UN: AFP in denial on killings

United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston said the Philippine military was in “almost total denial” of its need to respond to allegations of its involvement in political killings.

Alston, in wrapping up his 10-day investigation of the reported extrajudicial killings in the country, said the explanation offered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in denying the political killings was “unconvincing.”

Alston, however, also stressed that he did not believe the murders were part of government policy.

“I do not believe that there is a policy at the top designed to, or which directs, that these killings take place,” he said. “I am clear on that.”

But Alston said Mrs. Arroyo should persuade the military to improve its reputation “by acknowledging the facts and take genuine steps to investigate.”

The Australian law professor compared the Philippine military to an alcoholic in its failure to acknowledge the problem.

“Recovering from alcoholism is to acknowledge that there’s a problem. If a guy says ‘I’m not an alcoholic. I just have an occasional drink and that’s it. There’s no problem.’ That’s how I see the military these days,” Alston told a news conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City yesterday.

Alston said the state of denial “is amply demonstrated” by the military’s response to the Melo Commission report.

“A lot of emphasis on propaganda point is just silly,” Alston said. “Every military has its own excesses but the challenge is to acknowledge it and so do something about it.”

Alston also called on the government to make public the Melo Commission report.

Hours after Alston disclosed his findings, Malacañang finally agreed to release the Melo Commission report today.

“The Melo report will be released,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced.

“Please recall that this report is preliminary but because of the clamor of everyone, this will be made available,” he stressed said.

The commission headed by former Supreme Court justice Jose Melo submitted its findings to President Arroyo on Jan. 30. Malacañang, however, refused to disclose the results of the investigation, claiming it was “initial” or “incomplete.”

The report has not been made public, but the findings initially blamed certain members of the military as well as communist guerrillas for the killings.

The government had initially agreed last week to release the findings but only to Alston and to representatives of the European Union (EU).

Ermita said the report would be made public today along with the statements coming from AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan over the issue.

Palparan, who had been tagged as “The Butcher” had been singled out by leftist and militant groups as behind the killings.

Ermita defended the government’s actions over the issue. He pointed out the creation of Task Force Usig by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Melo Commission, which are proof that the government is serious in resolving the issue of extra-judicial killings.

Ermita reiterated the government has nothing to admit since it has been spearheading the efforts to solve the problem.

“No right-thinking government will tolerate (it by) allowing these killings to happen some more,” he said.

‘Distressing’

Concerned human rights groups led by Karapatan had claimed more than 830 people — many of them leftists, and some of them accused by the military of links to the communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas — have been murdered since President Arroyo came to power in 2001.

Karapatan spokesperson Ruth Cervantes said the killings indicate a hidden state policy of the government and the military establishment to silence dissent and the Arroyo administration had tacit knowledge of the murders.

The military, however, has accused rights groups of inflating the numbers of victims and said many of those listed as dead were guerrillas killed in clashes with the security forces.

Alston said he had looked at a “large number of cases in depth” but declined to give an overall tally for the political killings.

“I am certain the number is high enough to be distressing,” he said.

Alston, who met government officials as well as families of victims during his almost two-week mission, said he did not think that orders for the murders had come from high.

He added that there was a “problem of virtual impunity” which meant eight out of 10 cases failed to move from police investigation to prosecution.

“The present message is that if you want to preserve your life expectancy, don’t act as a witness in a criminal prosecution for killing,” he said.

“In some instances, such intimidation escalates into extra-judicial executions,” Alston said, calling it a “grave and serious” problem that will be fully examined when he releases his final report within three months before the UNHRC.

Alston also said the increase in extra-judicial executions victimizing leftists and militants can be attributed to the military’s sustained counter-insurgency strategy.

“In some areas, an appeal to hearts and minds is combined with an attempt to vilify left-leaning organizations and to intimidate leaders of such organizations,” he said.

Alston said the government should learn to provide legitimate political space for progressive groups.

He also expressed disappointment that “there has been a definitive abandonment of (former) President (Fidel) Ramos’ strategy of reconciliation” with the Left at a national level.

Calling it a Sinn Fein strategy, Alston said the strategy of Ramos involved the creation of the party-list system for the Left to participate in the democratic political system.

Alston though acknowledged that some of the militant groups are still sympathetic to the communist armed struggle.

In the same news conference, Alston criticized Esperon for simply calling up Palparan to explain his side of the story.

Palparan, now retired, has been singled out as one of the military officials behind the killings of leftist activists.

Militant groups, for their part, said they have been vindicated by Alston.

Renato Reyes of Bayan said Alston’s findings are “a stinging rebuke of the government and a vindication of the victims.”

“It is a major blow on the military, police and Cabinet officials who have sought to cover up the killings,” Reyes said. “It is good to note that government deception did not take its toll on the UN rapporteur. We are definitely relieved and pleased with his initial findings.”

Reyes said the government must hold accountable all the military officers involved in the killings.

Karapatan, for its part, said Alston validated the claims of the witnesses and survivors in the killings.

“As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), we expect the Philippine government to be circumspect, to say the least, on the findings of Mr. Alston, and that they should follow Mr. Alston’s recommendation that will come soon,” Cervantes said,

“Most of all, we hope that the government will immediately put a stop to the killings and rights violations, and punish the perpetrators,” she added. –Pia Lee-Brago And Katherine Adraneda, The Philippine STAR with Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe, AP, AFP