Rise of 'Bayanihan' architect to AFP chief bodes more rights abuses - Karapatan

From InterAksyon (Jan 16): Rise of 'Bayanihan' architect to AFP chief bodes more rights abuses - Karapatan

The appointment of the general who conceptualized the government’s counterinsurgency campaign, Oplan “Bayanihan,” to head the Armed Forces of the Philippines can only mean an “escalation of human rights violations” in the country, the advocacy group Karapatan said Wednesday.

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay, in a statement, blamed Bayanihan for 137 extrajudicial killings and 154 frustrated murders as of December 30 last year. These include the killings of Italian missionary Fausto Tentorio, Dutch aid worker Willem Geertman, and indigenous peoples’ leaders Jimmy Liguyon and Juvy Capion, among others, she said.

The “Internal Peace and Security Plan,” which touts itself as being “people-centered,” is the brainchild of current Army chief, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Bautista, who is set to take the reins of the AFP on Thursday. Aside from extrajudicial killings, Karapatan also noted an increase in the number of allegedly illegal arrests -- 27 as of December -- including that of security guard Rolly Panesa, who was supposedly mistaken by the military to be a ranking communist rebel leader.

"There are still incidents of bombings and indiscriminate firing, the use of schools, chapels, medical facility and other public places for military purpose. People are still forced to leave their homes because of military atrocities in their communities,” Palabay added. She said this made Bayanihan no different from Oplan Bantay Laya, the counterinsurgency program under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/52812/rise-of-bayanihan-architect-to-afp-chief-bodes-more-rights-abuses---karapatan