AFP: US cable on Esperon 'questionable'

MANILA, Philippines - The military yesterday branded as “questionable” a WikiLeaks report which stated that former Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. had admitted that some soldiers may be involved in extrajudicial killings.

Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr., Armed Forces public affairs chief, said they do not glorify WikiLeaks reports as these are unverified and unconfirmed.  

“We do not comment on such reports the authenticity of which is questionable and cannot be established,” he said in a statement. 

Burgos said the military does not sanction any illegal practice and remains committed to respect for human rights.

Burgos said complaints on extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations should be brought to the proper forum.  

Earlier, WikiLeaks published a cable dated Sept. 21, 2006 stating that Esperon had acknowledged to then US ambassador Kristie Kenney that some “overzealous soldiers’ may be behind extrajudicial killings. Esperon allegedly made the comment in a private breakfast meeting with Kenney.