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MANILA, Philippines ? Rebellion charges and other criminal cases filed against four progressive party-list lawmakers were all meant to impair their capacity to perform their tasks as members of the House of Representatives, according to a resolution by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
As such, the international body urged the Arroyo administration to act on the cases with dispatch or right away clear Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casino of Bayan Muna, Liza Maza of Gabriela, and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis.
The resolution was adopted by the committee on the human rights of parliamentarian of the IPU during its session from June 28 to July 1 in Geneva, Switzerland. Bayan Muna received a copy of the resolution Friday last week.
The four lawmakers raised the concern before the IPU in 2007 after the government filed rebellion charges against them for their alleged involvement in the foiled plot to overthrow the Arroyo administration in February 2006.
The case was dismissed by the Supreme Court, but new cases were lodged against the lawmakers, including multiple murder charges, perjury, and obstruction of justice, some of which have remained pending in various courts.
In its resolution, the IPU said it ?remains deeply concerned at the new cases brought out against the representatives concerned as the information brought to its attention tends to suggest that the accusations in question are not based on sound evidence.?
It pointed out the case against Casino lodged two years ago for allegedly preventing the arrest of Vincent Borja, an alleged member of the New People?s Army. Casino filed his counter affidavit in June 2007, but the case was still awaiting resolution by the prosecutor.
It also noted the filing of another murder case against Ocampo, even if the case already forms part of an earlier multiple murder case filed against him.
?Many cases brought against the parliamentarians concerned can only impair their capacity to exercise their parliamentary mandate freely and effectively,? said the resolution.
In April 2007, the IPU sent a delegation to the country and discussed the cases of the four lawmakers.
The IPU is an international organization of 143 parliaments of sovereign states. It has seven regional parliamentary assemblies as associate members. It aims to promote democracy and inter-parliamentary dialogue. It has also worked for the establishment of institutions at the inter-governmental level, including the United Nations, in which it has observer status.
