Lorenzana lambasts 'leftist groups' claiming rape threats vs. Marawi women

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday took a swipe at "certain leftist groups" that claimed government troops had allegedly threatened women with rape if they did not evacuate from conflict-stricken Marawi City.

"I question the motives and credibility of certain leftist groups and individuals in coming up with a dubious report that Marawi women residents allegedly fear that they will be raped by soldiers in the ongoing military operations in Marawi City," Lorenzana said in a statement.

While Lorenzana did not mention them in his statement, it was Gabriela which, in a news release on Friday, bared the alleged rape threats against female residents of Marawi City, where government forces have been fighting members of the ISIS-inspired Maute group for weeks now.

"I have personally heard the stories of women who sought refuge in evacuation centers in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur after government troops threatened to rape them, as encouraged by no less than President Duterte in his public remarks," Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

"These are alarming accounts which prove that the martial law and President’s rape remarks have actually emboldened the military to dangle rape threats before women in Marawi City. We fear that there are actual victims of rape and we encourage them to speak out and seek justice," she added.

Lorenzana said the soldiers in Marawi City have undergone a series of gender sensitivity trainings focused on participation, empowerment, equity, respect for human rights, freedom from violence, and actualization of fullest human potential.

"Linawin ko lang po: Ang ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan ay nasa Marawi upang labanan ang mga teroristang gustong gawing pugad ng kasamaan ang siyudad,at upang pigilan na lumawak pa ang kaguluhan. Ito ang kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin," he added.

Lorenzana said such claims only exposed the motives of these groups “for the government to fail in the fight against evil in order to advance whatever selfish reasons they have.”

“Hindi po ba ang mga grupong ito ang mga grupong patuloy na nagbubulag-bulagan sa mga krimeng ginagawa ng mga kabaro nila sa CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army)? The same groups who conveniently forget that their communist-terrorists colleagues continue to loot, murder, rape, and destroy private and public properties in the countryside,” he said.

Lorenzana challenged the groups who made such claims to present proof of their allegations.

“Alam ng taumbayan na makapapagkatiwalaan nila ang ating Sandatahang Lakas, ang kaisa-isang Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas, at nakikita naman ito sa mga survey. Kung labag sa ideyolohiya ng mga grupong ito ang sumuporta sa mga sundalo, sana ay makunsensiya naman sila para sa ating mga kapatid na Maranao – mga kababaihan, kabataan, katutubo at buong komunidad sa biktima sa sitwasyon,” he said. —Erwin Colcol/KBK/KVD, GMA News