A Thailand-based international advocacy group is urging governments belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to conduct speedy investigations into cases of enforced disappearances “to bring an immediate end to enforced disappearances and ensure justice for the victims and their families.”
Militant human rights organizations have claimed that violations of civilian rights continue to happen in Mindanao that would indicate that President Benigno Aquino III did not live up to his promises of a "tuwid na daan (straight path)".
Filipino media and human rights groups described as arrogant the remarks of President Benigno Aquino before a Belgian audience on the state of the country's human rights in the course of the government counterinsurgency campaign.
Sampag said "they do not know what they are doing and must be convinced to stop serving the military.”
At the time of his death, Butalid was the second broadcast journalist to be killed in Tagum City since 1996.