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27 January 2015

Mr. Fabio Marcelli Istituto di Studi Giuridici Internazionali (ISGI) Via dei Taurini 1900185 Rome E-mail: fabio.marcelli@isgi.cnr.it

Dear Mr. Marcelli,

This is to acknowledge, with appreciation, receipt of the copy in English of the Report and Petition on the situation of endangered lawyers in the Philippines. Please be informed that the copy of this report, in addition to the other copy in Italian received on 23 January 2015, have both been transmitted to the relevant government authorities in the Philippines.

As further contribution to our dialogue on this important subject matter, the Embassy would like to provide the attached brief on Administrative Order No. 35 signed by the President of the Philippines in 2012 which established an inter-agency committee in strong support of efforts to uphold the right to life, liberty and security of persons in the country.

The top agenda of the committee is to conduct an inventory of cases of extra­judicial killings (EJK), enforced disappearances, torture and other grave human rights violations committed both by state and non-state actors.

Members of this committee are the Department of Justice, the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Office of the Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs, Presidential Human Rights Committee, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Thank you.

Attachment: As stated

LEILA L A SANTOS Charge d Affaires, a.i.

II Governo delle Filippine, grazie all 'Amministrazione Aquino, ha rinvigorito i propri sforzi per affrontare accuse d'impunita, rafforzando Ie attuali procedure attraverso il Comitato Inter-agenzia istituito con I'Atto Amministrativo n. 35 (A035-IAC) .

Nel novembre del 2012, S.E. Benigno S. Aquino III , Presidente della Repubblica delle Filippine ha istitutito tramite I'Atto Amministrativo 35, iI Comitato Inter-agenzia (lAC) per Ie esecuzioni extra-giudiziali, sparizioni forzate, torture e altre gravi violazioni del diritto della persona alia vita, liberta e sicurezza.

L'IAC ha il compito di:

• Classificare tutti i casi di esecuzioni extra-giudiziali, sparizioni forzate, torture e altre gravi violazioni del diritto della persona, che siano essi risolti, non risolti, pendenti 0 in corso si verifica, perpetrati dalle forze delle Stato e non.

• Investigazioni dei casi irrisolti da parte di squadre speciali. • Monitoraggio dei casi da parte di squadre speciali di vigilanza. • Investigazioni e procedimenti di nuovi casi.

Con l'Atto Amministrativo 35 di so no attivate tre squadre speciali:

• Squadra Speciale Investigativa per nuovi casi (SITNs) • Squadra Speciale Investigativa per casi esistenti e pendenti (SITEC) • Squadra Speciale Investigativa per casi irrisolti (SITUs)

Altre attivita:

• Training speciale Polizia-Procuratori • lAC Meeting - II Segretario Leila de Lima ha presieduto gia 8 incontri del

Comitato Inter-Agenzia per dicustere dei casi previsti dall'A035 • L'Art. IX delle linee guida dell'A035 prevede la cooperazione con organizzazioni

internazionali , organizzazioni non governative, organizzazioni della societa civile e altri gruppilindividui interessati. L'A035-IAC lavora costantemente con il National Monitorign Mechanism (NMN) guidato dalla Commissione delle Filippine sui Diritti Umani.

MALACANAN PALACE MANILA

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BY THI= PRESIDENT OF THI= PHILIPPINES : I

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER No. 35 I ,

CREATING THE INTER-AGENCY COMMITtEE ON EXTRA-LEGAIl IKILLINGS, ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES, TORTURE AND OTH$~ GRAVE VIOLATIONS Of:: THE RIGHT TO LIFE, UBERTY AND SECURITY OF PERSONS i

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WHEREAS, Art. II, Section 11 of the 19B7 Constitution declares thdt the State values tile dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for hL~an rights;

WHEFtEAs, Art. III, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution provides tI~aJ no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law; I

I WHEREAS, Art. III, Section 2 onhe 1987 Constitution provides thflt Ithe right of

the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effe6ts against ; . . I I

unreasonable searches and seizures of· whatever nature and for any purpose shall be

invIolable; . . I I WHEREAS, Art. III, Section 12 (i) of the 1987 Constitution prov,ides that any

person under investigation for the commission of an offense shall have trei right to be informed of his ri!;Jht to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel

I preferably of his own choice; I

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WHEREAS, Art. III , Section 12 (2) of the 1987 Constitution pro~iqes that no torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will shall be used against him, and that secret detention places, solitary, incol~m;unicado, or other similar forms of detention are prohibited; !

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WHEREAS, Art. III, Section 14 (1) of the 1987 Constitution proyiqes that no person sh~1I be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of I~w; .

WHEREAS, Art. I II, SecUo n Sec. 18 (1) of the 1987 ConstituUon prlv~es that no person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspiratiors;

WHEREAS, there have been reported and validated violations ~f ~he above­declared rights of the individual throughout the years, which have serveq t9 create an impression of a culture of impunity, wherein security establishments of th~ state and nOll-state forces have been accused of silencing, through violence and ihtimidation, legitimate dissent and opposition raised :by members of the civil society, c~yse-oriented groups, political movements, people's and non-government organizatio~s, and by ordinary citizens; . I

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PNOYOOB119

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. . I I SECTION 2. F~mctioJ1s. Tile Committee 811all undertal<e the following:

. I I a) Inventory of cases. For the first 30 days, the Committee shall bonduct an

inventory of all cases of extra..jlegal killings, enforced disappearJndes, torture, and othElr grave violations or tille right to life, liberty, and seCUri ~y pf persons, perpetrated by State and non-state forces alike, from all governme'nt sources, Le. the investigative and p[osecutorial government offices, lin¢llIding the National Prosecution Service (NPS), the Ombudsman, CHR, p~pi, NBI, AFP Inspector General, People's Law Enforcement Board (PLEB), Natipnal Police COlllmission (NAPOLCOM), PNP Internal Affairs Selvice, the buWciary and all others, for purposes of categorizing said cases, as follows: I

i. ii. iii. iv.

