Saturday, 09 March 2013 15:00 Kobakila News Service
Philippine Legal Defense and Education Center, Inc.,
(PHILDEC) , a non-governmental organization (NGO), was established during the
visit of FALDEF leadership in Manila to attend
the 2nd D2D (Diaspora to Development)
Global Summit of Filipinos in Diaspora on Feb. 25-27 in Manila
The establishment of PHILDEC was deemed necessary in order
to address human/labor trafficking at its inception – targeting illegal
recruiters and individuals who initially recruit potential employees from the Philippines and are brought to the U.S. Philippines and the U.S.
The U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philippines
PHILDEC is structured to have both an advisory and working
boards. Legal luminaries, social
advocate and community organizers, and business executive have agreed to lend
their expertise and commitment in the pursuit of justice, the majesty of the
rule of law and the aristocracy of human dignity as members of PHILDEC boards.
The advisory board members include former Philippine Supreme
Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr ; Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ (one of the foremost authorities on Phil.
Constitutional law, ormer law dean of the Ateneo Law School); Fr. Romeo
Intengan SJ (former Jesuit Provincial and noted social crusader ); Atty.
Antonio La Vina (Dean, Ateneo School of Government); Atty. Avelino Cruz, Jr.
(former Secretary of National Defense;
Partner: Carpio Villaraza and Cruz Law Offices); Atty. Rolando Mario Villonco (Managing
Partner: Siguion Reyna Law Offices); and Fr. Nilo Tanalega, SJ President of the UGAT Foundation.
Working board members are: Atty. Clarence Guerrero (Private
Practitioner and former Chief Counsel of Manila Bank); Atty. Eva Laluna
(Private Practitioner and Advocate of Women's Rights); Atty. Eric Mallonga
(Private Practitioner and former Counsel of Bantay Bata); Rene
Madarang ( Community Development Specialist); Fr. Julio Ramon Mallonga
(CICM; Missionary with 21 years of experience in South America; a social
advocate and community organizer); Captain Nilo Du (Private Entrepreneur and
owner of shipping-related businesses); Christian Laluna (Communications
Director, Ateneo School of Government) and Engr. Felizardo Mercado,
Jr.(Community Dev. Manager, Philip Morris, Philippines).
In addition, Prosecutor General Claro Arellano of the Dept.
of Justice expressed his interest on the issue of human/labor trafficking.
Also, Dean Danilo Concepcion of the University of the Philippines College of
Law (UP Law Center) and Dean Sedfrey Candelaria of the Ateneo College of Law
(Ateneo Human Rights Center) manifested their deep interest in working and partnering
with PHILDEC on the educational aspect relating to human rights and labor
trafficking.
Once operational, PHILDEC and its volunteer lawyers will
work with Philippine prosecutors, allied NGOS and government agencies.
FALDEF President, J.T Mallonga was one of the resource
speakers on “Legal Assistance to Filipinos in Distress in the U.S,” a workshop
on Global Legal Assistance on Advocacy.
Joining him in this visit were Merit Salud, Nimfa Du-Tinana, Cely Deauna,
Patricia Astorga, Loida Nicholas Lewis, Jose Ramos, Jr., Dr. Angie Cruz, and
Ramon Tinana.
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PHOTO CAPTION: Ambassador
Harry K. Thomas With FALDEF and PHILDEC directors and guests