By ANTHONY IAN CRUZ
Malaya
Nov. 6, 2007
THE Philippines will get an additional $2 million in military assistance from the United States but only if the Arroyo government shows progress in addressing political killings.
An announcement on the website of Philip Alston, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, said: “The version of the US budget appropriation act – as passed by the Senate and awaiting reconciliation with the version passed by the House of Representatives – includes provisions linking military assistance to the Philippines and Sri Lanka to progress against extrajudicial executions.”
Section 688 of the US budget appropriation act states that the Philippines may obtain the extra military aid only if the Arroyo government:
• Implements recommendations made by Alston.
• Investigates and prosecutes military personnel involved in extrajudicial executions and human rights violations.
• Shows that the military is not engaging in acts of intimidation or violence against members of legal organizations that advocate human rights.
Alston, who visited the country last February, said the cases of extrajudicial killings are distressingly high and the military appeared to be responsible for a number of them.
Among others, Alston has recommended before the UN Human Rights Council that the Arroyo administration be asked to order the Armed Forces to stop linking legitimate militant groups to the communist movement.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said “the three requirements for us to be given this additional amount are already part of our overall and comprehensive approach to the issue of politically-motivated killings.”
Romulo, in a statement from New York, said the $2 million is on top of the $30 million military aid (up from $11 million) and the $30 million economic assistance (up from $26 million) already committed by the US to the Philippines.
The Bagong Alyansang Maka-bayan said the US Senate preconditions were “a de facto recognition of grave rights violations under the Arroyo regime.”
Renato Reyes, Bayan secretary general, however said his group is “concerned that the US actually increased military aid to the Arroyo government despite its dismal human rights record.”
The US Senate’s move comes seven months after one of its committees heard testimonies from a delegation of Philippine church leaders, human rights advocates, public interest lawyers and relatives of victims who expressed outrage over the Arroyo government’s human rights record.
The human rights group Karapatan is saying at least 850 militants have been killed since Gloria Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001.