Unexplained Killings in RP Down 70 Percent – Alston
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4 June 2009 – In his follow-up report to the 11th session of the Human Rights Council, United Nations Special
Rapporteur Prof. Philip Alston said the number of unexplained killings in the Philippines “has fallen
dramatically by 70 percent.”
In his oral statement before the Human Rights Council last June 3, Prof. Alston added that the Philippine
Human Rights Commission has been reinvigorated and a major and “highly credible” investigation of the
alleged death squads in Davao has been opened.
“The Government continues to announce new initiatives designed to reduce the number of killings and identify
those responsible,” he added.
The Philippine Government, through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, noted Prof.
Alston’s follow-up report.
The Permanent Mission submitted to the Human Rights Council a detailed written response to Prof. Alston’s
follow-up report. The response was prepared by the Philippine Human Rights Committee.
During the interactive dialogue in the Human Rights Council, the Philippine delegation shared news reports
validating that the New People’s Army was behind a number of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
The Philippine delegation stated that such proof was “indicative of the consistent pattern of deception used by
rebel groups where the armed wing conducts extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances and other
violations of humanitarian law, while the political arm puts the blame on the government.”
Aside from the follow-up report on the Philippines, Prof. Alston presented a number of reports to the 11th
session of the Human Rights Council, including those on his visits to other countries. END
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Vice President Noli De Castro Visits Shanghai
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4 June 2009 – Vice President Noli De Castro visited China on April 24 to 27 to attend the 5th Central China
Expo in Hefei City, Anhui Province, as a guest of honor, and to view the Shanghai World Expo 2010 site.
The Vice President was assisted in his courtesy calls and meetings by Philippine Ambassador to China
Sonia Cataumber Brady and Philippine Consul General to Shanghai Ma. Rowena Mendoza Sanchez.
Vice President De Castro received a briefing by Director-General Hong Hao of the Shanghai World Expo
Coordination Bureau on the preparations for the conduct of the World Expo in 2010 as well as the plans for its
use after 2010.
Organizers of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 expect about 70 million visitors from 01 May to 31 October 2010.
Thus far, over 186 countries have signed up to join the Expo including the Philippines.
The Philippines will participate in the six-month World Expo in Shanghai with a 2,000- square meter pavilion
with the theme “Performing Cities”.
On April 26, Vice President De Castro, together with Ambassador Brady, Consul General Sanchez, Dr. Alfonso
Uy and other members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.
proceeded to Hefei City in Anhui Province to attend the 5th Central China Expo.
At the 5th Central China Expo, Vice President Noli De Castro met with Vice Premier Wang Qishan and together
with the six governors of Central China, the Vice President and the Vice Premier cut the ceremonial ribbon
formally opening the Central China Expo.
Vice President De Castro was also the Keynote Speaker at the Central China Business Summit held at the
Expo.
The 5th Central China Expo is the largest investment and trade exposition in Central China. It is focused on
the famous brands of Central China and other domestic and foreign companies. The expo was organized by
eight ministries and commissions under the State Council and the provincial governments of Anhui, Hubei,
Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi and Shanxi and is aimed at implementing the Central Rise strategy of the Chinese
central government.
Anhui Provincial Party Secretary Wang Jinshan called on Vice President De Castro. Party Secretary Wang was
accompanied by the Anhui Governor Wang Sanyun and representatives from the people’s congress, Foreign
Affairs and Commerce departments of Anhui Province.
Anhui Province has sister-city relations with the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Cavite.
During the call, the Party Secretary thanked the Vice President for honoring the province with his visit and for
his show of support to the Central China Expo. The Party Secretary mentioned that China and the Philippines
are friendly neighboring countries that have long cooperative ties.
For his part, the Vice President commended the leadership of the province and the resiliency of the people for
the successful holding of the expo and stated that the Philippines is interested to expand its relationship with
Anhui and that there are many products and industries in the Philippines that are open for investment.
