AFP, CHR forge pact to foster coordination

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to foster close coordination and address gaps in the human rights situation in the country.

Under the agreement, the AFP and the CHR will work together for human rights education, training and advocacy.

The two agencies also committed to collaborate in improving monitoring mechanisms and data sharing of cases of human rights violations.

The agreement and its provisions will remain in effect for a period of three years subject to the renewal and approval of the secretary of National Defense.

The MOA was signed by AFP chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana and CHR chairman Chito Gascon, joined by AFP Human Rights Office chief Col. Joel Alejandro Nacnac and CHR executive director Jacqueline de Guia.

“I am certain that by fostering close coordination, which involves a mutual knowledge on the intricacies and the proper interpretation of human rights and the best way to promote them, there is surely much to learn from our counterparts in the CHR,” Sobejana said in a statement.

Gascon added that the MOA will strengthen the two agencies’ efforts to protect the rights of the Filipino people.

Both agencies agreed to participate in dialogues, focus group discussions and other forms of engagements and cooperation over human rights issues.

The AFP and the CHR, in 2012, signed the La Breza declaration on human rights cooperation that assured the commitment of the AFP to protect human rights.

Killing of rights defenders

International rights advocates urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UN-HRC) to take long-overdue action to end the cycle of impunity which continues to fuel human rights violations in the Philippines, following the shocking killing of nine human rights defenders and political activists by the police and the military on March 7.

Amnesty International said the Council should, without further delay, establish an accountability mechanism, as recommended by national and international civil society groups last year.

On March 7, nine people were killed, six were arrested, and six “escaped” during simultaneous raids by government security forces in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal provinces. Witnesses, including family members, reported victims being summarily killed by police and the military and evidence planted on those arrested.

Amnesty International believes that all those who were killed or arrested were targeted because of their human rights work.

The operation, known as “Coplan Asval,” came two days after President Duterte ordered security forces to “kill” and “finish off” communist rebels and to “forget about human rights.”

It mirrored other deadly operations led by state forces against political activists and human rights defenders as part of an escalating counter insurgency campaign by the government.

“The execution-style killings used in the government’s ongoing murderous ‘war on drugs’ is increasingly being used to attack political activists and human rights defenders and shows no signs of letting up. Such killings continue to be perpetrated against those who are ‘red-tagged’ and accused of supporting the communist insurgency. In contravention of international law, the government’s anti-insurgency campaign has failed to distinguish between armed combatants and civilians, including human rights defenders,” the group said in a statement.

“Moreover, the authorities have repeatedly failed to prove that those who have been ‘red-tagged’ have taken up arms to rebel against the government or committed other criminal acts. As a consequence, many groups and individuals have been ‘red-tagged’ and targeted simply because of their critical views of the government,” it added.

Amnesty International said this pattern of killings is fueled and incited by the President himself, who continues to assure police and armed forces that they can kill with impunity and that he will shield them from any form of accountability, including investigations by international mechanisms such as the UN-HRC.

“The Philippine government continues with its empty assurances to other states that it will investigate human rights violations in its efforts to avoid further scrutiny. However, these statements contrast starkly with actions taken and statements made at a national level in the country. When the President himself continues to incite security forces to kill and where the authorities have failed to bring anyone responsible for these violations to justice, other states should no longer take announcements of investigations seriously. Such brazen flouting of international law – and disregard for human life – must be met with a much stronger message,” the statement continued.

The group further said, “We urge states – particularly Iceland and others that supported the resolution at the Human Rights Council last October – to take long-overdue action to send a clear message that they will no longer look the other way as the government commits grave human rights violations with impunity. They should follow up on the calls by civil society, UN Special Procedures and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish an international accountability mechanism given the absence of clear and measurable progress at the domestic level. Donor states must also ensure that any financial, technical or other assistance provided to the Philippine government does not contribute to human rights violations and to immediately halt such cooperation, including in training and technical advice, if it is used or if there is a real risk of it being used, either directly or indirectly, to commit human rights abuses.”

The group added that the “Human Rights Council must no longer stand idly by as bodies of people suspected of using or selling drugs pile up; as human-rights defenders, political activists, indigenous peoples and other targeted groups continue to be killed, arrested and attacked.” – Rhodina Villanueva