Thursday, May 17, 2007 Checkpoints ‘not meant to harass foreign observers’
MILITARY checkpoints conducted in northern towns of Cebu were not meant to harass foreign election observers, who were among those stopped for inspection.
Lt. Col. Jefferson Omandam, Central Command spokesperson, said the inspection conducted on vehicles of foreign observers was just normal. He said this is routine procedure during checkpoints.
The foreign observers, who are part of the International Observers Mission (IOM), earlier complained of harassment by members of the 78th Infantry Battalion.
Flagged down
The IOM said they were twice flagged down last Monday in the towns of Asturias and Tuburan. The team, who were in Cebu to observe the electoral process in the province, was reportedly held for 10 minutes and forced to give their names to the soldiers before they were allowed to go.
They also complained why soldiers took pictures of them.
Omandam, however, said foreign observers should understand that in conducting checkpoints as part of the security measures during elections, delays in their trips are expected. He stressed it was not meant to harass them.
Omandam said foreign observers were the first to take pictures of the soldiers.
He said the soldiers took pictures of the foreign observers because it will be used as part of the supporting documents in the after-checkpoint activity report to be submitted to the Centcom headquarters.
“There is nothing wrong. Everything is done normally,” Omandam said. (JST)
