Defense establishment acknowledges need for in-depth probe to stop extrajudicial killings

By Ronron
March 15, 2007

Camp Tecson, Bulacan - Both Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. admitted here on Thursday that the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country will not stop unless a deeper investigation is conducted and then yield results as to those behind the incidents.

During Ebdane and Esperon’s visit to the First Scout Rangers Regiment (FSRR) camp here yesterday, the two officials agree that the government is still far from solving what has been called by the US government as a “serious problem of the Philippine government.”

“How can we say we can stop it when we don’t even know who are doing these,” Esperon said in Filipino.

The Philippine government has received flak from the international community, including no less the United Nations, for its failure to address the killings. The police and military maintain its theory that the incidents are related to the insurgency problem in the country.

Critics of the government, however, point at the military as being responsible for the killings to eliminate their colleagues, especially those who are Left-leaning.

In the hope of solving the problem, the Philippine National Police (PNP) put up Task Force USIG middle of last year to investigate over 100 cases of extrajudicial killings of militants, and 26 cases of journalist killings.

It was followed by the creation by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Melo Commission, which later partly blamed the military for the killings. Arroyo ordered the body to extend its investigation.

The AFP, for its part, took internal actions over the same issue. Aside from conducting internal investigations, it also created early this year the AFP Human Rights Office. All field commanders were also tasked to immediately submit special reports once a killing happens in their areas of responsibility.

Asked yesterday if the government’s efforts are enough to address the problem, Ebdane said: “Our efforts will not be enough unless we have stopped it. So, it’s a continuing effort.”

Esperon reiterated that the AFP will participate in any investigation in the hope of “getting to the bottom of all of these (incidents).” And this would include cases where soldiers are being implicated as suspects.

“But I must say that the insurgency has its characteristics. It’s just scary that the insurgents here would not really stop until they win, until they could rule over this land,” the military chief said.

The communist New People’s Army (NPA) will celebrate its 38th anniversary this March 29th. The government intends to neutralize the 7,100-strong movement by 2010 when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ends her term.

According to the military, most of the killings is part of the NPA’s purging activities, which began in the mid-1980’s, against their members suspected of spying for the government.

The movement, however, denies the allegation./DMS