3rd ID invites Migrante leader to talks on red-tagging issue

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — To settle the reported mix-up over the red-tagging issue, the hierarchy of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division said it is willing to sit down and talk things over with representatives of civil society groups.

The invitation was particularly extended to Cynthia Deduro, executive director of DAGSAW (Panay-Guimaras Indigenous Peoples Network) and regional coordinator of Migrante International-West Visayas.

Major Gen. Jose Mabanta, 3rd ID commander said: “We are inviting her to come and talk to us. The dialogue will be an avenue for us to clear things and settle any allegations that have been coming out.”

For the purpose of the dialogue, Mabanta coursed through the invite to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who in turn assured the military he will organize the meeting. So far, however, Deduro has yet to reply on the request for dialogue.

Deduro earlier complained after she was named as one of the top New People’s Army (NPA) officers present during an encounter in Tapaz, Capiz last month.

Mabanta clarified that they received an information naming a certain Cynthia Deduro present at the encounter site. However, “there was no direct reference to the Cynthia Deduro of Migrante International,” he said.

The military official also said the AFP’s Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan has nothing to do with the incident. For one, “IPSP Bayanihan is never aimed against unarmed civilian. We are just going against armed groups,” he said.

Mabanta added that since IPSP Bayanihan started, records could tell that the military has a good standing, as far as adherence to human rights is concerned. “We tell our people to strictly follow the International Humanitarian Law and be advocates of human rights,” he said.

More than the combat operations, IPSP Bayanihan highlights the importance of increased involvement of stakeholders, the national and local government agencies, non-government entities and the entire citizenry in addressing peace and security concerns. It gives equal emphasis to combat and non-combat dimensions of military operations.

The IPSP departs from the old parameters and explores non-combat parameters of success in addressing the country’s peace and security problem. Under it is the AFP’s desired end state that “capabilities of internal armed threats are reduced to a level that they can no longer threaten the stability of the state and civil authorities can ensure the safety and well-being of the Filipino people”.

The planning timeframe of the IPSP is six years, from 2011 to 2016. For the first three years of implementation (2011 to 2013), AFP efforts shall focus on addressing internal armed threat groups, Mabanta added. (FREEMAN)