Unsolved Cases; Cases under investigation; Cases under preliminary investif:Jation; and Cases under trial.

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Simultaneously. the Com~i.Ue!e ~hall also source data of .case~ ifrom ,non­government sources, specifically Independent and non-partisan Itlternahonal and national human rights organizalions and groups. I

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I In determining which cases are lo be included in the inventory, the Committee shall draw lip guidelines for the consideration of doubtful cases Iwi~h primacy given to the political complexion of the offense committed ,I and the participation of State or non-:state forces in the commission of the human rights violation. i

b) Investigation of unsolved cases. After conducting lhe inveiltory, the Committee shall prioritize the unsolved cases for action, and a~sign special investigation teams to conduct (urlhei' investigation 011 these das~es for the possible identification of the pierpetrators. Greater priority shall b~ given to high profile cases perpetrated during the past administration. I

I .~ c) Monitoring and rep0l1ing to tile Commillee of cases under inv~stigationl

preliminary investigation, and trial. For cases under investigation:, Rreliminary investigation, and trial, the Committee shall designate a speciall oversight team composed of inves!igatorrs and prosecutors who shall actir ely monitor developments on these cases and regularly report and submit recommendations to the Committee. . i

d) Investigation and prosecution · of new cases. The COllllllilteE1 khall also designate a special team of investigators and prosecutors exclllsiv~ly for new cases, for immediate investigation and prosecution of the pe~petrators . Cases referred to or filed with the CHR or the Ombudsman shall tie ~nonitored

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by lhis special team for action on CHR and Ombudsman resolUlfo~s on said cases, if applicable, unless the investigation has already bein started

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I I PNOYOD8121

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I I beforehand by, or complaints have already been filed with, th~ agencies under the Committee's jurisdiction, in which case the· speci~1 team shall oversee, . supelvise and monitor the investigation or preliminary I inVestigation conducted by the Committee's agencies, notwithstanding the con~duct of an on-going. investigation by the CHR or t.he Ombudsman. Howevet, the special team shall actively coordinate with the CHR and the OmbUdbnill' an in the conduct of these concurrent investigations.

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In the case of torture, the special team shall ensure that Section 9, (a) of RA No. 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act of 2009 on the e~-day p~ribd for an investigation of a complaint for torture is followed by the bd>J, Public Attorney's Office (PAO), PNP, NBf, and the AFP. i

I e) Action upon the cases. After the report of every team, which shalll b~ made as

regularly and as expeditiously as possible, whether in the forrry of short memoranda, email, notes, field spot reports, sms messages, andl t~e like, the Chair shall tal<e immediate action if such is within the jurisdi1ction of the agencies of the Department of Justice, without need of consJltation or agreement of the other members, or in consensus with th~ ~oncerned member of the Committee. In any case, tile Chair shall have the ~i~cretion to table any matter for discussion . and dE~cision of the Committee, especially in the instance of high-profile or problematic cases. '

f) Submission of report to the President. After the first six month~ from its . creation, and every six months thereafter, the Committee shall sufurriit a report

to the President, detailing the irnventory of cases according to c~telgory, and describing the accomplishments and progress made for each Ja~e, or the problems and obstacles. ~nco~ntered, higillig~ting. problema~ic Ihiph . profile cases from the past adrrilnlstratlon as well as Violations commlttea durrng the present administration, with furtlller recommendations for any additiohal action that may be. take.n by the President requiring coordination on I al co~~on course of action With the CHR, the Ombudsman, Congress, and tHe pudlQlary.

SECTION 3. Cootdination and · autonomy of members. Not~inh in ~tllis Administrative Order shall be interpre~ed to add to bureaucratic prbcesses or regulations in order to achieve the mandate of the Committee or hamper the re1gular and ordinary course of functions of the agenCies under the jurisdiction of the Ciommittee members. The individual agencies sl1alfnot be prevented from accomplls~ing what otherwise is ordinarily accomplished in ~l1e re~lular conduct of their ope~ations and functions, unless otherwise specifically agreed upon by the Committee for putposes of coordinating and implementing concerted action for the achievement of the ao~mittee's mandates. [

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SECTION 4. Suppott and cooperation from other government agencies. The various departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and local government units afe hereby

••• • ••• * ... . . . . ..... , T:

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enjoined to give full support, assistance land cooperation to the Committee in carrying out its mandate and functions . Ii '

SECTION 5. Funding. The initial funding requirements for the Illt~r-Agency Committee shall be charged against the current appropriations of tire I agencies composing tile Committee. Thereafter, : funding for the succeeding year~ shall be incorporated ill their respective regular appropriations. I

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SECTiON 6. Repealing Clause. This Administrative Order super~edes and repeals Administrative Order No. 211 (s.2!O07) on the creation of the Task Fprce Against Political Violence. The Task F?rce is hereby directed .t~ sublilit and tU~l1qver ~II its documents, data, reports, supphes, resources, and remaining budget to the qommlttee, subject to regular procedures. 1

SECTiON 7. t=fteeUvi!}'. This AdlTinistrative Order shall take effect iT'tediateIY,

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 22ml day of November ,in the ~ear of our

Lord, Two Thousand and Twelve. , "' . I )

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-------------+~--------~ . l,ERTIFIED COpy'

MARIl¥NI~U M.OI NDAL /DI,RECTOR IV i V -'17· JQrJML~C~HG RECORDS OFFfCf.

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