Gov’t, rights group differ on extra-judicial killings

MANILA, Philippines—One year on, how is the Aquino government doing in stopping extra-judicial killings? It depends on who’s doing the math.

The Department of Interior and Local Government  said there have been 15 extra-judicial killings  involving media practitioners, activists, teachers and unionists from July last year to May 31.

But human rights monitor Karapatan, in its latest report, said it counted 48, of whom 30 belonged to militant peasant and worker groups.

The discrepancy appears to arise from how the DILG and Karapatan define “extra-judicial killing,” a phrase often used to refer to state-sanctioned assassination of political, militant, social leaders and journalists. Neither list counts extra-judicial executions of underworld characters.

In its count, Karapatan included peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, government employees, teachers, students, environmentalists, entrepreneurs and urban poor.

On the other hand, the DILG’s count of 15 extra-judicial deaths included seven journalists, five activists, two teachers and a unionist.

Neither list counts extra-judicial executions of underworld characters, whose bodies often turn up on vacant lots in Metro Manila, sometimes with signs like “Magnanakaw; huwag parisan (Thief; Don’t imitate)”.

In its accomplishment report for July 2010 to June 2011, the DILG said the authorities have filed cases against the perpetrators in eight of the incidents, while seven are still being probed by the Special Investigation Task Group-Task Force Usig.

“The quest for justice by families and relatives of extra-judicial killings, especially of militant media practitioners remain a priority concern of the PNP (Philippine National Police),” Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said in the report.

The DILG, which exercises supervisory powers over the PNP, prepared the report in time for President Benigno Aquino’s State of the Nation Address on July 25.

“The PNP is resolute to resolve crimes of violence and give justice to victims and their families through the creation of the SITGs aimed at facilitating the speedy resolution and successful prosecution of cases and eventual conviction of their perpetrators,” he said.

The Task Force Using (TFU) is tasked to handle and review cases of alleged extra-judicial killings perpetrated since 2001.

From July 2010 to May 31, the task force recorded 15 cases of extra-judicial killings. Of these cases, charges have been pressed against the suspects in the murder of Fernando Baldomero, Mark Francisco, Jose Daguio, Edilberto Cruz, Josephine Estacio, Miguel Belen, Pascual Guevarra and Rene Quirante, the report said.

“The TFU has solved 85 percent of all work-related cases involving media practitioners and is still continuing efforts to resolve the remaining cases,” the DILG said.

But Karapatan painted a different picture of Aquino’s performance on extra-judicial killings and other human rights abuses.

“His and his government’s performance has been mediocre. Specifically, his campaign promises relating to human rights remain unfulfilled,” it said in its April to June 11 monitor.

“No one during his first year in Malacañang has been prosecuted among the perpetrators of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearance, torture, arbitrary arrests, illegal detention and military atrocities in the countryside,” it said.