Manila, 07 August 2007 – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon’s order to create five courts martial to try soldiers accused of human rights violations drew mixed reactions from Catholic church leaders. In a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo Tuesday, Esperon said these courts martial will begin working tomorrow and try soldiers facing charges in civilian courts.
Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, a member of the Melo Commission said, “It is a positive step for stopping extrajudicial killings.”
In a text message to CBCPNews, Bishop Pueblos said military officers who are up for promotion to captain or major “must undergo a comprehensive course in command responsibility and be given more courses on patriotism and love of kapwa Filipino.” CBCP Committee on Public Affairs Chairman and Kalookan Bishop Deogracias S. Iniguez, Jr. expressed his appreciation “the military shows concern for the gross human rights violations that may have been committed by the military.”
Sister Estrella Castalone, FMA, Executive Secretary of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines Joint Executive Board said their strongest concern is still the extra-judicial killings that have been going on.
Castalone said the “extra-judicial killings of innocent, unarmed and defenseless citizens, activists, media persons, church workers, lawyers, human rights workers have reached such an alarming scale and intensity.”
She added they at the ARMSP members “are appalled that despite the large number of victims and the widespread expression of concern, the killings and disappearances have continued unabated.”
“With Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s efforts to arrest the situation, we can only hope such would spur and assist its co-equal branches to do likewise,” Castalone explained.
She said the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines have recently expressed their all-out support to Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s efforts to stop the extra-judicial killings as they also committed to undertake education and information campaigns among youth and students and continue their advocacy for human rights, justice, peace and development.