18 SEPTEMBER 2009


CHR CHAIR LEILA M. DE LIMA’s STATEMENT ON THE SURVEILLANCE OF THE HOUSE OF NATIONAL ARTIST BY A NAVY MAN


“The reported surveillance by a Navy intel of the house of National Artist Lumbrera is cause for serious concern if not alarm. It involves the human rights of privacy and security. The claim of a training exercise is not plausible. If simply a hypothetical training, why involve actual addresses and innocent civilians? It’s also too much of a coincidence that the subject of surveillance this time is one involved in protest actions relative to the National Artists award scandal. If the training claim is true, still it’s highly objectionable as it opens risks of rights to privacy. Anybody can be subject of surveillance and anybody can be a victim of human rights violation. Government needs to be very conscious to respect and protect the rights of ordinary persons. Training exercises should be designed in such a way that no possible violations can happen.”