APOs official statement for this years Oblation Run: We, the men of Alpha Phi Omega, denounce the constant defilement of our country’s rule of law. Perpetrated even by the people to whom we entrust the execution of laws, these violations have detained Filipinos in fear and doubt, not only of the transgressors of law, but of its enforcers. This situation has gone on for far too long, and now is the time to stop it. In light of our stand, this year’s Ritual Dance of the Brave carries with it the call for accountability and sustained action on the part of those in power to respect the rule of law. In the spirit of LEADERSHIP, we enjoin the government to re-examine its latest addition to the still-existing pork barrel system: the insertion of various lump sum allocations in the 2015 budget. Not only has the Supreme Court found the Disbursement Acceleration Program unconstitutional, but the practice of setting aside large contingency funds for purposes yet to be identified punches a hole through the budget process’s credibility altogether. No one should be spared from the hands of law – not even friends and partymates. We enjoin the government to subject members of the administration accused of wrongdoing to the same scrutiny undertaken by errant opposition members. We appeal to our leaders to comply with the Constitution, respect rather than challenge its authority on this matter, and strike down such policies that will violate our country’s dignity. In the spirit of FRIENDSHIP, we press our government to address the culture of impunity present in our society today, impunity that manifests itself in the case of slain transgender woman Jennifer Laude, whose American murderer is still under the custody of US officers; in the squalor of evacuation camps in Zamboanga City; in the millions of Filipinos who are yet to be provided a sense of normalcy a year after Supertyphoon Yolanda tore their lives apart. This impunity manifests itself in Hacienda Luisita and hundreds of other plantations in the country, where millions of farmers are still denied the right to own the lands they till; in the struggles of workers for better wages; in the lives of more than 300 political prisoners; and in the lack of progress in the Maguindanao Massacre trials. Yes, the problems we face our great, but so is our hope for a better future. In the spirit of SERVICE, we urge all Filipinos to work together towards restoring the rule of law in the country. Let us take part in the ongoing efforts to build a Bangsamoro Basic Law that will serve as the legal foundation for lasting peace in Mindanao. Let us take action towards the legislation of a better and more efficient land distribution policy: write to our legislators demanding that they pass the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill. Let us support the continued calls for a Genuine Freedom of Information Act that guarantees absolute freedom of the press, and challenge our government to accept and, more importantly, to act on our call for complete transparency and unconditional accountability in all its dealings. Ours is a republic built upon laws. It can only be as strong as our collective ability to respect, abide by, and defend those laws, for only by these can we say that we are on a straight, virtuous path as a nation. UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW! DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS! END IMPUNITY NOW!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:47:54 +0000
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