Philippines: Biazon, Lacson urged to support moves for Senate probe on slays, abductions

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PUBLISHED ON June 26, 2007 AT 5:39 PM

MANILA — Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino today aired an appeal to Senators Rodolfo
Biazon and Panfilo Lacson to lend their influence over the military to
ensure the success of a Senate investigation on the ongoing spate of
political killings.

At the same time, Casiño slammed Malacañang for ignoring the
disclosures to the media by three generals who said top level military
officials were involved in the killings and abductions.

“As former chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the
Philippine National Police (PNP), Biazon and Lacson will have crucial
roles in inspiring more whistleblowers to come out and expose the
violations of the laws of war, including extrajudicial killings
and abductions, by state security forces,” said Casino.

“Neophyte Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who has indicated a desire to
spearhead the Senate probe on the matter, deserves their support on
this issue,” Casino added, saying Biazon, who was AFP chief-of-staff
in 1991, and Lacson , who headed the PNP from 1999-2001, also want
reforms in the military.

He said Malacañang’s “deadma attitude” on the disclosure of three
generals shows how disinterested the Arroyo government is in stopping
the killings.

“Here is a very significant lead and yet Malacañang chooses to ignore
it simply because the generals want to remain anonymous. I’m sure
Malacañang can easily gather the details of that command conference
where top level military officers openly discussed their use of
extrajudicial killings and abductions against suspected enemies of the
state,” said Casiño.

“Laws of war are obviously violated when generals and soldiers discuss
extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of civilians and
non-combatants in the course of any war. Such acts are prohibited
under the Geneva Conventions, commonly known as the laws of war or
international humanitarian law,” said Casino.

Karapatan has documented about 200 enforced disappearances and 863
killings. Of the 863, 131 victims were members and leaders of Bayan
Muna.

Most of the slays and abductions are being blamed on military death
squads, a theory backed by findings of the government’s own Melo
Commission and United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston. ###

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