House inquiry into killing of 7 Tausug men sought

MILITANT lawmakers urged on Tuesday, September 18, the House of Representatives committee on human rights to investigate the killing of seven young Tausug men allegedly mistaken by the military as Abu Sayyaf members in Patikul, Sulu, last week.

READ: 7 Abu Sayyaf killed, 17 soldiers wounded in Sulu clash

In House Resolution 2186, the militant lawmakers said there is a need to conduct a probe into the matter to ferret out the truth and to review the declaration of martial law in Mindanao as regards to the reported human rights violations the region.

According to reports, the seven men secured a permit from the 55th Infantry Battalion to harvest their fruit trees in Sitio Bata, Barangay Kabuntakas in the town of Patikul on Friday, September 14. They were reportedly arrested on their way to their farmland and in the following day, the military delivered their lifeless bodies to the local police station.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Edgard Arevalo in an earlier statement said the seven young men are not civilians but terrorists.

The AFP said they were killed in an encounter between the AFP and Abu Sayyaf Group.

The resolution was filed by Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago, Gabriela Representatives Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, ACT Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao, Zambales second district Representative Cheryl Veloso-Montalla, and Tawi-Tawi Representative Ruby Sahali. (SunStar Philippines)

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