CHR probe into Mamasapano clash to focus on atrocities suffered by civilians

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday started its investigation of the Mamasapano encounter, which also left several civilians dead.

Human Rights Commissioner Loreta Ann Rosales said the CHR investigation would focus on the atrocities committed against civilians during the clashes.

“We will focus on the possible violation of human rights by all those involved in the incident regardless of their affiliations,” she said.

Rosales had met Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao before her team, accompanied by representatives from other line agencies in the region, went to Barangay Tukanalipao for site inspection and information gathering.

But before she left, she told civilians that the CHR’s investigation was independent of the other probes being conducted by various agencies and bodies.

“This is an independent probe. We would like to get to the bottom of the incident, who the actors were and who the victims of human rights violations were. This is our mandate,” Rosales told reporters.

She said during the investigation, the CHR would talk to as many civilians “because we believe they have stories that remained untold to date.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the CHR offered a Mass for all the victims of the carnage at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral here, with Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo as celebrant.

Rosales said her heart bled for all the victims, especially those who had been brutally killed.

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