Incoming AFP chief to continue controversial counter-insurgency program

From GMA News (Jan 16): Incoming AFP chief to continue controversial counter-insurgency program

Incoming military chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista on Wednesday vowed to continue the governments's counter-insurgency program despite claims by a human rights group that it has resulted in government abuses on suspected communists. Bautista said the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan would be his pet project as he urged those involved in the armed struggle to give up their fight in order to allow the country to move forward.

“Lahat tayo ay gusto na tumahimik ang bayan at tayo ay umunlad. We owe it to our people to win the peace, ang objective ng IPSP Bayanihan ay to win the peace,” he told “News To Go” anchor Kara David in an interview Wednesday. "Ito ang kinakailangan natin ngayon, we owe it to our people to be able to establish the peace and security condition so that we can finally move forward as a nation," he added. Malacañang announced Bautista's appointment Tuesday, two days before the turnover ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. He will replace the retiring Gen. Jessie Dellosa.

IPSP Bayanihan

It was Bautista who crafted IPSP Bayanihan, the military’s blueprint in winning the peace in the countryside, when he was deputy chief of staff for operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The IPSP Bayanihan was unveiled by President Benigno Aquino III during the celebration of the military’s foundation anniversary in December 2010. The campaign plan was implemented by government troops on Jan. 1, 2011.
Bautista said he was passionate about winning peace because it was the advocacy of his father, the late Brig. Gen. Teodulfo Bautista, who was killed by Moro National Liberation Front rebels in 1977 during a negotiation in Sulu. “He gave up his life for peace so 'yun ang naging advocacy ko rin, to be able to continue yung efforts niya,” he said.

Bautista also expressed optimism that the signed Bangsamoro framework agreement would prosper and will be an example for other groups to give up their armed struggle. “Sana ito ay magtuloy tuloy na, magkaroon ng normalization at sana maging halimbawa ito at inspirasyon sa iba pang grupo dyan na i-abandona na ang armed struggle dahil ang armed struggled o conflict ay hindi ang solusyon sa ating mga problema. Ang solusyon ay magtulong tulong tayo, magkapitbisig tayo sa diwa ng bayanihan,” he said.

Human rights abuses

But in a press statement, human rights group Karapatan said Bautista's appointment at the time that IPSP Bayanihan is on its last year of Phase 1 implementation was no coincidence. The group said Bayanihan, in its two years, had caused numerous cases of human rights violations, victimizing members and leaders of progressive organizations, including innocent civilians suspected of being members or supporters of the communist New People’s Army.
“Oplan Bayanihan, despite its ‘people-centered’ and ‘respect for human rights’ catch-phrases already resulted in 137 incidents of extrajudicial killings and 154 cases of frustrated extrajudicial killings (as of Dec.30, 2012),” Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said.

But in a phone interview, AFP spokesperson Col. Arnulfo Burgos assured Karapatan that their fears were unfounded as IPSP Bayanihan puts prime attention on the protection and promotion of human rights. He further said that counter-insurgency plan was crafted with the help of stakeholders such as religious groups, academe and even progressive groups. “How can they say that? The emphasis of IPSP Bayanihan is human rights. They can read IPSP Bayanihan at makikita nila doon that all undertakings advocate the protection and promotion of human rights. It was also the first time that the crafting of a security plan involved the stakeholders. I advise them to read it, it's on the Internet or they can ask for copies of that,” Burgos said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/290544/news/nation/incoming-afp-chief-to-continue-controversial-counter-insurgency-program