Alleged abuses hound AFP accomplishments vs. insurgents

As the military highlights its succesful operations against the communist rebels in 2014, a human rights group continues to link the abuses allegedly committed by soldiers to the Armed Forces' peace and security program.

In a interview with GMA News Online on Tuesday, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said their group recorded 52 cases of extrajudicial killings this year.

“Maraming kaso ng extrajudicial killing but it did not receive much attention,” she said. “While we have documented several killings especially during the first quarter, most of the victims kasi are peasants and indigenous people at hindi sikat kaya hindi nabibigyan ng atensyon.”

The military has repeatedly denied involvement in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, saying it is committed to protecting human rights.

IPSP

But for 2014, Palabay said they “have recorded an average of one case [of abuse] per week,” linking most cases to the Armed Forces' Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan, the military's masterplan against communist rebels.

“I can say na mas malala ang nangyayari ngayon under the Aquino administration because it deceives the people,” Palabay said.

“This President uses the language of human rights to appear that he is for human rights and justice but what his troops are doing on the ground [is not reflecting that],” she added.

Palabay said that the IPSP that the Aquino administration branded as tool to ensure peace and security is the same tool it uses against the people.

Alleged abuses

To date, Karapatan has recorded 226 cases of extrajudicial killings since President Benigno Aquino III, the military's commander in chief, took over in 2010.

Other abuses recorded by the group include:

- Enforced Disappearance, 26 cases
- Torture, 104
- Rape, 5
- Frustrated Extrajudicial Killing, 225
- Illegal Arrest without Detention, 293
- Illegal Arrest and Detention, 693
- Illegal Search and Seizure, 284
- Physical Assault and Injury, 401

Military accomplishment

Meanwhile, the AFP said the number of the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has dwindled to 3,200 members.

“This is due to the intensified focused military operations,” the AFP said in a statement Tuesday.

AFP said that they have killed 90 NPA rebels in 2014, arrested 106, and filed cases against 521 others who surrendered to the government.

“The downtrend in their strength is also associated with the current leadership crisis within the CPP-NPA-NDF following the capture of their national and regional leaders to include Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, Eugenia Magpantay-Topacio, Agathon Topacio and Arnold Jaramillo,” the military said. —KBK, GMA News