ALLIANCE NEWS

September 13, 2010

Human Rights Violations under the US-Aquino III Regime Spikes Up



Los Angeles- The Alliance-Philippines (AJlPP) vehemently denounces the crescendo of human rights violations perpetrated by the US-Aquino III regime’s armed forces and police units since they extended the Oplan Bantay-Laya II last June 2010.

The Alliance said “"The attacks against civilians violate the Geneva Conventions and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL), which give primacy to the protection of the rights and welfare of unarmed civilians in the course of the war"

The Alliance News recently reported last week the massacre of four farmers last September 7 in Brgy. Sta. Maria, Mobo, Masbate. The victims were Vicente Flores, 41, Richard Oliva, 44, Melecio Monacelio, 45 and his son Jonathan Monacelio, 21, a student of Sta. Maria High School.

The four civilians who were resting after hunting were suddenly fired upon by troops of the 9th Infantry Battalion. Officials of the 9th IB later claimed that the farmers were NPA members killed in an armed encounter with their men.

Increasing Cases of Human Rights Violations

Two days earlier, 10 armed men believed to be soldiers roughed up Warren Morilla, a barangay official in his own home in Brgy. Florista in Libon town, Albay, as they tried to force him to identify the houses of NPA rebels allegedly living in the barangay.

After denying knowledge of supposed NPA presence in their community, the armed men then dragged him out of his house, covered his head with a plastic bag and hit different parts of his body with the butts of their rifles. His wallet, two bolos and a pair of slippers were taken by the armed men before he was forced to sign a document stating no items were taken and no one was hurt during the search.

The Alliance News cited the illegal arrest, torture and continuing detention of brothers Cesar and Juanito Gabac of Brgy. Anagasi, Paranas town in Samar province. Last July 25, 34th IB troops the Gabac brothers, together with their mother Lucia, from their home.

The Alliance News said the Gabac brothers who were made to appear as NPA surrenderees were coerced into guiding the soldiers in their military operations in the surrounding areas. They were also forced to deny on radio that they suffered human rights violations. The Gabac brothers continue to be under illegal military detention.

AJLPP Expects More HR Violations

In Southern Mindanao, the CPP disclosed that civilians Zosimo Tapia and Boy Devasura of So. Tugpan, Brgy. Sampagita, Veruela, Agusan del Sur were forced to guide military operations of the 26th Infantry Battalion against the NPA last August 25. The soldiers endangered their lives by putting them in the line of fire. Tapia was wounded in the AFP raid.

These are just the most recent cases of violations of the rights of unarmed civilians by the AFP, said the AJLPP "There have been numerous other cases reported since the onset of the US-Aquino regime.

The Alliance is expecting more cases to spike up with the strong intervention and guidance from US imperialist advisers actively involved in the COIN operations in the Philippines.

*****