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Friday, March 16, 2007
Gov't can't stop extrajudicial slays: Ebdane
MANILA -- Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. virtually admitted on Thursday that the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cannot bring a solution to the rash of extrajudicial murders, particularly those perpetrated by communist rebels.
In Washington, the Bush administration said President Arroyo has not done enough to deal with security forces under her command who are involved in the murder of activists.
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But despite the rash of political killings in the country, the Philippine government has remained confident that it will continue to receive US military aid.
The Philippine defense chief interviewed after a troop visit in Bulacan said the military is not in "complete control" of everything. What the defense and the military establishments can contain are the killings that may be perpetrated by soldiers through the pursuit of reform programs, including the education of the officers and men on respect for human rights.
"But all situations cannot be controlled. Can we control the other side from their killing?" Ebdane said referring to the "ongoing purge" within communist movement, which the military said, was involved in the killings
Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who accompanied Ebdane in the troop visit, stressed that the military is continuing its efforts to inculcate in the minds of the soldiers to uphold human rights.
On the side of the military, Ebdane said defense and military authorities are taking up measures to stop the killings. The PNP Task Force Usig has attributed at six of over 100 deaths to the military.
Ebdane was reacting to an earlier statement of US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia Eric John that the Philippine Government is not exerting efforts to put end the extrajudicial killings.
John, appearing before the US Senate hearing on the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines praised Arroyo for making efforts in recent months to stop the killings. But he also told the Senate Foreign Relations Asia subcommittee that Arroyo was ultimately responsible for security forces' actions and for the rise in attacks on people speaking out against the government. Rights groups estimate that more than 830 activists have been killed since 2001, when Arroyo became president.
"Until these numbers come drastically down though, I don't think you can determine that it's enough," John said when asked whether Arroyo's actions had been sufficient. "As the ultimate authority in the chain of command, she has to take the steps to solve any involvement by members of the security forces."
At the Senate hearing, Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer asked John whether the United States should link its infusions of military aid to improvement in the country's human rights record. "It's really important that we do not have blood on our hands in this country," she said.
John said the administration believes such action would be counterproductive to US attempts to influence change in the Philippines.
Despite Boxer's statement, Malacañang remained confident that the US will continue to pour in military aid.
Ignacio Bunye, spokesman for President Arroyo, also shrugged off any linkage between aid and human rights, saying, "I think our security arrangements are much stronger than that and this assistance will be granted on the basis of actual needs of Philippine troops."
He said the Arroyo government "is prepared to do whatever is necessary so that we finally put a stop to all of these atrocities."
In a statement, Willy Gaa, Manila's envoy to Washington, said US military assistance has been "vital" to successes by the Philippine armed forces in fighting the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group and the communist New People's Army, both on the US list of terror groups.
Returning from a US state visit in May 2003, Arroyo announced that the Bush administration had committed US$356 million in defense and counterterrorism aid to the Philippines, which has been designated by Washington as a major non-NATO ally.
That military aid package was to include 30,000 M-16 rifles worth US$10 million, 33 helicopters valued at US$31 million plus US$10 million in spare parts, and US$30 million to train and equip elite light reaction companies, infantry battalions and navy special forces.
Meanwhile, human rights leaders from the Philippines also described for lawmakers the rise in murders of activists in their country.
Bishop Eliezer Pascua said victims include reporters, lawyers, doctors, teachers, students and priests. Everyone, he said in his testimony, is afraid.
"I admit that I have that fear," said Pascua, general secretary of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. "You can all imagine the chilling effect among the people."
Arroyo's government has denied allegations by a UN human rights expert and its own fact-finding commission that soldiers were behind most of the killings of activists since 2001. Arroyo's office says the government is determined to uphold the rule of law.
Military officials have accused activists of links to communist rebels, who have waged a 38-year-old rural-based insurgency.
Another activist testifying at the hearing, Marie Hilao-Enriquez, secretary-general of the rights group Karapatan, said rights violations in the Philippines have gotten worse under Arroyo's leadership.
The government's anti-terrorist push "makes no distinction between armed guerrillas and unarmed activists, making the latter fair targets of political assassinations and abductions by suspected state-organized death squads," she said. "Arroyo's administration has curtailed civil liberties, disregarded human rights and international humanitarian laws and launched attacks on the people."
She called for international pressure on the government to stop the killing, torture, harassment, kidnapping and assault against activists. (AP/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (March 16, 2007 issue)
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