Military holds ‘human rights’ symposium, militants hold rally denouncing rights violation

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 11): Military holds ‘human rights’ symposium, militants hold rally denouncing rights violation

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- As the various militant organizations hold rally to denounce alleged human rights violations, the military also held a symposium on human rights here.

Both occasions were held to commemorate the 67th National Human Rights Day held every from December 4 to 10, the last day being the International Human Rights Day, in consonance to the United Nations declaration of the commemoration of the World Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, 1948.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) held at the symposium on “Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law” to the officers and men of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division in celebration of the Human Rights Day last Wednesday.

Capt. Patrick Martinez, the spokesperson of the Army 4 Infantry Division, said that the CHR resource person reminded the government troopers as the protector of the Filipino people.

As the protector of the people, the military is expected to exemplify the character and image that the people would respect and trust, Martinez said.

On the contrary, the militant Karapatan, a human rights advocate in Northern Mindanao, has accused the military of killing the “Lumads” (indigenous people) in the region in the guise of accusing the Lumad as supporters of the communist insurgency movement.

The militant organizations are seeking justice in the separate killings of 10 Lumads in Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental during the months of March, August, and September this year.

The military has denied the accusations and insisted that the death of the Lumad took place after a legitimate encounter with the government troops in various areas in Northern Mindanao this year.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=837078