The human rights records of the Philippine Army in Negros continues to improve as shown by its record of zero “human rights violations” in the past six months of this year, compared to previous years, Commission on Human Rights records showed.
Romeo Baldevarona, CHR provincial officer, yesterday attributed this to the implementation of the Oplan Bayanihan campaign plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that calls for strict adherence to human rights and International Humanitarian Law from its members.
Baldevarona, however, said the CHR has recorded a complaint against two members of the 61st Infantry Battalion, who were linked to the death of activist Benjie Bayles in Himamaylan City, last year.
He said they have noted that the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, from its commander down to its ordinary soldiers, are strictly abiding with the provisions of the IHL.
He also said they have not received any complaints of abuses against the Philippine Army despite so many encounters between government soldiers and New People’s Army rebels in the northern and southeastern parts of Negros.
In the same period, CHR recorded six complaints against the NPA, like the murder of civilians, an unarmed soldier, and destruction of properties in northern Negros.
Major General Emmanuel Bautista, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said the improvement in human rights records of the AFP, especially Army infantry units in Negros and Panay, is due to their adherence to the rule of law and the IHL.
“It is a marked improvement over what we had experienced in the past” Bautista said.
The military has been at the receiving end of accusations by leftist organizations and human rights advocates that it is behind the rash of extra-judicial killings, mostly of leftist personalities.
Frank Fernandez, spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Negros, in a statement, said the heightened “psywar campaign” of Col. Jonas Sumagaysay and the 303rd IB that included an alleged infighting and intense disagreements among local NPA leaders, is aimed at covering up human rights violations committed by the AFP.*GPB
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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