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Thursday, February 22, 2007
Efforts to solve slays halfhearted: UN prober
MANILA -- UN special rapporteur on human rights Philip Alston on Wednesday asked the Arroyo government to release the results of the investigation on extrajudicial killings in the country.
In a press briefing in a hotel in Makati City hours before he left the country, Alston criticized the Philippine military for being in a "state of denial" over the murders.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Alston revealed the preliminary findings of his investigation on the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines during the press briefing.
At Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered Thursday the release of the results of the Melo Commission's investigation.
Alston had earlier met with Arroyo to apprise her of his findings.
Despite Alston's findings, the Filipino military officials insisted that the killings were mostly purges done by the communist movement of those it suspects as military spies.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. bristled at Alston's findings and said the UN special rapporteur was brainwashed by leftists.
Alston said that more than issuing statements condemning the killings, the President, military, and police "should do more about the problem."
"When the chief of the Armed Forces contends himself with telephoning (retired) general Jovito Palparan in order to satisfy himself on allegations that they were unfounded, rather than launching a thorough and impartial probe, it's clear that there is still a long way to go," said the official.
Palparan has been linked by militant groups to the abduction and killing of several activists and civilians in Oriental Mindoro, earning him the moniker "Butcher of Mindoro."
Although he acknowledged that there is an element of propaganda designed to win public sympathy and discredit other parties, he is not convinced by claims of security establishments that the bloated number of killings and forced disappearances in the country, especially in the countryside, is part of a propaganda of left-leaning groups out to tarnish the image of the government, particularly before the international community.
He said there is a need for the President to persuade the military and police to do something about the problem, adding that it will enhance their credibility if they acknowledge and investigate the issues.
Aside from recommending the release of the Melo Commission's report, Alston likewise recommended a re-evaluation of the government's counter-insurgency program and a strengthening of the Witness Protection Program (WPP}.
The Melo Commission, led by retired Supreme Court (SC) associate justice Jose Melo, had pointed at members of the military, goons of politicians, and leftists as the perpetrators of the killings.
Militant and cause-oriented groups blamed the military's internal security plan Oplan Bantay Laya, which aims to defeat the 37-year-old communist insurgency by 2010, for the killings.
Alston said there are six major challenges for the country to be able to address the problem, namely, military's acknowledgment of the problem; moving beyond the Melo Commission; restoration of accountability; strengthening of witness protection program; acceptance of the need to provide legitimate political space for leftist groups; and re-evaluation of the counter-insurgency tactics being implemented by the military.
He acknowledged that the government's invitation for him to look into the killings "is a positive start in solving the problem and reflected a desire to address the issue."
"It is a clear recognition of the gravity of the situation," Alston said, adding that the problem is not unique to the country.
He arrived in Manila last February 12 upon the invitation of the Philippine government, which is being besieged by complaints of human rights abuses.
He said the final report generated by his 10-day fact-finding trip would be released within three months, adding that he will endorse his recommendation to the International Human Rights Tribunal in the Netherlands, hopefully to help improve the human rights situation in the country.
Data provided by left-leaning groups said they catalogued about 800 cases of extrajudicial killings in the country since Arroyo took power in 2001 but the authorities said the figures were bloated.
Task Force Usig, which was formed by the government to look into the killings, said the number of killings were only 115.
Armed Forces public information officer Bartolome Bacarro refused to comment on Alston's statement that the communist purge theory offered by the military was "especially unconvincing."
Bacarro said only four of the killings involved military personnel, acting on their own, who are now facing charges.
"We cannot contest because that is his opinion," said Bacarro, on the criticisms of Alston. "We have documents to show, we have shown to them documents that there are indeed purging within the group of the NPA (New People's Army)," he added.
Secretary Gonzalez, meanwhile, said "Mr. Alston is the one in denial of the atrocities of the other side. He's been here only for one week and now he's an expert in Philippine history."
Short of calling Alston an ingrate, Gonzalez said the UN should stop interfering in the internal affairs of the Philippines.
He said Alston is just a "hired man of the UN" who came to the Philippines with "preconceived ideas" against the government. (AH/VR/ECV with Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (February 22, 2007 issue)
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