A War Most Dirty

It is a violation of international humanitarian law to torture and kill a captive even if he or she is an enemy; it is the worst form of human rights violation to forcibly abduct, torture, rape and kill a person simply because of his or her political beliefs. What could we now call the abduction, torture, rape and murder of a person who was targeted simply because she is related to an NPA guerilla? International conventions would have no name for it because such act has no place in a civilized society. But this is part of the counterinsurgency operations being conducted by the Arroyo government and the US-trained Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has been called a “dirty war” for a reason.

BY BENJIE OLIVEROS
ANALYSIS
Bulatlat

They probably thought that her torture, rape and murder would, at most, merit a small story from a local police beat reporter in Davao City. What they were counting on was for her brutal killing to send chills among her family, relatives, and friends, as well as communities who they suspect of supporting the New People’s Army (NPA). Perhaps they were also hoping that her father would react irrationally making him vulnerable as a target, as well as to provoke him to retaliate, thereby giving them more reason to commit more of the same acts.

However, they underestimated the political backlash that her torture, rape, and murder would create. Her surname, which to her killers made her fair game, is also what attracted the attention of the media and the general public to her murder. Rebelyn Pitao is, after all, the daughter of an NPA commander Leoncio Pitao also known as Commander Parago Sandoval, who was thrust in the limelight with the capture of Gen. Victor Obillo, commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 55th Engineering Brigade, and his aide Capt Eduardo Montealto in February 1999 and their eventual release two months after. Gen. Obillo and Capt. Montealto were all praises for the NPA unit that held them in custody. Ironically, Pitao’s daughter was not accorded the same respect that the NPA had shown Obillo and Montealto.

But what made Rebelyn’s torture, rape and murder more appalling is that she was not even involved in the revolutionary movement and would have wanted to live the simple life of a teacher. She was only 20 years old and had just passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers last November 2008. Look at the list of new elementary school teachers who passed the most recent Board exam and one would still see her name in it.

It is a violation of international humanitarian law to torture and kill a captive even if he or she is an enemy; it is the worst form of human rights violation to forcibly abduct, torture, rape and kill a person simply because of his or her political beliefs. What could we now call the abduction, torture, rape and murder of a person who was targeted simply because she is related to an NPA guerilla? International conventions would have no name for it because such act has no place in a civilized society.

Thus, when Rebelyn Pitao’s abduction, torture, rape, and murder was exposed in the media, Malacañang and even the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) took turns denying that they were involved, condemned it and declared that they would conduct an investigation. But after several days, when Rebelyn’s murder case was no longer in the headlines, Malacañang never followed up on its vow to investigate and the AFP issued a statement saying that other groups out to avenge alleged atrocities of the New People’s Army could have been responsible. However, even ordinary folks in Davao do not believe them.