Group warns of more HR abuses

Cause-oriented group Karapatan warned of more human rights abuses should the government continue to deploy military personnel for the security of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.

Calling the soldiers as "walking time bombs," Karapatan said in a press statement that the recent bar brawl in Lapu-Lapu City involving the military men assigned to secure the ASEAN Summit and the local policemen should serve as lesson for the government.

"The recent altercation between a police officer of Lapu-Lapu City and soldiers of the 2nd Light Reaction Company should prod the governor and other hawks in government to stop from further militarizing Cebu," said lawyer Poch Cinco, Karapatan Central Visayas chairman.

Cinco said instead of maintaining peace and order for the December summit, the soldiers are the ones who are becoming the cause of chaos.

"For now, it is just a fistfight between, ironically, so-called "law enforcers" ending up with bruised egos. But what about the next time? Do we have to wait for a gunfight claiming civilian casualties before we cry foul?" he added.

Karapatan said there is no need to intensify the militarization of Cebu even in the guise of securing the summit because the local police and the augmentation units from Mindanao could very well do the job.

"Military units like the US-trained 2nd LRC are programmed to wage war or seek one in areas where there are none. They are brainwashed into thinking that might is right and everything is settled by shooting it out," the organization said.

Karapatan cited the Commission on Human Rights record that said most human rights abuses in the country were perpetrated by the elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In Cebu, Karapatan noted that 73 percent of the documented 53 cases of human rights violations since January had been perpetrated by the members of the 78th Infantry Battalion.

It also suspected the military as behind the two political killings in the province this year, claiming that, "more cases of abuses are expected to intensify with the deployment of the notorious 46th IB from Basey, Western Samar to Southern Cebu last week."

"These soldiers are walking time bombs. It is just a matter of time before they sent this island into a howling conflagration of mayhem," Karapatan said. - Wenna A. Berondo/LPM