AFP to probe human rights lawyer's harassment complaint

MANILA, Philippines - The military will probe the alleged harassment of a human rights lawyer who claimed that government forces had intimidated her and placed her under surveillance.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said military units have been ordered to ensure the security of Maria Catherine Dannug-Salucon and her family.

“There will be an investigation that will be conducted to determine the truth behind the alleged harassment by soldiers,” Cabunoc said in a statement.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has also instructed all its subordinate units to ensure the life, liberty and security of Atty. Maria Catherine Dannug-Salucon and her immediate family members,” he added.

Cabunoc assured the public that the military would continue to uphold the rule of law in the country.

“We respect the human rights of every individual while we perform our mandated tasks,” he said.

Earlier, the Court of Appeals granted Salucon’s application for Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data and ordered the government to look into her allegations including her supposed inclusion in the list of “red lawyers.”

Salucon is a founding member of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyer (NUPL) and is its incumbent national auditor. She has been handling cases involving alleged human rights violations.

“Atty. Salucon’s name is reportedly included in the military’s watch list of so-called communist terrorist supporters rendering legal services,” the NUPL said in a statement.

The respondents in Salucon’s application were President Aquino, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former Armed Forces chief Emmanuel Bautista; former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri, former military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ano, 5th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Benito de Leon, and Isabela Provincial Police Office chief C/Supt. Miguel de Mayo Laurel.

The NUPL said Salucon filed the Petition for Writ of Amparo and Writ of Habeas Date in April 2014 after she had experienced “intensified surveillance.”