|
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Defense chief bucks UN probe on communist purges
MANILA -- Defense Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Wednesday opposed a proposal to allow the UN to conduct investigations on killings perpetrated by the communist New People's Army (NPA).
He said the move could be considered foreign intervention on the country's domestic problems and undermines its sovereignty.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
"If you and your wife quarrel and your neighbor intervenes, are you going to allow it?" he pointed out.
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales earlier said they are planning to ask the help of the UN and other international bodies to investigate the mass killings perpetrated by communist guerillas in the 1980s.
Gonzalez was referring to the communist purges launched by the communist movement, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and communist rebels suspected of being deep penetration agents of the military.
Ebdane took a dig at UN special rapporteur Philip Alston who has pointed at a small group in the military as behind the rash of extrajudicial killings of mostly militant organization members with linkages to the NPA.
Ebdane said Alston ignored the fact that of the more than 800 killings reported by the human rights group Karapatan, only 113 were verified by PNP Task Force Usig and the rest of the slays were found to have been perpetrated by the communists.
He said Karapatan included in its list at least 26 members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group who were slain during a police assault on their detention cell in Taguig in 2005 after they held hostage a number of fellow inmates.
Task Force Usig has recently filed criminal cases against five militiamen and their two military supervisors in Misamis Oriental for malfeasance and inaction in the latest murder of a member of a cause-oriented group.
Task Force Usig commander Geary Barias said Regional Task Force Usig in Northern Mindanao filed charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Office of the Ombudsman against Army Lieutenant Ruel Engaña, the commander of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) Detachment of the 23rd Infantry Battalion in Purok 1, Barangay Guinalaban, Salay City, Misamis Oriental.
Charged with him were his deputy commander Corporal Apang Abdulmuher and Cafgu Active Auxiliary members Baylen Crisogono, Armando Cabutaje, Roy Gonzales, Rigoberto Galamiton Sr., and Rigoberto Galamiton Jr.
In his report to Barias, Chief Superintendent Danilo Empedrad, head of the Regional Task Force Usig 10 based in Cagayan de Oro City, said the case stemmed from the alleged inaction of the Army and Cafgu men when they were sought for assistance in a shooting incident last March 10 in Barangay Guinalaban, Salay City.
Sichi Gandinao, 56, a community volunteer of Bayan Muna, was gunned down by three men wearing masks.
Barias said some witnesses and relatives of the victim sought the assistance of personnel in the Army-Cafgu detachment but the personnel there did not respond even after hearing the sound of gunfire and subsequent cries for help.
Barias said the actions of the Cafgu detachment personnel amounted to gross violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
He clarified that investigators have found no evidence to link the detachment personnel to the murder of Gandinao. (VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (March 22, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Arroyo signs P1.126-trillion budget