Reason behind Europe resolution on unexplained killings in RP sought

MANILA, Philippines - National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales will ask the European Commission envoy to the Philippines to explain how the European Parliament came to the conclusion that cases of unexplained killings involved government security forces.

Reacting to a resolution of the European Parliament, Gonzales said he will ask EU Ambassador Alistair MacDonald to explain the reasons behind the resolution.

“There are killings in the Philippines and we have a policy of ending it. But we don’t have a policy of killings by the government,” he said.

Gonzales said killings take place on a daily basis in the country but that it is not part of government policy.

“What is his basis for saying that there is a policy of killings in the Philippines?” he said.

EU denounces Rebelyn’s murder

The European Union condemned yesterday the abduction and murder of 21-year-old Rebelyn Pitao, daughter of New People’s Army (NPA) commander Leoncio Pitao, alias Commander Parago in Davao, and human rights advocate Eleazar Billanes in Koronadal.

Speaking before the ASEAN National Human Rights Institutions Forum and Website launching in Manila, Ambassador MacDonald said the government must not be complacent about human rights protection.

“Here in the Philippines, I cannot speak of human rights without condemning the recent killings of Rebelyn Pitao in Davao, and Eleazar Billanes in Korondal,” he said.

“I mention these recent cases in order to underline that we must never be complacent where human rights are concerned, in any country, and at the same time as we compliment the work of the NHRIs, applaud the launching of this website and look forward to the creation of an ASEAN HRB (Human Rights Body).”

MacDonald said nations of the world must redouble their efforts to ensure that human rights are truly protected.

“We must all acknowledge that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as relevant and as important today as it was when it was signed just over 60 years ago,” he said.

“I would like to wish you every success in helping bring these appalling cases to closure.”

The EC has provided a grant of 900,000 euro (about P57 million) to support a three-year project in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

In a resolution last week, the European Parliament expressed “grave concern at the hundreds of cases of extrajudicial killings of political activists and journalists that have occurred in recent years in the Philippines and the role that the security forces have played in orchestrating and perpetrating those murders.”

The Philippine government has denied any involvement of its security forces and the Army in “these political killings, despite ample evidence to the contrary,” the resolution added.

Human rights watchdogs have reported more than a thousand cases of unexplained killings and enforced disappearances allegedly perpetrated by government security forces.

These have been quoted by United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston and other international organizations looking into the human rights situation in the country. –­ Marvin Sy, Jose Rodel Clapano, Pia Lee-Brago