AFP vows to probe videotaped beating of terror suspect by soldiers

Col. Romeo Brawner Jr.

MARAWI CITY—The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday promised to investigate the reported beating of a suspected member of the Maute group by soldiers in Marawi, saying human rights violations by troops would not be tolerated.

Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., the deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao, said the investigation would seek to identify the soldiers involved in the manhandling of the male suspect, who was shown in an undated video supposedly taken in the war zone.

In the video, which has been shared on social media, the man in his underwear is heard crying as some soldiers take turns hitting and kicking him.

Soldiers are questioning him while he is kneeling in the mud. Later, he is handcuffed and led away. But a soldier is seen kicking him. He is also being taunted. A voice is heard cursing at the man and accusing him of “killing many.”

Other soldiers are heard trying to stop their comrades.

“I saw the video and others were even concerned by calling for a medic. We will find out when the incident happened and who were those involved, as well as what happened to the suspected Maute,” Brawner said.

In Manila, AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military does not condone that kind of treatment of captives.

“They are supposed to be decently treated and respected … which did not happen in this case,” Padilla told reporters in Malacañang.

‘Bigger implication’

Padilla said the “bigger implication” was that the video may be used for enemy propaganda and appealed to the public not to spread it around.

“That propaganda is to provoke others and say, ‘You see, this is how they treat your ilk. Go fight who you have to fight,’” he said. “We don’t want that to happen. And every citizen could help in these times by deleting the videos and not spreading them.”

Brawner said troops normally stripped a captured suspect down to his underwear to make sure he did not hide a weapon, but manhandling was not a military policy.

“We will not tolerate any soldier who manhandles any suspected terrorist, who is unarmed or had surrendered to authorities,” he added.

He said the military’s rules of engagement provided for humane treatment of a captured or surrendered enemy fighter.

Brawner said the soldiers identified in the video would be investigated. “Whoever was there who might have violated human rights will also be investigated,” he said.

While lamenting the incident, both Padilla and Brawner said they believed that it was an isolated case. —REPORTS FROM RICHEL UMEL, JEOFFREY MAITEM AND LEILA SALAVERRIA