Philippine Chief Justice Won Praises from KABATAAN (Youth)for Defense of Human Rights (tags)
Philipppine Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno won praises for his fighting words in defense of human rights and the sweetest praise came from the Kabataan party-list group, which gave him a mocha cake. Kabataan vice president Carl Ramota delivered the cake to the court but court spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said Puno was at a meeting and received it on behalf of the Chief Justice. Marquez said Puno had been told about the cake and thanked the group for it. More than 835 Filipinos have veen killed since Arroyo assumed power in 2001 and at least 220 people have been missing. There at at least 215 activist have been detained as political prisoners, the most prominent is ANAKPAWIS Pre. Crispin Beltran who has been languishing in jail since last year when Arroyo declared a "state of emergency. Also in military jail are at least 60 officers and men including 2 generals, scores of colonels and majors who are being charged with attempted coup since 2003.