CEBU CITY-- Twenty-one lawyers, nine law students, and eight paralegals organized themselves to form what they called the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL).

The NUPL members said their mission is to actively defend, protect, and promote human rights. The scope covers civil, political,

They also stated that Cebu City shall henceforth be the historical birthplace of the NUPL.

Nothing could have been more apt and timely, members point out.

The human rights records of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, in an assessment made by a UN body, is quite "disturbing," it was pointed out in a press statement issued through the Philippine Information Agency.

The NUPL resolved, among others, to render legal services to victims of violations of said rights who are poor and oppressed.

It adopted the two Amparo cases now pending trial before the Court of Appeals here in Cebu City. These involve the alleged abduction and forced disappearance of two farmers in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.

The respondents in both cases are President Arroyo, Armed Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, and other military officers and non-commissioned officers.

The NUPL General Program of Action for 2008 will maximize and rationalize the practical use of existing judicial, quasi-judicial and other legal fora and remedies in the national and international levels, including the mechanisms arising out of the peace process for the defense, protection and promotion of human rights.

It has also resolved to actively advocate and push for the ratification of the Rome Statute which established the International Criminal Court and demanded from the Philippine State that the same go beyond lip service and instead sincerely comply with its human rights obligations under the International Bill of Rights and relevant human rights treaties as well as the recommendations in the final report (2007) of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings, Summary and Arbitrary Executions.

The NUPL endeavors to have similar groups formed soon under the auspices of other law schools like the University of Cebu, University of San Carlos, University of San Jose-Recoletos, and Southwestern University.

Elected as founding chairman was Kit Enriquez; the vice-chair - External is Democrito Barcenas; vice-chair - Internal, Gloria Estenzo-Ramos; general-secretary, Alfonso M. Cinco IV; treasurer, Noemi Truya-Abarientos, and the auditor is Alfredo Sipalay.

The deputy general-secretary for law students is Edward Felipe, and the deputy general secretary for paralegals is Jean Heracleo Suarez.

The first general meeting cum assembly was held at the AVR-2 of the University of Cebu-Banilad in Cebu City, through the courtesy of the UC College of Law which, incidentally, produced the tenth placer in 2007 Bar Examinations.