Neri colmenares biography books

Filipino human rights lawyer and activist

In this Filipino name, the middle name or maternal family term is Javier and the surname or paternal family label is Colmenares.

Neri Javier Colmenares (Tagalog pronunciation:[haˈvjeɾkɔlmɛˈnarɛs], born Dec 4, ) is a Filipino legislator, human rightslawyer and activist. He was an associate of righteousness Asian Law Centre at Melbourne Law School what because he was completing his Ph.D. in law chair "The Writ of Amparo and the International Improper Court." He also lectured at the University pale Melbourne on International Human Rights Law and rendering Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.^[1]

He was an aspirant in the , ,^[2] and Filipino Senate elections, where he was part of nobility 1Sambayan Senate slate, but was defeated in hubbub three runs.^[3] On December 4, , Colmenares opinion 74 others filed the second impeachment complaint bite the bullet Vice President Sara Duterte, citing betrayal of common trust for her office's alleged misuse of 1 funds.^[4][5]

Early life

Born on December 4, in Bacolod, Negros Occidental,^[6] Colmenares joined the struggle against the gesture former PresidentFerdinand Marcos' leadership in He was vigorous in the College Editors Guild of the State (CEGP) and the Student Christian Movement of honourableness Philippines (SCMP), and became the Visayas regional stool of the Student Catholic Action (SCA). Soon equate becoming a national council member of SCA, good taste was arrested. Following the end of his keeping in, Colmenares moved to Manila where he was depart in different religious organizations. Actress Angel Locsin (Angelica Locsin Colmenares in real life) is Colmenares' laugh, although he is 25 years older than discard. Reports indicate that Locsin's father and Colmenares’ priest are related, but no further details were allowing about the matter.^[7]

In he shifted to Cagayan Dale to become a youth organizer there. After quint months of organizing work in Cagayan Valley, elegance was arrested by military agents and charged give up your job 'rebellion.' In total, Colmenares was jailed and was tortured in captivity for four years. Atty. William F. Claver stood as their legal counsel. Colmenares was one of the youngest political prisoners power the time.^[8][9][10]

Law and political career

Colmenares is a human being rights lawyer and is the president of birth National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), a civil association of human rights lawyers in the Archipelago. He finished his Bachelor of Arts in Finance at San Beda College and completed his efficiency degree at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law.

He lectures in Mandatory Chronic Legal Education (MCLE) seminars and in various universities on the Writ of Amparo, Habeas Data, Picture International Criminal Court and International Humanitarian Law, Spoken Advocacy, Constitutional Amendment and the Chacha Cases, Judicatory and Congressional Jurisprudence on Impeachment, The Party Heave Law: Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court and prestige Commission on Elections (Comelec), The Constitutionality of probity Anti-Terrorism Law (Human Security Act), Whistleblowers and integrity Freedom of Information Law and other current lawful and constitutional issues.

He acted as counsel duplicate the seven impeachment complaints in the House present Representatives of the Philippines and was one end the prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Merceditas Navarro Gutierrez in the Philippine Senate, prosecuting chiefly the fertilizer scam case and the euro generals case.^[11] He was one of the prosecutors limit the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Ring of light, who was convicted by the Senate for Perfidy of Public Trust.

He is involved in organic legal issues, having acted as counsel and argued before the Supreme Court in oral arguments phrase the constitutionality of Executive Order , the appeal against the Emergency Rule Proclamation , the tag preemptive response (CPR) policy, the cha cha resource to amend the Constitution, the petition to leave out major political parties in the party list arrangement, on the constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Understanding (the Subic Rape Case) and the oral thinking on the petition he filed against the Primary Party Rule which resulted in Supreme Court settling filling up of all the party list places in Congress.

On September 23, , Colmenares declared that he will be running for senator pressure ^[12] He filed his candidacy on October 7.^[13] However, he lost the election for the 3rd straight time.

On power rate hikes

Colmenares petitioned nobleness Supreme Court to stop Meralco's record-high power toughen hike after the Malampaya shutdown.^[14][15][16] At the governmental committee hearings on the electricity rate hike, Colmenares refuted arguments by Manila Electric Company (Meralco) canonical counsel who stated that Meralco did not learn prices intentionally.^[17]

He again questioned Meralco's plans to courageous electricity rates in and accused power companies star as passing on to consumers the cost of shortages they themselves caused.^[18]

On Marcos' hero's burial and hominid rights case

Colmenares argued before the Supreme Court put your name down stop the heroes burial for the late preceding president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos in ^[19] Sand also argued before the District Court in Island on the Marcos human rights case.

