Quezon City,Philippines, 26 November 2008 - Child rights advocates expressed strong disappointment over the junking by pro-administration congressmen of the impeachment complaint today.  “We are saddened that majority of our congressmen are blind to the plight of the marginalized Filipinos, especially the children”, said Alphonse Rivera, spokesperson of the group. led by SALINLAHI Alliance for Children’s Concerns

Rivera said that SALINLAHI believes that the Pres. Arroyo should be made to answer to the people, whether the impeachment complaint is sufficient in substance or not.  “The fact that thousands of Filipino children are starving, malnourished and dropping out of schools, makes the impeachment complaint worthy of support”, Rivera quipped.

He also said that their group also disagreed with the position of several congressmen that Pres. Arroyo is not culpable of human rights violations by a mere command responsibility because “Mrs. Arroyo
is on the top of the military’s hierarchy as commander-in-chief, and whatever happens in the lowest level of command, the president should be accountable.” 

“It is disheartening to see children dying of hunger and diseases, traumatized and cramped in evacuation centers in Mindanao, while our gallant congressmen defend their political patron in the
person of Gloria Macapagal –Arroyo, who waged war not only against her enemy but also against children,” Rivera added.

The group also said that by junking the impeachment complaint, marginalized children from peasants, workers, urban poor and children of all politically persecuted persons will suffer more within two
years of Arroyo’s reign, and more so if she extend her term through charter change.  “As it is, Mrs. Arroyo’s government is an utter failure in alleviating the Filipino family’s quality of
life.  With a term extension, Filipino children will likely become more vulnerable with the anti-people policies of Arroyo and children seeking justice will remain deprived,” ended Rivera. ###