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Special DOJ team eyed to look into killings during Arroyo admin


Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said she may form a group of prosecutors that will zero in on the extrajudicial killings that occurred during former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration. "I'm thinking that a DOJ-created special team of prosecutors might be able to handle it properly," said De Lima at a news briefing after she met with members of militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). However, she said the Commission on Human Rights is still the constitutionally-created body tasked to probe human rights violations and extralegal killngs. De Lima served as CHR chair during the Arroyo administration. The adminsitration of President Benigno Aquino III has vowed to put closure to extrejudicial killings and the violence against journalists. Mrs. Arroyo, who now represents Pampaga's second district in the House of Representatives, is accused of failing to stop the spate of summary killings and journalist killings in her nine-year term. Militant groups have repeatedly claimed "Oplan Bantay Laya," the Arroyo administration's campaign against communist insurgents, was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of political dissenters. On Monday, human rights advocates criticized the military's decision to extend the controversial campaign. (See: Rights advocates criticize Oplan Bantay Laya extension) The Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao also occurred during Mrs. Arroyo's term. The bloodbath which claimed 57 lives, 32 of whom were journalists, was said to be the worst incidence of politcally-related violence. The Ampatuan clan are allies of the former Philippine leader. In 2007, United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston visited the Philippines to investigate the extralegal killings of political dissidents and journalists. Alston later reported that the Arroyo regime failed to make substantive progress in addressing summary killings in the Philippines. — Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV

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