Police, BJMP and Army implements Anti-torture Law in Zambo. Sur

The Panel of Speakers (from left) Atty. Mary Ann Tugbang

Torres of the    Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Pagadian City

Police Office Admin Officer Insp Julieto PC  Asenero, ZSPPO

Deputy Provincial Director Supt James A. Turbela, BJMP

Pagadian City Jail Human Rights Officer JO3 Jeremy JM Bantilan

and Premier Army’s Infantry (Tabak) Division Civil Military

Operation (G7) Officer Lieutenant Colonel Victor Tanggawohn

Jr. during the Media Forum and Press conference on Anti-

Torture Law at  2^nd Floor Natalia Hall, Camila Hotel located

Along Gov. J. Ariosa Street, Pagadian City. (Photo by JONG

CADION)

By JONG D. CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, (July 9, MPF News) --- The Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Army (PA) implemented the Anti-Torture Law in full force.

The statement was announced Friday during the Media Forum and Press conference organized by the Amnesty International Philippines-Pagadian City Group.

AI Pagadian City Group assistant Region-9B coordinator Antonio Bayamban said participants who were invited are the personnel from the City Prosecutor’s Office, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), police, military and the members of the media.

During the forum, the Civil Military Operation (G7) Officer of the Premier Army’s Infantry (Tabak) Division, Lieutenant Colonel Victor Tanggawohn Jr. said the Philippine Army employed professionalism among soldiers following the strict implementation of Anti-Torture Law and the respect of human rights of every citizen. “The Anti-Torture Law has set direction to government troops be professional soldiers,” said Tanggawohn.

Tanggawohn also said the AFP Oplan Bayanihan program showed transparency and good acceptance among stakeholders where military operation was remove to address insurgency problems.

Tanggawohn added they are supporting the ongoing President’s peace process program in the south. He said the division continues their information and education campaign incorporated in the conduct of trainings to their soldiers on human rights and also had established coordination and partnership with Civil Society Organization (CSO) especially from the Human Rights advocates in monitoring human rights violations.

Elsewhere, Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office deputy provincial Director Superintendent James A. Turbela said Anti-Torture Law was property observed by the Zamboanga del Sur police.

Women’s and Children’s Desk and Human Right Desk are in place to all Municipal Police Station to accommodate complaints against Child Abuse and Violence Against Women and monitoring violations human rights, Turbela said.

The ZSPPO has also set weekly radio program to educate people on their policies regarding abuses from the members of the police force as incorporated in the PNP Transformation Roadmap “PNP Patrol 2030,” he added.

Turbela said the PNP has also standing order not be accepted detainees without proper physical medical examination through medical certification from the physician. 

Proper observance regarding visiting hour’s protocol to detainees was also properly imposed inside the detention cells, the director said.

BJMP Pagadian City Jail Human Rights Officer JO3 Jeremy Bantilan shared their side, saying, human rights of every prisoner are respected inside city jail.

Bantilan said it is the policy of the BJMP to impose the “no-acceptance-policy” to every accused person before detaining inside the detention cell without their medical examination.

Meanwhile, provincial Prosecutor Attorney Mary Ann Tugbang-Torres speaking for herself said her appearance in the forum is not an official representation of the department.

Torres said she accepted the invitation to shade lights to the participants regarding the law. Torres also expressed views that the law is one sided.

She said in the law the non agent of authorities are not charge with similar offense.

“The people are not property inform what is the exact substance of the law except the human rights advocates,” said Torres.

Torres also said she had received several invitations from barangays to explain them about human rights in a forum.

Torres also expressed appreciation over the efforts of the Amnesty International-Pagadian City group in organizing the activity.

AI-Pagadian Group Coordinator Leah Agonoy said the activities are part of the global campaign of the AI that was supposedly conducted last June 26 but because of the unavoidable circumstances it was finally done last Friday.

Agonoy said the forum also aimed to raise public awareness on Anti-Torture Law to update the stakeholders about the Anti-Torture Law in this province and at the same time inquiring the law-enforcement agencies on how they implemented the law.