Dear President Benigno S. Aquino III:

We, the undersigned, hold you to your electoral promise in 2010 that your office would repeal Executive Order 546 legalizing the formation and funding of state-sponsored armed civilian groups otherwise known as “force multipliers,” militias, auxiliary armed units, and civilian volunteer organizations. 

This was in reaction to the Ampatuan Massacre where 58 civilians were killed by a combined force of 200 police elements and their armed civilian volunteers, under orders from a powerful politician identified with and supported by the previous regime.

Since its inception, EO 546 has created monstrous bands of mercenaries, murderers, and thugs controlled and directed by the Armed Forces to terrorize civilian populations, and murder journalists, environmentalists, members of the church, and human rights workers who follow their conscience and stand with communities being forcibly driven out from their lands by big corporate interests.

As one of your election promises, you said emphatically: “I will revoke EO546. Never again will public funds be used to support and maintain a private security force.”

Since then, Mr. President, you have shown no intent or political will to abide by your promise, which is why the culture of impunity continues to wreak havoc on human rights, and among the ranks of human rights advocates in the Philippines.

The same law has been used by power-hungry politicians and warlords to maintain no less than 250 private army groups all over the country. The existence of these armed groups may also account for the proliferation of 800,000 firearms that according to military sources, could not be accounted for.

After five years of countless extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations by these armed groups, you continue to ignore the recommendations of international bodies such as the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International to repeal the law. You have instead supplemented the law by authorizing the formation of “Investment Defense Forces,” paramilitary groups that are trained by the AFP but are in the payroll of big mining companies. 

Your inaction and militarist approach, Mr. President, has earned for the country the distinction of being the third most dangerous place for journalists, Asia’s most dangerous place for environmentalists, and  a top place in the World Impunity Index—distinctions that shame and enrage us.

These days, the AFP and its militias are again on the rampage in Mindanao.

In Surigao del Sur, the AFP’s Magahat-Bagani paramilitary forces murdered Emerito Samarca, Executive Director of the twice-awarded Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development, along with community leaders Dionel Campos and Belio Sinzo last September 1. In 2011, members of these paramilitary groups also murdered Fr. Fausto Tentorio, an Italian priest working with indigenous communities.

In Bukidnon, 5 Manobo indigenous lumads, among them a 70-year old blind man and two children were massacred on suspicion of being rebels. A 14-year old student was also raped by three militia men.

In Davao, the Alamara vigilante group caused hundreds of Manobos to flee their village after they were threatened to be executed by the Alamara members.

All over Mindanao are reports of terror-stricken civilians whose communities have been overrun by militias and soldiers, their schools occupied and forcibly closed, their lives and livelihood disrupted and destroyed.

Mr. President, we stand with our indigenous brothers and sisters in Mindanao. We call on your office to respect indigenous rights to land and life. We call on your office to uphold basic human rights as enshrined in the UN International Declaration of Human Rights.

The indigenous people of Mindanao, and the many other Filipinos all over the country who have been suffering abuses or have lost their lives in the hands of your armed forces, are crying out for justice.

Mr. President: disband, disarm and stop funding paramilitary groups, militias and private armies in the Philippines. Repeal Executive Order 546 now!

 

 

“I heard from the AFP its assertion that it is seeking to protect the communities and provide services to them in conflict regions; however the displaced IPs made it clear that it is their presence and that of the paramilitary groups in their communities that continues to create anxiety amongst the indigenous communities. The community wishes to return to its lands but stressed to me that they will only feel safe to do so if the long-term militarization of their region comes to an end and they can return with guarantees of safety, dignity and protection. They described to me their concerns including their alleged forced recruitment into paramilitary groups, known as Alamara, under the auspices of the AFP and harassment in the context of the on-going conflict between the AFP and the NPA “

Statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani, on the conclusion of his official visit to the Philippines, 21 to 31 July 2015.

http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16280&LangID=E