Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

condemns the detention by the Philippine Government of Congress Member Crispin Beltran;

(2)

expresses its concern that five Members (Satur Ocampo, Teodor Casino, Joel Virador, Liza Maza and Rafael Mariano) of the Philippine House of Representatives were recently unable to leave the Congress building, where they had obtained sanctuary for more than two months, due to threats to arrest them, despite the fact that no judge had issued any arrest warrant;

(3)

expresses its concern at the persistent threat by the Arroyo government to arrest the five Members of the Philippine House of Representatives, despite the lack of arrest warrant;

(4)

condemns the recent killings of journalists, trade union and other community leaders;

(5)

expresses its deep concern at the recent erosion of democracy and human rights in the Philippines; and

(6)

calls on the Australian Government to express to President Arroyo its deep concern at the ongoing attacks on human rights in the Philippines, the continued detention of Congressman Beltran, and the harassment of other opposition politicians.

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