TRANSPARENT ABUSE

Is Alston on the Look-out for Communist Welfare?

UN Human Rights Specialist Philip Alston, with due respect to his commitment in the country’s politicized deaths should first rationalize his supposed “measures” in establishing “greater transparency” in our government. First and foremost he remains a “stranger” amongst us; he simply cannot “boss” Filipinos around whenever he feels dissatisfied with what our government is capable of doing. Lambasting the current administration for supposed slow-paced countermeasures on extra-judicial abuses, which he himself had commended “efficient”, had gone from “tolerable” to “insufferable”.

Surely, not one Juan dela Cruz across the street would absolve GLORIA for her administration’s shortcomings but neither would he discount the efforts made by the government to resolve such. In fact, this had been the ultimate reason why GLORIA continues to remain afloat despite series of recent upheavals caused by believed exploitative graft cases under her rule.

Filipinos simply know when and where they should act and whom to listen to. Unfortunately, Alston with his hard to live-up standards was far too “ignorant” to notice that.

The obvious decline in the ratios of believed militants’ executions in-between 2006 till 2008 could speak for itself. What is Alston expecting from 220 to zilch? Anyone logical enough to synthesize this progress and Alston’s appositive view would think otherwise. Not even western super powers are able to do it. Take for example the ongoing detention cells in Guantanamo Bay. Other than supposed tortures habitually executed among prisoners in said detention camp, death tolls of inmates had also skyrocketed. Or what about the summary executions launched in Latin America?

The rise of Columbia drug-trade and gun-running that almost crippled the country’s law enforcement had also reflected thousands of untold deaths per day. Else, the ruthless clout of Communism in Myanmar that until now dragged children combatants and massive forced labor across the country. These were far horrible cases of human rights that Alston himself could not swallow. Admittedly, the 64 cases of these assumed unexplained disappearances and illegal detentions filed by various militant groups in the country are of no match if compared with the plummeting human rights defenses in the international arena. Thus, Alston’s bickering here and there of our country’s HR progress had entirely been overrated.

For the sake of argument, let say Alston was not entirely pointless with his “waving the red flag” on assumed lax in the country’s law enforcement. Frankly speaking, civilians residing across far-flung villages in the country echo the same screech. Undeniably, extortions and wide-range threat posed by the Communist Party of the Philippines are gaining grounds. Reasons for such include the military being tied-down by riddling charges of often insubstantial writs of amparo. The CPP-NPA with the help ofcourse of its allied groups run by the National Democratic Front (NDF) had exploited Filipinos’ very democratic space to shield their misdeeds.

Specifically, this had to do with the filed writ of amparo on the 66th Infantry Battalion by members of KARAPATAN regarding the foiled abduction and detention of NPA leaders- Ruel Cabales, Catherine Guino-o Cacdac and Nelson Carbajosa in Compostella Valley. However, in about a month, all three negated said charges and attested having surrendered to said military unit for reasons of dwindling food supply and disgruntling guerilla leadership. Cabales and Cacdac who were being pursued by the CPP-NPA’s SPARU units had admitted being on the run for almost a year.

To note, Cabales and Cacdac were leaders of the GF-25 under the Southern Mindanao Region Command. They were subjected to death after having been involved in cases of fund malverzation which both later denied. The two asserted that it was a way for the Party to persecute them after having been found that they were about to lay down their arms.

As speculated, various leftist-controlled rights group were directed to wage legal actions against the government in COMVAL; insisting that the military is in custody of said cadres. That is, as comrades from its SPARU units pursues all three intending to leave the blames of their deaths on the military. This, indisputably, had been one of the tactics used by the CPP-NPA particularly among its allied members who were suspected of treason.

On other accounts, CPP-NPA-NDF members who were dispensable enough were subjected to summary executions just to establish a case on the pursuing government unit. This for instance involves the sets of “purging” or cleansing operations of the CPP-NPA that was disclosed to the public sometime in 2006. Sardonically, this had been the same ratio counted by Alston on his presumed accounts of political killing nationwide that by now handcuffs our military. Alston is by far unwittingly feeding the CPP-NPA-NDF. Ironically, the HR specialist had been asking the wrong questions on all the wrong places. Even the Davao death squad that Alston was implying to form part of the CPP-NPA’s Oplan Linis Demonyo that was even attested to by the blood-driven Commander Leoncio Pitao alias Parago.

And now, Alston is making it far easier for the CPP-NPA by invoking that “greater transparency” is achieved by having our government divulged vital information on personalities under the AFP’s order of battle and watchlist. By so doing, the government is practically making their moves detectible and worse vulnerable for Communist to sabotage. Is there really a government agency in the world stupid enough to practically hand their know-hows and actions to threatening revolutionist totalitarians? Tell that to the Americans! People outside the military would obvious think the same.

PLUMMETING JUSTICE ON POLITICIZED DEATHS, GLORIA TO BLAME? “Letting the Numbers Speak”

The UN HR Specialist Philip Alston took notice of KARAPATAN’s statistics regarding ratio on victims of extra-judicial killings in the country. This summed-up to total of 882 deaths in comparison to Task Force Usig’s 146. Though the numbers don’t match, both are actually giving a tally of more than a dozen journalist brutally killed in broad daylight. The remaining number quantifies the victims of political feud and that of unexplained disappearances and even fatalities that were insinuated as acts accorded to their militancy. The disparity in number is quite clear but it encloses the obvious fact were “politicalization” and even apolitical stands remain prime motives.

