PHILIPPINE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS DENOUNCES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002193 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER PINS PREL RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS DENOUNCES EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS REF: MANILA 2096 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Philippine Commission on Human Rights has announced plans to hold a public hearing to investigate the recent murders of journalists and leftist activists. In response, President Arroyo has called for an end to the killings. Meanwhile, a popular radio commentator was killed on May 22 in Palawan, sparking local protests. In a separate case, police have arrested an alleged Communist hit man for the killings of leftist activists in 2003 and 2004, though party officials deny ties to the suspect. End Summary -------------- Human Rights Watchdog Speaks Out -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) -- an independent government monitoring body -- has announced it is ready to hold a public hearing to investigate the recent killings of journalists and leftist activists, stating, "the government is accountable" for the deaths whether or not police or military forces were involved. Such killings have been on the rise in recent months, with 29 leftist activists and six journalists slain this year. CHR Commissioner Purificacion Quisumbing told poloff on May 25 that the CHR recently held a dialogue with Task Force Usig (reftel) -- the police task force responsible for the criminal investigation of the cases -- in a cooperative effort to share data. Quisumbing noted that a lack of CHR resources makes it difficult to conduct thorough human rights investigations, and hopes the Commission can begin to form stronger working ties with other government agencies in an effort to solve these cases. No date has been set for the public hearing, but Quisumbing believes it will happen within the next week. -------------- The Palace Responds -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In response to growing pressure, President Arroyo has ordered security officials to put an end to the wave of violence. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told a press conference that, "the President has put her foot down" and that if security forces hasten their investigations, "we should be able to put a stop to the killings." Though the President's directive clearly acknowledged the problem, Malacanang denied any government culpability. On May 24, Presidential Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye disputed Amnesty International's recently-released 2006 Annual Human Rights Report, which said a lack of confidence in both the government and the criminal justice system has contributed to public tolerance of extra-judicial killings and human rights abuses in the country. Bunye said the report contained, "misplaced conjectures", stating, "there is no such thing as a climate of impunity in the Philippines." -------------- More Violence, but Some Arrests -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Despite both official statements and public outcries, the killings continue. On May 22, radio commentator Fernando "Dong" Batul was killed in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, in the western Philippines. A former vice-mayor and city council member, Batul was the sixth member of the media killed in 2006 and the 79th journalist killed in the Philippines since 1986, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP). The brutal murder of Batul, a very well-known radio personality, has sparked outrage. Acting Pol/C, visiting Puerto Princesa, witnessed a "noise barrage" protest against the killing by drivers of three-wheeler taxis in the city center on May 24. In addition, a crowd gathered at the city's largest cathedral to denounce the attack and offer prayers for the slain journalist. According to press reports, Batul had been receiving death threats, which started after he agreed to interview a leader of the New People's Army (NPA) in Palawan. He had also been a vocal critic of Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn. Many residents placed blame for the killing on the Mayor's doorstep, saying he had the most to gain from Batul's death -- though there is no evidence linking Hagedorn to the killing. On May 24, a Philippine National Police (PNP) officer was arrested in connection with Batul's slaying. The police officer is being held at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) district office in Palawan while the investigation continues. MANILA 00002193 002 OF 002 ¶5. (SBU) In a separate development, police announced on May 22 that they had obtained a confession from an alleged Communist leader for the 2003 and 2004 killings of leftists Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara. According to military officials, Delfin de Guzman is the alleged Acting Secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) regional party committee in Central Luzon. De Guzman has been in the custody of the military since May 11, though he has not been formally charged. The CPP/NPA has denied any links to de Guzman in press statements on May 23. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The uptick in killings of leftist activists and journalists has sparked both public outcry and official action in the Philippines. At the same time, NPA attacks on both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) continue, with the NPA recently boasting on its website that since January 2005, it has killed 304 AFP troops. Mission will continue to press local, national, police and military officials to uphold the rule of law and to bring the perpetrators of all attacks to justice. Kenney