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Miriam urged to file bill downsizing AFP

Feisty senator’s proposal to reduce military gets backing of militant group
Miriam urged to file bill downsizing AFP

While fellow politicians snubbed her “ extreme challenges” during the groundwork for political unity summit held last week in Manila Hotel, a group of left-leaning fisherfolk activists over the weekend found the proposal of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago to downsize the military and purge corrupt generals worthy of political consideration.

In a press statement, the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said Senator Santiago’s proposal was logical, objective and a product of political scholarship.

“ Why spend billions of tax payers money for the work of mercenaries, certified violators of people’s basic human rights and civil liberties and first-rate corrupt generals? The senator has a very interesting point there that should be given political premium”, Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair said in a press statement.

Hicap urged Senator Santiago to file a bill reducing the number of AFP troops by a considerable number and re-channel funds for basic social services like health, education and mass housing. As for the rank and file members of the military, Hicap said, the national government should provide decent jobs that would remold and erase their mercenary thinking and way of living.

The proposal of Pamalakaya to Sen. Santiago to file a bill downsizing the AFP stemmed from the refusal of Major Gen. Jovito Palparan to stop military atrocities against the civilians in Samar and Leyte provinces which had been going on since February this year.

“ It his high time to downsize the AFP and stop the military establishment from producing military officials like Gen. Palparan and terrorist troops like elements of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army now both involved in the mass murder of activists, ordinary people, church workers and lawyers in Eastern Visayas”, the group said.

Pamalakaya also advanced the call for the downsizing AFP following reports that Major. Gen. Palparan and military officials under his command in Eastern Visayas refused to heed on the demand of lawmakers and local politicians to halt the military staged killings of activists identified with left-leaning groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Pamalakaya and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), as well as the military offensives in upland areas which had displaced thousands of civilians since February this year.

“ We be believe that the proposal of Sen. Santiago to downsize the AFP becomes relevant and necessary nowadays following reports that the military under the command of Gen. Palparan in Eastern Visayas had converted the region into a major killing field”, the group added.

Pamalakaya informed Sen. Santiago that Gen. Palparan and the troops under his command had rejected the calls of Representatives Catalino V. Figueroa (2nd district, Samar), Reynaldo S. Uy (1st district, Samar), Gerardo J. Espina Jr. (lone district, Biliran), Marcelino Libanan (lone district, Easter Samar), Remedios Petilla (1st district, Leyte), Trinidad Apostol (2nd district, Leyte), Eduardo Veloso (3rd district, Leyte), Eufrocino Codilla (4th district, Leyte), Carmen Cari (5th district, Leyte), Roger Mercado (lone district, Southern Leyte), Harlin Abayon (1st district, Northern Samar), Romualdo Vicencio (2nd district, Northern Samar) and An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel to investigate the spate of killings in the region and put the perpetrators to justice.

“ The principle of civilian supremacy over the military is in grave danger in Eastern Visayas because of Gen. Palparan and his men engaged in a roaring rampage of military atrocities in the region. Sen. Santiago should consider this current situation in Region 8 as one of the prime factors in considering a bill that would downsize and reform the AFP”, the group added. #


The 13 congressmen wrote President Arroyo on April 11,2005 calling her administration to probe the left and right killings and other violations allegedly committed by government soldiers in the region against civilians, mass activists and other concerned groups.

The House is set to investigate the unbridled killings and harassment of political activists in the region, including other cases of human rights violations like frustrated killings, abductions, bombings, illegal arrest and detention, forced evacuations and disappearances.

As of last week, in Northern Samar, the human rights group documented four cases of indiscriminate bombings victimizing 18 persons in four communities. In Western Samar, Pamalakaya said, human rights group documented 10 cases of summary execution, 5 cases of forced disappearances, 9 cases of abduction, 12 cases of illegal arrests, 5 cases of torture, 36 cases of harassment which victimized over 100 persons, 12 families and 9 communities.
There were also cases of human rights violation documented in Biliran, Metro Tacloban, Northern Leyte, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Pamalakaya said leaders, mass members and staff of their Samar wide chapter Samahan ng mga Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Samar Laban sa Kahirapan (Samaka) and the region wide Pamalakaya-Eastern Visayas were being threatened and harassed by military elements belonging to the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army under Gen. Palparan.

“ The local government officials, the congressmen and the people of Eastern Visayas are all complaining of the military atrocities perpetrated by Palparan and his league of extraordinary butchers in the region, but President Arroyo remained unperturbed, insensitive and appeared like enjoying the killing rampage of her military men in Eastern Visayas”, the group lamented. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:43 | link | comments |

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