The Vice President also noted that the Philippines and China are not just friends but reliable partners. He
urged the forging of closer links between the province and its cities with their counterparts in the Philippines
and extended his invitation to the Party Secretary and the Governor to visit the Philippines.
While in Hefei City, Vice President De Castro visited USTC iFlytec Company, the world’s leading Chinese
language software developer, and the JAC Automotive Group Company, one of China’s leading manufacturers
of cars, buses and light trucks.
Vice President De Castro also witnessed the signing of the Sister-Chamber Agreement between the
Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) and the CCOIC Anhui
Chamber of Commerce.
The agreement was signed by Federation present Dr. Alfonso Uy and CCOIC Chairwoman Gao Hongmei.
END
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Rizal Park to be Constructed in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
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4 June 2009 – Consul General Eva G. Betita reported to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo that a
2.2-hectare property in the city of Campbelltown, New South Wales Rizal Park will be developed to become the
Rizal Park in Australia.
The Rizal Park will be situated in what used to be an empty reserve owned by the city government that was
being preserved for future use.
In 1988, a group of Filipino-Australians and friends petitioned the city council of Campbelltown to name it Rizal
Park.
The project is the brainchild of the Rizal Park Movement, a group of five Filipino-Australian associations that
banded together in 2006 with the common vision of making the reserve into a park.
In June 2007, Campbelltown formally designated the Rizal Park reserve into a park that will be funded by the
city council.
The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney has been assisting the Rizal Park Movement’s project through
endorsements and gathering support from other Filipino-Australian associations throughout the state of New
South Wales.
The Rizal Park project received A$120,000 Federal Government grant from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The
grant will be used for the initial construction of the park, to include a playground and picnic facilities for use by
the general public. In addition, the Campbelltown city council will provide another A$140,000 for further
improvements.
The construction plan for the park was presented to Campbelltown Mayor Russell Matheson, Philippine
Consul General Eva G. Betita, Rizal Park Movement chair Lourdes Kaiser, Knight Commander Maximilio
Lopez of the Knights of Rizal, and members of the Filipino-Australian Community in Campbelltown last May 29.
The Rizal Park Movement plans to further improve the park with tree planting and landscaping and the
construction of shade structures, barbecue facilities, car parking, and a cycle way. The Order of the Knights of
Rizal in New South Wales has also committed to commission a statue of Dr. José Rizal to be placed
prominently in the area.
Campbelltown in the state of New South Wales is a prosperous industrial-agricultural town and hosts the third
largest concentration of Australian-Filipinos numbering approximately 4,108. END
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DFA-OAVS, COMELEC and Commission on Filipinos Overseas conclude MOA
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4 June 2009— Department of Foreign Affairs–Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) Vice
Chairman Nestor Padalhin (rightmost), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Dante Ang
(middle), and Commission on Elections–Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COMELEC-COAV)
Commissioner Nicodemo T. Ferrer (leftmost) sign a Memorandum of Agreement that will further strengthen
the overseas registration process to Filipino permanent migrants or permanent residents abroad.
The MOA formalizes the agreement made by the DFA-OAVS, CFO, and COMELEC-COAV to establish an OAV
Registration Center at the CFO office in Manila. (photo by: Tony Bosa Jr. DFA-PISU)
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DFA-OAVS, COMELEC and Commission on Filipinos Overseas Inaugurate Registration
Center at the CFO
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4 June 2009—Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Dante Ang (leftmost) Commission on
Elections–Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COMELEC-COAV) Commissioner Nicodemo T. Ferrer
(middle) and Department of Foreign Affairs–Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) Vice Chairman
Nestor Padalhin (rightmost) cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally open the registration center at the CFO.
The establishment of the registration center aims to bring the registration process closer and more
accessible to the clientele of CFO. These include Filipino permanent migrants or permanent residents
abroad, Filipinos overseas who have become citizens of other countries, and Filipino spouses and fiancées of
foreign nationals leaving the country. (photo by Tony Bosa Jr. DFA-PISU)
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