BY REINIR PADUA

THE London-based human rights group Amnesty International (AI) yesterday said evidence confirming the pattern of military involvement behind summary executions is "so compelling and can no longer be ignored" that government should now act decisively to end political killings.

The International Federation of Journalists said the initial findings of a United Nations special rapporteur should get the military started in investigating its own ranks, while Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño Jr. dared President Arroyo to issue a general order directing the Armed Forces not to take part in or tolerate extra-judicial killings.

The statements followed the pronouncement of Prof. Philip Alston, UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions, that political cases of political killings are so distressingly high and the military appeared to be responsible for a number of them.

Alston also said the military "remains in a state of almost total denial" over the killings.

The report of the Palace-created Melo Commission was also released the other day. It said retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan and some of his superiors may be held liable for failing to prevent, punish, or condemn the killing of activists by soldiers under the principle of command responsibility.

Amnesty International said government and all political parties and groups should "act decisively" to put a stop to the killings.

"The election period will be fraught with its own tensions. It is essential that the manifestos of all political parties commit to working strenuously to put an end to the ongoing killings and so minimize the risk of a further escalation of violence during the polls," said Natalie Hill, deputy Asia Pacific Director for AI.

Hill said most of the victims of extra-judicial killings "were not even members of armed groups, even though they may have sympathized with their ideology."

She said it is important that individuals should be able to affiliate with the political party or group of their choice "and not be subject to politically motivated violence as a result."

AI said one major obstacle in stopping the killings is the lack of an effective witness protection program.

"Witnesses are afraid to come forward to report killings because of threats and intimidation. The government must ensure effective witness protection for all those involved in court proceedings, including victims and their relatives," Hill said.

AI group earlier criticized government for the increase in the number of killings, saying this could result in a "spiral of violence" with communist rebels mounting retaliatory attacks.

AI also criticized the reported plan to appoint Palparan to a government post after his retirement.

‘DARK UNDERBELLY’

Christopher Warren, president of the International Federation of Journalists, it is time for the Armed Forces "to fully investigate and expunge its dark underbelly."

The group said it is working with the National Union of Journalists "to stem the tragic waste of life among the media community in that country."

It said it supports Alston’s findings.

"We agree with Profession Alston that not enough has been done to prevent and solve these murder cases. We agree with Alston that the AFP have been derelict in their duty to investigate allegations that their members have been responsible for some of these killings," Warren said.

Rep. Teodoro Casiño Jr. (Bayan Muna), in a press conference, said there should be a "categorical order from the commander in chief" to abate the increasing number of cases of political killings.

DECISIVE ACTION

Based on the tally of human rights group Karapatan, more than 800 Left-leaning activists have been killed since Arroyo assumed power in 2001.

"The ball is now in Malacañang. It has to act decisively on the recommendations of both (Melo Commission and Alston)… (Arroyo has to) release a general order for the AFP not to take part in or tolerate the killings… A press statement is not enough," Casiño said.

A number of Bayan Muna members have been victims of political killings.

Rep. Satur Ocampo, also of Bayan Muna, said: "President Arroyo has two choices: To side with the killers, or to take concrete steps to stop further killings and start the healing process."

Lawyer Neri Javier Colmenares, general counsel and third nominee of Bayan Muna, said it is Arroyo’s responsibility to suspend and hold liable military and police officials in all areas under their command where the killings occurred.

HEADS SHOULD ROLL

Bayan Muna demanded the resignation of AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and national security adviser Norberto Gonzales.

"Heads should definitely roll for the total breakdown of law and order and the slaughter of innocents. It is now the best time to let go of Esperon and Gonzales who are at the forefront of attacks against activists, party-list groups and legal organizations," said Ocampo.

Malacañang said despite the findings of Alston and the Melo Commission, Filipinos in general continue to have faith in the military.

President Arroyo vowed to immediately resolve the issue "with fairness and justice, and to uphold the good name of the 99 percent of the soldiery who take the cudgels for our national security 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said no one could doubt the professionalism and integrity of the Armed Forces and the soldiers’ readiness to sacrifice their lives.

Jesuit priest Romeo Intengan, co-founder of the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas with Gonzales, said "the military should not be made the whipping boy for the killings."

NO DIRECT EVIDENCE

Intengan said both the Alston and Melo panel findings were incomplete and inconclusive, noting the Melo report even said there was no direct evidence, only circumstantial evidence, linking the military to the killings.

He also noted Alston stressed that the extrajudicial killings were not part of government policy.

"Several rogue soldiers do not mean that the entire military establishment is rotten. What is important, and which should not be overlooked, is that the Armed Forces remains loyal to the Constitution and its leaders continue to uphold the rule of law," he said.

He said steps should be taken to prevent extra-judicial killings.

For instance, he said, the military could step up its intelligence gathering to identify and apprehend and prosecute its "erring members who may have had a hand in some of the killings," while the police and NBI must improve and strengthen their forensic capability for faster investigation and appreciation of evidence. – With Czeriza Valencia and Jocelyn Montemayor