Neg Occ has most HRVs in WV

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Negros Occidental had the most number of human rights violations in Western Visayas in the past 11 months of the year, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reported.

However, the number of complaints lodged in CHR provincial offices in the region from January to November dropped from last year’s 92 to 84.

Policemen again topped the list of alleged human rights violators with 20. Other respondents are New People’s Army rebels, the Philippine Army, the Revolutionary Proletarian Army, National Bureau of Investigation, teachers, jail guards, government employees, and civilians.

The common complaints involved violation of women’s and children’s rights, physical injuries, murder, harassments, threat, unlawful arrest, grave misconduct, unlawful arrest, illegal search, attempted murder, and rape.

From 2005 to July 2009, CHR records also showed that 254 policemen have been accused of human rights violations in Region 6, the majority assigned in Negros Occidental. This is second only to the National Capital Region where complaints have been lodged against 756 policemen.

However, the CHR also noted a steady decline in the number of policemen charged with human rights abuses, from 69 in 2005, to 68 in 2006, 58 in 2007, 39 in 2008 and 20 as of July last year.

More than 3,000 military and police personnel assigned to various regions of the country have been accused of human rights violations since 2005. Of these, 2,408 are policemen and 788 military personnel.

But CHR chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales called the average rate of conviction – 16 percent – “very dismal.”

Rosales, however, said she has noticed many changes in the military and police regarding human rights issues, citing the distribution of a manual on human rights to the Army, Navy and Air Force.