tinuod nga Demokrasya ug Kagawasan, the assembly aimed to challenge the Human Security Act as it curtails the human rights and civil liberties of the Filipino people.

As defenders of truth and justice, Mindanao peoples’ lawyers aim to enhance the UPLM’s role in upholding peoples’ issues especially in Mindanao and contribute to and support the political advocacies of sectoral and multisectoral organizations.

A discussion on the Writ of Amparo will ensue as it will provide an added legal remedy for victims of repression by prosecuting the perpetrators of extralegal killings, e forced disappearances and other forms of human rights violations. Incidentally, perpetrators of these human rights violations have never been prosecuted or still remain at large.

The UPLM hosted the first national executive board meeting of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL). The NUPL is a national voluntary association of lawyers, law students, and paralegals from all over the country committed to render legal services to victims of human rights violations and to campaign and advocate for the protection and promotion of civil liberties and human rights. The UPLM takes pride in having been a major bloc of lawyers to have contributed to the formation of NUPL.

Major resolutions of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers was also presented as well as the accomplishment report of UPLM. A new set of UPLM officers was elected in order to carry out the Union’s General Program of Action for 2007-2008.

In a press conference the officers of the NUPL headed by its National President Atty. Fred Gapuz and Secretary General Atty Neri Colmenares, the group said that they are now studying the case of the “Payola” that happened in Malacañang recently. If they find that cases need to be filed against the receivers and the givers of the “gift” criminal cases will be filed against them.

Officers of of NULP and UPLM dramatize their call for reforms in government including the removal of PGMA from office in their 2nd Mindanao Convention held here recently. Photo by Ed Montalvan/PPA-CdeO