Womens group slams Sarmientos appointment

A womens rights group slammed the appointment of former police General Lina Sarmiento as head of theHuman Rights Victims Claim Board.

The group Tanggol Bayi said that Sarmiento is unfit to assume the post because she was part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Human Rights Office which committed alleged abuses against women during the past administration.

The appointment of a police general, one from an institution which has systematically spawned rights violations including numerous sexual forms of violence against women since the Martial Law period, is an affront to Filipinos and all victims of human rights abuses, Kiri Dalena, Tanggol Bayi convenor said.

During the Marcos regime, Dalena said thousands of women disappeared, were killed, tortured, raped, illegally arrested, and detained by the Philippine Constabulary and other law enforcement groups to suppress the resistance of the Filipino people against the dictatorship.

These human rights violations are continued by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. During the Arroyo administration, when Sarmiento was part of the PNP Human Rights Office, 152 women were victims of extrajudicial killing, 31 women disappeared, while 290 women were illegally arrested and detained, Cristina Palabay, Tanggol Bayi co-convenor added.

Under the current administration, human rights group Karapatan documented 18 women victims of extrajudicial killing, three cases of rapeand 33 women political prisoners who were victims of illegal arrests and fabricated charges.

President Aquino is using a female police official to deodorize stinking institutions with notorious records of human rights abuses, Palabay said.

Tanggol Bayi likewise scored Malacanangs disregard for its women nominees to the claims board.

The group claimed that its nominees are publicly known for their deep and thorough understanding and knowledge of human rights and involvement in efforts against human rights violations and clear and adequate understanding and commitment to human rights protection, promotion and advocacy.

These are minimum qualifications needed for claims board members under the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013, Palabay said.

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Womens group slams Sarmientos appointment