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HR Abuses Rising in Luzon Since Arroyo Took Power

In a Luzon-wide conference held last August 23, human-rights groups tallied continuing human-rights violations under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Southern Tagalog registered the highest number of violations among the regions. Meanwhile, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) between the government and the National Democratic Front remains to be implemented.

BY ROWENA CARRANZA
Bulatlat.com

Since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in January this year, 48 persons have been killed in 28 cases of summary execution and two incidents of massacre in Luzon. There have also been 45 victims in 21 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention. Meanwhile, 87 political prisoners continue to languish in various jails in Luzon.

These findings came out during the Luzon-wide human-rights conference held at Miriam College in Quezon City last August 23. Karapatan, the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace and the Miriam Youth for Justice and Peace hosted the conference. At least 55 human-rights advocates from different provinces in Luzon participated.

Southern Tagalog Under Attack

Among the regions in Luzon, Southern Tagalog recorded the highest number of human-rights violations. Eight persons were killed in two cases of massacre, 15 were summarily executed and another three died in separate strafing incidents. There were also four victims of enforced disappearance; 19 victims of illegal arrest and detention; 15 victims of coercion; five victims of destruction of property; and 43 victims in 12 different incidents of military harassment.

Human-rights groups in the region attributed the high number of abuses to Task Force Banahaw, the military unit tasked to run after rebel groups in the region. The region is reportedly the laboratory of Oplan Makabayan, the Armed Forces of the Philippines' counter-insurgency program.

In a statement, Teddy Casiño of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance) described the military units deployed in Southern Tagalog as "uncontrolled monsters."

Human Rights Accord

In the wake of the increasing number of rights violations, the conference participants called on the Arroyo government to implement the human-rights agreement it signed with the National Democratic Front (NDF) titled Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

CARHRIHL was the first substantive product of the on-and-off government-NDF peace negotiations. It was ratified by both parties in 1998, when NDF chairman Mariano Orosa signed it in April and then president Joseph Estrada approved it the following August.

When the talks resumed in Oslo, Norway last April under the Arroyo administration, the two panels agreed to form the Joint Monitoring Committee stipulated in CARHRIHL. This committee will monitor the compliance of both NDF and government forces to the CARHRIHL.

Leftist groups have since been clamoring for the formation of the committee and the full implementation of CARHRIHL.

Meanwhile, human-rights advocates have pledged to monitor violations of both human-rights and international humanitarian law. Bulatlat.com

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