Catholic schools group ask PNoy: Dismantle private armies

Stressing the need to stop the culture of impunity as shown by relentless political killings, with the Ampatuan massacre as one extreme case, Catholic schools have asked President Benigno Aquino III Wednesday to dismantle private armies. The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said this will help prevent a repeat of the gruesome killing of 58 people, 32 of them journalists, in Maguindanao last year. “We reiterate our earlier demand for our government to apply the full force of the law against those responsible for the brutality," said the CEAP headed by Msgr. Gerardo Santos. “All responsible government agencies must exhaust all legal means to meet the corresponding punishment for the perpetrators of the heinous crime and to dismantle private armies and put an end to the anarchy of clans in the region," it added. Excerpts of the statement were posted Wednesday night on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. CEAP, which has 1,290 member schools, colleges and universities, also called for a speedy trial of the Ampatuan massacre. It said this will bring justice to the victims of the crime, considered as the worst single case of political killings in the country’s history. The organization lamented that after a year, the case is “not progressing substantially" and noted signs “justice is not forthcoming" at the rate it is going. “We therefore call for a speedy and fair trial — delay of justice is a denial of justice; for vigilance so that people, organizations and institutions can monitor the progress of the case; and for transparency of the case so that the public may know," the CEAP said. “We demand that justice be served without fear of favor at the earliest possible time," it added. Aquino is currently assessing the confidential report of the Zeñarosa Commission about private armies in the country, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Wednesday. After studying the report, Aquino will decide whether to disclose the report to the public. (See: Aquino assessing confidential report on private armies) Earlier on Tuesday, Aquino had announced that he is not in favor of abolishing the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) despite calls for its abolition on the grounds that some government militia are being utilized by some politicians as their private armies. (See: Aquino thumbs down abolition of militia forces)—JV, GMANews.TV