WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3221/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Council. Allegations of summary executions in the Philippines
Date: 1997-10-15
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: Council of the European Union, Philippines, crime against individuals, homicide, human rights, judicial inquiry, police

C 174/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 1997)

The Commission understands and shares the concerns of the Honourable Member about the fact that the actual
departing times of airlines › and often arrival times › frequently deviate from the scheduled times. While in
1996 delays were slightly better than in 1995, which was a year with very poor results in Europe, the situation in
1997 seems again to be deteriorating. On average 18.4 % of all departures were delayed by more than 15 minutes
in 1995. For 1997, September included, on average as many as 19.6 % of all flights were delayed by more than
15 minutes.

The  Commission  also  recognises  the  importance  of  providing  adequate  information  to  passengers.  However,
rather than recommending that average performance achieved should be reflected in the timetables, which could
be misleading, the Commission is investigating other methods of improving information to passengers.

A feasibility study on the establishment of a (cid:145)Community punctuality reporting system(cid:146) was launched a year ago
as a follow-up to the communication on congestion and crisis in air traffic (1). Following a call for tender the
contract was awarded to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which recently submitted its report.
The  study  investigated  the  practicability  of  an  information  system  which  would  enable  the  publication  on  a
regular basis of punctuality indicators. The information would be primarily directed to passengers in order to
inform  them  of  the  quality  of  the  services  provided,  and  enable  them  to  compare  and  plan  their  travel
accordingly.

It is the intention of the Commission to pursue this idea further with a view to defining which measures should be
taken, and at which level, so that there would be a reliable basis for any measures that implemented a punctuality
reporting system.

(1)  COM (95) 318.

(98/C 174/58)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3221/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Council

(15 October 1997)

Subject: Allegations of summary executions in the Philippines

It  is  alleged  that,  on  4  September  1997,  members  of  the  Philippines  National  Police  Second  Mobile  Group
forcibly entered the house of 25-year old Marlon Fernandez in Barangay, Santo Domingo, and accused him of
being a member of the armed opposition group the National People(cid:146)s Army (NPA).

A subsequent report from the Filippino authorities claimed that Mr Fernandez was killed during an armed clash
with the police. However, there are other reports stating that he was later seen in the residence of a member of the
provincial government of Santa Domingo, being beaten by members of the same police group which entered his
home, and that gunshots were heard nearby.

Because of the conflicting reports surrounding the death of Mr Fernandez, will the Council make representations
to  the  Filippino  authorities,  urging  that  a  thorough  and  impartial  investigation  be  conducted  into  the
circumstances of his death?

Answer

(9 March 1998)

The case in question has not been referred to the Council.

In its relations with all third countries in general the Council is unswerving in its concern for the application of
the principles of the rule of law and respect for human rights.