Gov’t soldiers in Bicol renew human rights vow

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 4): Gov’t soldiers in Bicol renew human rights vow

Following the singing of the national anthem for Monday’s flag-raising ceremony, soldiers of the Philippine Army’s (PA) 9th Infantry (Spear) Division (9ID) based here recited en masse the “Panunumpa sa Karapatang Pantao”. The ceremony marked for this military camp and for the entire PA organization in Bicol the opening of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week this year and the renewal of the soldiers’ commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. “We are here today to show our support to the observance of the National Human Rights Consciousness Week in order for our voices to be heard and be counted,” Major General Romeo Calizo, the Division commander told the soldiers during a short program following the ceremony. In this year’s theme: “My voice counts in ending impunity: I work for Human Rights based governance,” Calizo said the Army banks on combined efforts with its partner agencies and organizations in working for freedom of the citizenry to live free from fear and subjugation. “We fight to provide our people freedom to pursue every endeavor within the bounds of existing laws and without trampling on the rights of others,” he said.

Army’s 9ID is guided by the Internal Peace and Security Plan “Bayanihan” adherence to Human Rights-International Humanitarian Law-Rule of Law (HR-IHL-ROL) as an important strategic imperative, Calizo stressed. This ensures that the multi-stakeholder approach and paradigm shift to a people-centered approach be fully integrated in 9ID’s operations. “We are prepared to continue playing our part in the Philippine government’s goals of safeguarding the ‘life, liberty and property’ of the Bicolanos,” he said adding that the communist-New People’s Army (NPA) remains a threat in Bicol’s peace and order and internal security. In the guise of fighting for a “people-oriented” ideology, the NPA wreaks havoc in the society and violates the people’s rights in the process, Calizo said. The PA Division, according to Col Felix J Castro Jr., the assistant division commander and human rights officer is further developing its ranks as protectors of HR-IHL-ROL to gain the respect of the Bicolanos. 9ID is the center of command of all PA units composed of at least seven battalions comprising three infantry brigades operating in the region.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=477022