Who is responsible?
The methodology of the attacks, including prior death threats, patterns of surveillance by persons reportedly linked to the security forces, the leftist profile of the victims, and a climate of impunity that has shielded the perpetrators from prosecution, has led Amnesty International to conclude that the attacks are not an unconnected series of criminal murders but constitute a politically-motivated pattern of killings. The organization remains gravely concerned that members of the security forces may have been directly involved in the killings, or else have tolerated, acquiesced to, or been complicit in them.
Philip Alston, the UN expert on extrajudicial executions, stated in his initial findings that: The Armed Forces of the Philippines remains in a state of almost total denial of its need to respond effectively and authentically to the significant number of killings which have been convincingly attributed to them.
Major General Jovito Palparan
One of the well known military officers whose name is often cited in the context of political killings is Major General Palparn. He has made public statements linking leftist political parties with National Peoples Army. In a television interview in August 2002, then Colonel Palparan labelled Bayan Muna an NPA front. He also publicly accused Karapatan and the womens organization, Gabriela, of being NPA recruiters.
Major General Palparan in particular emerged as the focus of accusations by leftist groups that the military was responsible for sharply increased numbers of killings of leftist activists in regions where he was given command.
He also described the Congressional party-list members as directing of providing the day to-day policies of the (rebel) movement.
He warned of necessary and tolerable collateral damage in the anti-insurgency campaign, and, referring to vigilante killings by anti-communist elements outside the AFP, stated that the military alone should not be blamed. Subsequently, labelling leftist party-list leader as enemies of the state, he also called for reinstitution of the Anti-Subversion Act to make membership of the CPP a criminal offence once again.
An Asset?
Major General Palparn retired on 11 September 2006. Following his retirement he was lauded by the president who called him an asset to the counterinsurgency. This is despite all the accusations against him. He was going to be appointed as the Deputy National Security Advisor, but the appointment did not go through due to public protest. He has recently been encouraged to run for Congress.
He was significantly mentioned in the Melo report whose authors interviewed him in regards to comments he has made about political killings. He has also been implicated behind some of the killings.
Amnesty International is concerned that there may be several more senior officers like Major General Palparn in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. We urge the U.S. Administration of be vigilant in identifying these officers to satisfy Leahey Law requirements.
Extrajudicial Killings
