MANILA, Philippines "Terrorist acts." That how the chief of the Commission on Human Rights branded last Monday's attacks on several villages in Lanao del Norte, which left at least 30 people dead.
"It is a terrorist act when you sow fear in communities and the MILFs attacks are actually sowing fear in many villages and nearby cities," Commissioner Leila de Lima said in a press conference on Tuesday. "That is the situation there now, people are afraid that violence would erupt once again or might spread to other nearby areas."
Last Monday, a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), led by Commander Umbra Kato, went on an early morning blitz through several villages in the towns of Kolambugan and Kauswagan, shooting and holding hostage several civilians, looting shops, and burning houses.
Hundreds of residents fled on foot and by boat to safer areas like the cities of Iligan and Ozamiz.
The government has also set up evacuation centers in Pikit, Alesona, Pigkawayan, Libungan, and Midsayap in North Cotabato.
"The MILF central committee must surrender their men to the government to show good faith and sincerity to the peace process," De Lima said. "It's a tall order."
Citing the doctrine and principle of command responsibility, De Lima stressed that top MILF leaders should be able to police and discipline their ranks.
She said top MILF leaders should "go beyond disowning" the attacks and take responsibility for those responsibility.
"Command responsibility applies to both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and MILF, De Lima said. "There maybe still some gray areas when it comes to exacting accountability to nonstate forces for their atrocities and criminal acts, but it doesnt mean that they are excluded from respecting human rights."
The Philippine National Police, she added, must also press charges against those involved in the attacks, including even the MILF brass.
"Though it must be handled very carefully because it would be a sensitive matter, she said.
According to De Lima, the CHR is studying the possibility of filing a report on the atrocities in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato before the United Nations and "other appropriate international bodies" that might include the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
The CHR report may file the report in a month, pending the resolution of their study. Should the agency push through with it, that would an unprecedented move.
CHR teams from its regional office are currently deployed in evacuation centers in armed-conflict affected areas to document and monitor the "situation on the ground."
On the positive side, the teams made the following general observations:
" There were no report of separation of families by force.
" There were no complaints of rape and sexual harassment.
" There were no restrictions on the mobility of the displaced residents in evacuation centers.
On the negative side, the team observed the following:
" Poor sanitation facilities
" Inadequate medical services and medicines
" Inadequate shelter
" Lack of psycho-social counseling
" Inadequate potable water supply
" No regular supply of food
" Disorganized implementation of local plan for disaster
- GMANews.TV