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Rights group calls on Aquino to end killings


In the wake of the killing of three activists and a journalist since June 30, a United States-based human rights group called on President Benigno Aquino III to take immediate steps to fulfill his promise of ending such incidents. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said ending the killings should now top Aquino's agenda, while reforms should promote accountability and disband "death squads." "President Aquino takes office at a time when the Philippines faces daunting human rights challenges. Now he needs to turn his promises into action by taking immediate steps to end the widespread killings and hold the killers and those who deploy them accountable," Elaine Pearson, acting Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in an article posted on the HRW website. The HRW also sent a letter to Malacañang outlining possible measures for Aquino to take in stopping the killings. It lamented that since June 9, when Congress proclaimed Aquino the 15th president, three journalists and a key witness to the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre have been killed. Since Aquino's inauguration on June 30, another journalist and three leftist activists have been killed. The latest killing occurred Friday last week when an activist-teacher was killed following an ambush in Masbate province. (See: Activist killed, third since Aquino assumed office) The former lawyer of a massacre witness and a journalist survived separate murder attempts, it added. On Monday, Aquino told the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prioritize human rights after the string of extrajudicial killings during his first week in office. Aquino is commander-in-chief of the military and police. (See: Make human rights a priority, Aquino tells AFP top brass) Letter to Aquino The HRW, in a letter signed by executive director Kenneth Roth, called on Aquino to take six specific steps to combat extrajudicial killings. "Until these killings and enforced disappearances are effectively, impartially, and transparently investigated, perpetrators are held fully accountable, and the military genuinely recognizes its subordination to civilian authority, an ultimate return to high levels of extrajudicial killings seems inevitable. The experience of the Philippines in the 1990s, when extrajudicial killings also dropped significantly and then returned with a vengeance, serves as a warning," Roth said. (View letter here.) "We urge you not to follow in the footsteps of the Arroyo government, which created an appearance of combating abuses by generating numerous commissions and taskforces, while ignoring genuine structural reforms recommended by United Nations bodies, human rights organizations, and the government's own Melo Commission. You and your government should immediately initiate and implement the comprehensive reforms needed," he added. The suggested measures include:

  • Investigate police and military personnel implicated in killings. It urged Aquino in his first 60 days in office to order the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate police and military personal, particularly at the command level, who have been implicated in killings and enforced disappearances.
  • Take immediate steps to protect witnesses.
  • Legislate to prevent enforced disappearances. It urged him in his first 100 days in office to introduce a priority bill in Congress to prohibit and protect against enforced disappearances and urge the Senate to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and take immediate steps to implement.
  • Abolish militia forces. In his first 60 days in office he should revoke Executive Order 546, which has been interpreted by local governments and police as providing authority to arm private armies. In his first 100 days in office, he should issue an executive order banning militias. Order the Philippine National Police to disarm and disband the Civilian Volunteer Organizations and the Police Auxiliary Units and order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to immediately disband the Special CAFGUs and end their private funding.
  • Institute tougher controls on local government procurement of weapons. In his first 60 days in office, he should issue an executive order requiring all government officials to report firearms acquired for professional or personal use and order the Commission on Audit to investigate whether the Peace and Order fund or other public monies have been used to fund private armies. In his first 100 days in office he should submit a priority bill to Congress to prevent local government officials from using the selection or dismissal of police chiefs in their jurisdiction for private purposes, require that reasons be provided for the selection, and mandate local government officials to disclose any relationship or affiliation with proposed candidates. "Death squads."
  • Dismantle "death squads" and investigate government involvement. In his first 60 days in office he should publicly denounce extrajudicial killings and local anti-crime campaigns that promote or encourage the unlawful use of force, starting in Davao City, and pledge that government officials who are found to be involved or complicit in such killings shall be fully prosecuted. — RSJ, GMANews.TV