Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez addresses the media after the opening of the 2nd session of the 17th Congress. MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net
It was only a voice in the wilderness.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday bristled at the alleged human rights violations being committed by the military in Mindanao under martial law, disclosed by Bangsamoro civil society leader Samir Gutoc who recounted her harrowing experiences in Marawi city under martial rule.
During the special joint session on Saturday, when Congress voted to extend President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law in Mindanao until the year-end, Gutoc shared the plight of the Maranaos suffering in evacuation centers as government troops were battling out with Maute terrorists, which rampaged through the Islamic city of Marawi.
READ: Marawi local shares harrowing war experiences under martial law
Alvarez called Gutoc’s appeal a lone voice in the wild.
“Isang boses lang ‘yun (That was just one voice). I think that was a voice in the wilderness,” Alvarez said.
In his speech before lawmakers, Gutoc cited the military’s abuses on a certain mental retard, whose hands were allegedly scalded to force him to admit he was a member of the Maute, and another Maranao who was blindfolded and forced by the military to dig his own grave.
She also shared the experiences of women living in charity wards who were forced to strip naked even though Muslim tradition considers it taboo to show their skin. Gutoc also lamented the unburied bodies, going against the Islam tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours.
“Please ask us how (do) we feel. Please ask us how do we stand up and rise?” Gutoc told the lawmakers in her emotional appeal.
Instead of listening to Gutoc’s plea, Alvarez urged critics to survey the whole of Mindanao, confident that the majority of Mindanaoans would support the extension of martial law there.
“Mag-survey tayo. Tingnan natin ano ang pulso ng karamihan. Buong Mindanao ha (Let’s conduct a survey. Let’s find out how the majority in the entire Mindanao feels). I challenge everyone to conduct a survey sa buong Mindanao… Sa district ko, I can assure you pinakamababa diyan ay (In my district, I can assure you that the lowest is) 90 percent,” Alvarez, who represents the first district of Davao Del Norte, said.
Alvarez said it should be the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) which should look into allegations of human rights abuses, and not the House of Representatives.
“Maraming allegation na human rights abuses. Pero nasaan? Andito CHR, ifile nila yan sa CHR. Bakit sa amin?” Alvarez said.
(There are a lot of allegations of human rights abuses. But where are they? The CHR is here, they should file them at the CHR. Why would they file them to us?)
Gutoc-Tomawis was an appointee to the Bangsamoro Transition Commission who later resigned following President Rodrigo Duterte’s joke that he would own up to the soldiers even if they committed rape while Mindanao was under martial law.
READ: ‘I’m from Marawi City, please ask us, what do we feel?’
Congress recently approved the extension of martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2017.
It granted the wish of President Rodrigo Duterte for an extended martial law ahead of his second State of the Nation Address, which will be delivered Monday afternoon. IDL/rga
READ: Congress votes 261-18 to extend Mindanao martial law ’til year’s end
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