Moro detainees slain in the Camp Bagong Diwa incident are victims of summary execution By Ren Jalaluddin Ropeta

Moro detainees slain in the Camp Bagong Diwa incident are victims of summary execution

By Ren Jalaluddin Ropeta

Al-Jazeerah, November 30, 2006

Philippine National Police and Task Force Usig Chief Avelino Razon’s statement that came out repeatedly in the headlines weeks back that the Moro detainees who were slain in the 2005 Bicutan incident should NOT be considered in the list of victims of extra-judicial killings - is tantamount to saying that the Moro detainees are criminals and deserve the unjust death in the hands of our law enforcers, who were supposed to uphold life and preserve it. .

To start with, majority of the 22 detainees slain during the Camp Bagong Diwa incident on March 15, 2005 were mere victims of military-perpetrated warrantless arrest in Basilan in 2001. Many of those slain have been arrested and detained without any warrant, and no evidence to prove that they were genuine members of the ASG. But based on PNP Chief Razon’s statement, the PNP clearly considers the Moro detainees in Camp Bagong Diwa to be terrorists, despite the fact that these were NOT convicted criminals. And sadly, even before they were able to fight out their cases in court, the police assault that aimed to control the Bicutan jailbreak incident ended up in more violence and unnecessary deaths.

International instruments on the protection of the rights of detainees belie the discriminatory and accusatory statements of Mr. Razon. As medaled police officer, is he at least familiar with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Detainees which states that “all persons under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be treated in a humane manner and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.” His statements clearly reflect his ignorance of this principle.

Supporting our claim is the Commission on Human Rights Resolution in the matter of the Fact Finding Report on the Motu Propio Investigation on the Camp Bagong Diwa Incident on March 14 to 15, 2005; --- 1. there was no life that was in danger or there was no real threat to life that can be considered to justify the use of police assault or the use of excessive force; 2. the response of the authorities is exceedingly not proportionate to the force used by the person who staged the failed escape attempt; 3. there were inmates who, aside from not having any involvement or participation on the failed escape attempt were summarily executed as they were killed without any reason and were not given the chance to defend themselves; 4. some inmates were maltreated after the police assault, which, were not necessary to the success of the operation.

March 14, 2004, was an overkill; enough for the CHR to recommend criminal, administrative and civil charges against the members of the police assault team that led the assault led by then very influential a police chief and a former general.

This we condemn and say shame. With all impunity, our law enforcement, justice system, and the Arroyo administration has to this day refused to bring justice for the Moro detainees who have been unjustly and mercilessly summarily executed by the people whose supposed primary duty was to preserve life.

PNP Chief Razon along with ten others in the GMA administration tries to discredit the claims of human rights groups by belittling the unjust deaths of Moro detainees, and by conjuring up mass graves, by counter-charging members of the opposition and by resorting to harassment and harsher political persecution.

No wonder we get a wag of a finger from international groups and foreign businesses, no wonder even in Europe, Mrs. Arroyo was haunted by the sound campaign to end the political killings. #

Ren Jalaluddin Ropeta

Vice -Chairperson Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance (MCPA) mcpaphils@yahoo.com #48-A Mapagbigay St. Brgy. Pinyahan Diliman Q.C

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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