US urges Phl: Control paramilitary forces

MANILA, Philippines - The United States has urged the Philippines to take additional measures to ensure that the military exercises full control over paramilitary forces and hold them accountable to meet the Philippines’ obligations under international human rights law.

Human Rights Watch said the government should dismantle the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGU) and the police Civilian Volunteer Organizations, or at least exercise full control over and take full accountability for their actions that violate human rights.

The US government recommended this move during its second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last Tuesday.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said he sees the dismantling of all paramilitary forces in the country by 2016 or before the end of implementation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s internal peace and security plan Bayanihan program to “win the peace” through combat and non-combat initiatives.

“Disbanding the paramilitary forces (CAFGU) and Special Citizens Active Auxiliaries (SCAA) is a welcome move but the Armed Forces need not wait for 2016 to do this. It should dismantle them now,” said Carlos Conde, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“The CAFGUs and the SCAA have a long history of human rights abuses with impunity. The government should hold accountable paramilitary members implicated in abuses immediately,” he said.

Human Rights Watch said the Philippine government should heed recommendations by several countries during this week’s UPR at the UN Human Rights Council to dismantle its paramilitary forces.

“It’s not realistic to disband paramilitaries only once the communist New People’s Army abandon their armed struggle as Bautista claims. The government has a duty to protect human rights and punish state forces (that) violate these rights. This obligation is not contingent on the behavior of insurgent groups,” Conde added.

Various countries noted Tuesday the Philippine government’s dismal record in prosecuting cases of extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances when the country’s human rights situation was subjected to the second UPR.

The Philippine government, however, believed the country successfully concluded the review on the human rights record of the country.

Despite existing challenges, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines received overwhelming support and praise from UN member states for its continuing effort to promote and protect human rights and meet the development needs of its citizens.

Human Rights Watch, however, said several countries acknowledged efforts by the Philippine government to improve human rights, including the ratification of treaties, the campaign against human trafficking, and trainings of security forces, but several countries also called on the government to redouble its efforts to arrest alleged perpetrators such as retired Army general Jovito Palparan, who faces an arrest warrant in connection with the kidnapping of two activists in 2006.

The UPR is a mechanism by which the human rights records of member countries of the United Nations is reviewed by member states with the view to further promote and protect the overall enjoyment of people’s human rights.

The Philippines underwent the first cycle of UPR in 2008.