Setting-aside a controversial militants’ case and zeroing-in on journalists deaths, most would involve disputes both with a seated local official and Communist Party provincial doings. These journalists are gunned-down based on their impartisan views which were clearly weighed with how they side with the government detrimental to the CPP-NPA and that of how they criticize officials for nailing of graft. Admittedly, issues of deaths with regards to their stand are grounded greatly with their disfavor of the CPP-NPA. Even militia justice of gunning-down erring officials had been one of the CPP-NPA’s extrajudicial and out of bounds killings.

Early this year, not more than thirty death counts were actuated by the CPP-NPA; part of which is the series of killings tagged as OPLAN LINIS DEMONYO (OLD) done in Davao areas. By mid of April, it had been disclosed that said “cleansing” operation runs nationwide specifically parts of the Bicol Region and Samar. They are out to get rid of military informants and as rumored-Jose Maria Sison supporters. That is in accordance with the heated power thug between Benito Tiamzon and the CPP-Chair-in-absentia JOMA Sison. Part of the downsizing of allies is the indiscriminate singling-out of comrades in arms. This had no fervor whatsoever of distancing from unsuspecting civilians that could get killed in the process. Other than OLD, militant groups had been forcing members to keep mum on drastic political measures that were out to favor both Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño’s political ambitions. And as sourced, this is forcefully done with threats and even persecution. BAYAN Muna adherents are to nod their heads and agree with each political maneuvering or else the inevitable “cleansing” begins with them as primary targets.

Is this not extrajudicial suppression? This is far worse than unexplained disappearances. This is human rights toppled down and beaten to oblivion by morally rights groups who claimed seeking evenhandedness. Where is justice in this one?

Fatalities under OLD include the seventy-nine year old farmer, Eusebio Manluwang in SitioTolotolo, Brgy Paquibato Proper, Paquibato Dist., Davao City. The victim was gunned-down by three identified NPA commando about a feet away from his family’s shack last February 8. The incident was witnessed not just by unfortunate bystanders but by his very relatives. Out of fear, the victim’s family kept their mouths shut. This happens to be justice “delivered” and “served” within the Communist circle. Almost every day “this” same infuriating scenario happens across far-flung districts. That is, as the CPP-NPA-NDF continues to force their revolutionary government among the toiling masses.

Harboring terrorist like Jose Maria Sison while taking him in on an asylum was by far the gravest mistake of the international tribunal. This gave ruthless Communists in the country leverages in performing horrendous acts of human rights abuses. They continually go against the government’s will and even went as far as using so-called “revolutionary taxation” to explain their indiscriminate money hunt that goes to riddling extortions. There is no denying that Manluwang like others who were killed by the CPP-NPA were “silenced” for reasons that the Communist Party relegates them as “useless” piece of used furniture. Jose Maria Sison’s army believes that the Philippines’ citizens are dispensable “toys” they used like “milking cows” or else “butchered pigs”.

KARAPATAN’S POOR BODY COUNT ON POLITICAL KILLINGS

On April 01, 2009, the human rights group Karapatan once again became the harbinger of death as it claimed that they have already counted a total of 17 political killings from January to date of this year. Their current count included Rebelyn Pitao who was abducted and killed by unidentified armed men in Davao Del Norte in the early part of March 2009. Surprisingly, Karapatan has once again failed to update its yearly count and the published update figure of such a list so that scores of victims of the infamous New People’s Army or NPA purging that has hounded the underground movement in the 80s and is said to be still practiced by the rebels during our current generation were not included. The families of these victims, some of whom are still buried and are yet to be discovered by authorities, has long been appealing to the human rights group to echo their clamor for a long overdue and much delayed justice for their loved ones since they too were victims of human rights violations and were robbed of their rights to live.

The families of the so-called Leyte mass grave victims, in particular, have been feeling the perversity of our justice system as one of those accused in the mass killing was able to post a P100,000.00 bail to a non-bailable offense and with no corresponding explanation from the Supreme Court as to why he was granted provisional release. Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo was arrested on March 16, 2007 by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by a regional trial court for multiple murder and subsequently detained for 18 days at the Manila Police District headquarters on United Nations Avenue in Ermita. However, on April 03, 2007 Mr Ocampo virtually walked away from his criminal charges when the Supreme Court granted his request to annul the RTC decision.

And because of this, some quarters have already questioned Karapatan’s leaning, preference in choosing victims to be championed and was also charged of being biased in the dispense of its assistance. A member of a local human rights group argued that “Karapatan should be impartial in reporting the number of political killings in the country as the government is not the only existing entity or group in our nation that is capable of carrying out such a crime against human rights”. The advocate also pointed out that in order for Karapatan to be effective in its crusade against human rights violation it must “report without partiality the summary executions implemented both by the government and that of the New People’s Army since both groups have abused its power and authority and are guilty of mercenary deaths”.

It would help Karapatan if it is reminded every now and then that the fight against human rights violations knows no race, age, gender, political leanings, religion nor social status in life. Karapatan’s fight against human rights violations should not only be geared towards pinning down the Armed Forces of the Philippines but should also be targeted towards putting down the New People’s Army. It is the right way to uphold human rights.