CHR tags PNP, AFP, NPA as top violators
Violation of human rights goes unabated in the country and the Commission on Human Rights has determined that sixty-four percent of the violations were committed by pro-government forces while thirty-six percent are attributed to the Communist Party of the Philippines//New People’s Army/ National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF).
Human Rights Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano told local newsmen here that based on their 2005 report, pro-government forces like the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces as well as the NPA have been tagged as primary perpetrators.
But he pointed out that while there is a perception that there are more human rights violations today compared to the martial law regime, he said the commission can’t make a comparison. He didn’t elaborate but only said that the CHR has no empirical data and statistics to compare records of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo’s administrations.
Acknowledging the seeming duplicity in investigating the violations and to avoid confusion after President Arroyo announced the creation of the Melo Commission that will look into the political killings in the country; he said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is giving the latter a chance to complete its work.
He said the CHR will simply compare its findings with those determined by the Melo Commission.
Soriano, a former vice mayor of San Carlos City, had said earlier that CHR already submitted a report on the political killings with corresponding recommendations to the President, foremost of which was for the President to take a more decisive action to put a stop to these killings.
He said the creation of the Melo Commission was largely a result of CHR’s recommendation and the CHR has asked its witnesses to cooperate with the Melo Commission.
After receiving the Melo Commission report, he said they will again call the attention of the PNP “to strengthen their investigation and for the President to strengthen her resolve and political will to stop political killings”. –EVA
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