AFP prepares human rights handbook

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced yesterday it is coming up with a human rights handbook to serve as a guide for the military in conducting operations against all "threat groups," including the communist New People’s Army. AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said the 200-page handbook is almost finished and could be launched within the month. Burgos said the handbook, which he is co-authoring with Lt. Col. Samuel Sagun of the AFP Civil Relations Service, is being prepared in coordination with the Commission on Human Rights, International Committee on the Red Cross, and the European Union-Philippine Justice Support Program. “The Armed Forces of the Philippines is coming up with the first ever AFP soldiers handbook on human rights. Its already in the finishing touches...This will serve as practical guide (of the soldiers in the field)," said Burgos. “Those in the frontline will benefit from this because most of those involved or had cases in human rights are those soldiers in the frontline. These are the young lieutenants and our non-commissioned officers in the field...They are those that are vulnerable," he said. “It contains do's and don'ts," Burgos said of the handbook. Burgos said the handbook supports the declaration of Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo David when he assumed the top military post on July 2, to put a premium to the upholding of human rights. The AFP is hounded by charges of human rights violations, including alleged extra-judicial killings of leftist activists, although military officials insist it is not their policy to violate human rights. In 1991, the Army already published a handbook on human rights for its troops. Burgos said the new handbook will be for soldiers in the Navy and Air Force. “The chief of staff made the commitment already on the protection of human right, no non-sense. He said this is honest to goodness approach for protection of human rights. This is the manifestation, beyond political statement," he said. Burgos said the handbook can be applied not only the fight against the communist rebels but will also be for all internal security operations. "Even hardened criminals and terrorists deserve human rights," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV