Troops to stay around MM despite CHR request for pull-out

By Ronron
March 26, 2007

Elements of the Philippine military deployed in Metro Manila will remain in their respective assignments despite the request of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for their pull out.

Asked in a chance interview at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday if he will heed to the CHR’s recommendation, Esperon said, “No, we are still studying it.”

In its March 16 letter, the CHR asked no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Esperon, among others, to recall the deployment of military troops around the capital since the situation does not warrant for it.

Esperon said the military “is open to anything,” referring to the CHR recommendation, but maintained that it has to be studied well.

He reiterated that the deployed troops are “doing something that the people are accepting.”

The military has deployed 26 teams, composed of nine to 10 members each, to different urban poor and Moslem communities in Caloocan, Taguig, Manila and Quezon cities since November of last year to carry out civil military operations, and as part of their training for peacekeeping missions.

The troops come from the Civil Military Operations Battalion of the Philippine Army, which is under the operational control of the AFP National Capital Region Command.

Militant groups have criticized the deployment, saying it could hinder the civil liberties of residents in Metro Manila. The military, however, remains unperturbed.

“Should we stop it just because some people, who are not even from the areas, are complaining?” Esperon said yesterday.

Even as it has recommended for the recall of the deployed troops, the CHR pointed out that it has not found any abuse of power by them on ordinary civilians.

The AFP has said that the move is a good deterrent to criminality and possible penetration in the urban areas by communist insurgents./DMS