UN Prober Raps Military, Gov’t for Killings

How many have been killed?

The numbers game is especially unproductive, although a source of endless fascination. Is it 25, 100, or 800? I don’t have a figure. But I am certain that the number is high enough to be distressing. Even more importantly, numbers are not what count. The impact of even a limited number of killings of the type alleged is corrosive in many ways. It intimidates vast numbers of civil society actors, it sends a message of vulnerability to all but the most well connected, and it severely undermines the political discourse which is central to a resolution of the problems confronting this country.

Permit me to make a brief comment on the term ‘unexplained killings’, which is used by officials and which I consider to be inapt and misleading. It may be appropriate in the context of a judicial process but human rights inquiries are more broad-ranging and one does not have to wait for a court to secure a conviction before one can conclude that human rights violations are occurring. The term ‘extrajudicial killings’ which has a long pedigree is far more accurate and should be used.

Typology

It may help to specify the types of killing which are of particular concern in the Philippines:

- Killings by military and police, and by the NPA or other groups, in course of counter-insurgency. To the extent that such killings take place in conformity with the rules of international humanitarian law they fall outside my mandate.

- Killings not in the course of any armed engagement but in pursuit of a specific counter-insurgency operation in the field.

- Killings, whether attributed to the military, the police, or private actors, of activists associated with leftist groups and usually deemed or assumed to be covertly assisting CPP-NPA-NDF. Private actors include hired thugs in the pay of politicians, landowners, corporate interests, and others.

- Vigilante, or death squad, killings

- Killings of journalists and other media persons.

- ‘Ordinary’ murders facilitated by the sense of impunity that exists.

Response by the Government

The response of Government to the crisis of extrajudicial executions varies dramatically. There has been a welcome acknowledgement of the seriousness of the problem at the very top. At the executive level the messages have been very mixed and often unsatisfactory. And at the operational level, the allegations have too often been met with a response of incredulity, mixed with offence.

Explanations proffered

When I have sought explanations of the killings I have received a range of answers.

(i) The allegations are essentially propaganda. I have addressed this dimension already.

(ii) The allegations are fabricated. Much importance was attached to two persons who had been listed as killed, but who were presented to me alive. Two errors, in circumstances which might partly explain the mistakes, do very little to discredit the vast number of remaining allegations.

| Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5

2 Comments to “UN Prober Raps Military, Gov’t for Killings”

1. Tim says:

   March 14, 2007 at 12:17 pm

   BEWARE OF THIS MIRA, CONCERNGURL and ARNEL PO, mga pakawala sila ng mga companies na ka competition ng kanilang inirereklamo. I did my own investigation. The seminar they are saying that is bogus. apparently first time magpaseminar ng group na ito, so paano mo masasabing bogus. I called up the hotel and they said its legitimate, they have made a booking. Also, I have personally visited their office. Meron silang DTI, SEC, permit, at lahat ng kailangan nila. Pinoy tlaga. CRAB mentality.

   Mag ingat ang mga taga Davao sa mga MT schools sa Davao na merong school pero wala namang affiliate sa US na company. at wala ding trabaho. Madami bagong tayo sa Davao niyan. mga gusto mag aral. Check niyo kung ung school may partner na US company or client bago kayo mag enrol. Check niyo din kung member sila ng AAMT American Association of Medical Transcription. Kung hindi, wag kayo pumasok dun. Meron ako mga kakilala na naka ilang batch na ng students pero ung mga students under qualified and walang work. Wala din facility for OJT. Ung iba hindi din TESDA accredited. a
2. Sergeant S.W. Foster says:

   March 20, 2007 at 2:11 pm

   Why wasn’t this on the news?

   Sergeant S.W. Foster
   US Army
   http://www.DesertVets.org
   http://www.IraqfromtheWindow.com
   http://www.SgtScorpion.com