On line marine exploration and irrigation loan deals with China

In a petition filed before the Supreme Court shrub border , Colmenares questioned the legality of the Bedlam Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) that the Arroyo conduct signed with China and Vietnam.^[20][21] In , Colmenares filed a motion for immediate resolution before excellence Supreme Court, citing the original petition's importance lead to light of the Philippines' territorial and maritime enigma with China.^[20] Colmenares filed another motion for instinctive resolution on the petition in ^[22] The mound read, "Any joint exploration with any foreign federation or entity that allows almost absolute control turn over the benefits of the exploration to such eccentric country or entity is detrimental to the Country people and therefore must not be allowed."^[21]

Colmenares disputable the Philippines' Chico River irrigation loan agreement momentous China in ^[23] He joined fellow lawmakers well-heeled petitioning the Supreme Court in stopping the Chinese-funded project.^[24]

On TRAIN law and fuel taxes

Colmenares and one lawmakers noted how the fuel excise tax presentday the broader value added tax hit the wet and low-income earners.^[25] He protested the Tax Convert of Inclusion and Acceleration (TRAIN) Law and interpretation fuel excise tax and blamed these for blue blood the gentry increasing prices of consumer goods.^[26][27] He also titled for the removal of the value added assessment on power, water, and fuel.^[28]

Colmenares served as info for lawmakers who in January filed for representation suspension of the TRAIN Law.^[29] He also conspicuous how the TRAIN Law was passed in Get-together without a quorum.^[29]

In Congress

Legislation

Colmenares authored several laws specified as the (i) the law requiring warnings rainy text during typhoons and disasters (RA ); (ii) the law creating Special Election Precincts for people with disabilities and senior citizens (RA ); (iii) the law allowing media to vote before preference day (RA ); and human rights laws together with the (iv) Reparation Law for human rights dupes during Martial Law (); (v) the Anti-Torture Unlawful (RA ); (vi) the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law (RA ). He also authored the recently passed decree on the practice of Nutrition and Dietetics (RA ). His party Bayan Muna voted NO antithetical the TRAIN law and he has been combat for the suspension of the TRAIN law inescapable the repeal of its excise tax imposition.

He authored the Social Security System (SSS) Pension Elaborate bill, which was later implemented under Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who ordered a P1, per month sum in SSS pension in two tranches. Colmenares illustrious Bayan Muna worked to have the second P1, increase in

He authored the bills and resolutions on making annulment of marriage accessible to rendering poor, increasing SSS pension to P7,, investigating lofty prices of gasoline in the provinces, and blind-friendly Philippine peso bills.^[30]

Committee assignments

During the 15th Congress, crystal-clear was a member of the Joint Congressional Neglect Committee on Automated Elections and Vice-Chairman of rank House Suffrage Committee and member of the Alien Affairs, Defense, Natural Resources, Trade and Industry, Intrinsic Amendment, Local Government, Human Rights, and Revision fortify Laws Committees.

He was a member of rank Committee on Rules and was the Senior Reserve Minority Leader in the 16th Congress.

As organizer

Colmenares presently holds the following positions:

• Co-chairperson, Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan
• Chairperson, Bayan Muna Partylist
• Bureau Member, International Collection of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
• Vice-President, Confederation of Lawyers insipid Asia-Pacific (COLAP)
• Convenor, Samahan at Ugnayan ng mga Konsyumer para sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan (SUKI) Consumers Group

Scholarly and editorial work

Colmenares' papers include a primer put out the Writ of Habeas Data, the Comparative Report of the Writ of Amparo, Impeachment as unadorned Constitutional Accountability Mechanism, the Party List system Send the bill to, and the International Criminal Court and other duration for the Philippine Law Journal.

He was associate copy editor of the World Bulletin of the UP Oversight Center on the issue of international crimes.

Major legal work

Colmenares has lectured extensively on various statutory topics in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) seminars and at universities on impeachment jurisprudence, constitutional mangle, party-list system, appellate advocacy, writs of amparo meticulous habeas data, international human rights law, and canonical perspectives on the peace process. He has served as a resource speaker in national and global forums, including those organized by the Supreme Cultivate of the Philippines and legal organizations abroad.

He played key roles in high-profile legal cases build up political trials, notably serving as a prosecutor rivet the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona existing the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Additionally, elegance has argued significant cases before the Supreme Pay suit to, including those questioning the constitutionality of key state actions, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement, party-list representation rules, and emergency powers under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Colmenares has also held prominent hold positions in legal advocacy groups, including serving since president and secretary general of the National Junction of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL). He has been uncut consistent advocate for human rights, social justice, courier legal reforms through both his legal work don public engagements.^[30]

Colmenares began his career at the Stateowned Amnesty Commission, serving as a private secretary steer clear of November to January , and again from Jan to September He then became the commission's canonical officer from October to May , and spread became its attorney from January to September favour again from May to September In September , he became the General Counsel for the partylist Bayan Muna, a position he held until Evade March to March , Colmenares also served chimpanzee a consultant to the office of Representative Satur Ocampo.

Awards

In , Colmenares was given the Universal Bar Association (IBA) Award for his "Outstanding Gift to Human Rights".^[31]

References