This refers to the statement of Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. that the allegations of human rights abuses perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Aquino administration are all baseless.
Malacañang is in constant denial of what is obvious and blatantly happening, such as the extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations, in the same manner that it denies its criminal neglect of Supertyphoon “Yolanda’s” survivors.
While there’s not even a hint that justice will be served on the victims of these killings, the Aquino administration, through the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has not stopped in its killing spree. Its pronouncements invoking adherence to international human rights standards are all for show. Even the United Nations human rights experts and international monitors have seen through their lies.
Karapatan has documented 222 extrajudicial killings, 221 frustrated killings, 104 cases of torture and more than 40,000 cases of forcible evacuations resulting from military operations.
The continuing massive deployment of AFP troops in the Caraga region where at least four battalions are currently conducting military operations is the latest spate of violations reported. Since Nov. 1, two farmer-small scale miners—Philims and Philip Poloyapoy from Bayugan, Agusan del Sur—have been reported missing. Their brother, Filjohn, was found dead on Nov. 3. The three were arrested by elements of the 75th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army while conducting combat operations in Purok 13, Bagong Silang, Barangay Bayugan 3, Rosario, Agusan del Sur.
The Aquino administration can afford to drag its heels on the Ampatuan massacre and go easy with the Ampatuans even as the world watches. We can just imagine what is going to happen to the case of the Poloyapoys and many other lesser-known individuals from the villages who become victims of the government’s fascist attacks. The world does not know them. The only way for us to end impunity is to also end the reign of the impunity king—Benigno S. Aquino III.
—CRISTINA PALABAY,
secretary general, Karapatan,
karapatan@karapatan.org