Security forces being probed

The military is investigating the possible involvement of government security forces in 94 cases of unexplained killings.

Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said the newly formed AFP Human Rights Office (AFP-HRO) is handling the probe in coordination with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Speaking before a security forum at EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong yesterday, Carolina said the number of cases where security forces might have been involved could go down after the investigation is completed.

"Probably security forces may have been involved," he said. "We are looking at 94 cases."

Carolina said the figure of 94 was collated from the Melo Commission report and that of the human rights activist group Karapatan.

The AFP and the Philippine National Police are willing to cooperate with the investigation to "address the problem," he added.

Carolina said once the AFP-HRO, headed by military lawyer Col. Benedicto Jose completes the probe, the matter would be endorsed to the CHR and the DOJ for appropriate legal actions.

"This matter is now being handled by a special investigation team from the AFP-HRO working with the CHR and the DOJ," he said.

Carolina said the AFP is withholding its own figures of more than 1,000 extrajudicial killings as the AFP-HRO is focusing on the records of Karapatan and the Melo Commission.

"We are interested to look at the soldiers who are involved so that we can file charges," he said.

Carolina said Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon referred to cases already filed in court when he gave the figures of four soldiers being investigated in connection with the unexplained killings.

Esperon was quoting from data culled by the PNP Task Force Usig, which also formed part of the Melo Commission’s findings, he added.

The tally on the killings of Task Force Usig and Karapatan started in January 2001 after the President took office.

The CHR and DOJ involvement in the military investigation was in response to an order of Mrs. Arroyo.