Army says Unicef report on HR abuses during conflict biased

A United Nations report accusing the Army of violating the human rights of women and children during anti-insurgency campaigns was based on information biased in favor of communist rebels, the Army said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, army spokesman said the United Nations Children’s Fund or Unicef should have considered information from other sources.

“Unicef should have been more discerning in its report,” he said.

“Their report was based on information provided by Ibon, an organization widely believed to be allied with the (Communist Party of the Philippines).”

Torres said in combat operations against the New People’s Army, the Army gives primacy in taking appropriate action to insulate women and children from the effects of the conflict.

“Based on my reading, it seems the military is being blamed solely for the effects of the conflict on women and children,” he said. “It is very partial because other sources of information were not given due consideration.”

Torres said Ibon was deceptively selective in their survey, having 122 communist rebels as respondents.

“Records from AFP/PNP/DSWD were not given due consideration,” he said.

“If we are serious in winning this war on insurgency, it is very important that we should be more prudent with what we publish so as not to become an unwitting instrument for leftist propaganda.”

On the other hand, Gregorio Rosal, Communist Party of the Philippines spokesman, said the Unicef report has detailed documented information from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center of 800 cases of human rights violations against children in areas under counterinsurgency operations from 2001 to mid-2006.

The CRC report showed that 215,233 children were victimized in these operations, he added.

Rosal said 58 children have been killed, while another 58 survived attempts on their lives.

A total of 106 children were orphaned and witnessed the military’s killing of their parents or other relatives, he added, quoting the report.

The Unicef report showed that up to 215,060 children were victimized by forcible evacuations as a result of the counterinsurgency operations, Rosal said.

Ten have disappeared, 40 were maimed, 17 more subjected to different types of torture, eight subjected to rape and sexual harassment, 51 victims of illegal search and seizure, 63 victims of coercion, 69 victims of illegal arrest and detention, 40 victims of physical assault and injury and 196 victims of threats and intimidation, the report said.

However, Torres said they have documents and witnesses to prove communist rebels had exploited women and children.

“We appeal to the general public to take action and join us in order to improve the plight, not only of women and children but all our countrymen, who are constantly being exploited by the communist rebels,” he said. —James Mananghaya