AFP ready to cooperate with CHR probe

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has expressed readiness to cooperate with the Commission on Human Rights’ investigation into the killing of Father Marcelito "Tito" Paez  in Nueva Ecija and the deaths of 14 alleged New People's Army (NPA) members in a clash with soldiers in Batangas.

“Kung meron man tayong tauhan na ginugusto nila na tanungin, puwede  tayong magbigay kooperasyon upang mabigyang daan ang isang malaya at patas na imbestigasyon,” Colonel Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs office chief, said at a press briefing Friday.

“So kung anuman ang naisin nila na imbestigahan, handa po tayo at, sa katunayan, sinasabi natin na handa pa po tayong tumulong sa kanila sa gagawing imbestigasyon,” he added.

He said they respect the mandate of the CHR to conduct investigations and they expect the latter to give them the same respect.

“Iginagalang natin ang mandato ng CHR kagaya ng inaasahan natin na igagalang din nila ang mandato na meron ang Armed Forces which is to perform our role that is to protect the people  and to secure the State,” he said. 

Major General Rhoderick Parayno, Army 2nd Infantry Division commander, who has jurisdiction over the area when the encounter with the alleged NPA members happened, also welcomed the CHR investigation.

He expressed confidence  that the fatalities in the encounter on November 28 were all communist rebels.

“We welcome CHR's move to investigate said encounter. With all killed wearing their bandoleers and holding their M16s, we are confident that all those who died in the encounter are NPAs,” Parayno said.

“We could only hope that said investigation will show results that are true, fair and not biased,” he added.

The CHR said it has launched investigations into the two incidents.

“There was a priest in Nueva Ecija, Fr. Paez who was killed and...actually the commission sent immediately a fact-finding team and we're awaiting the report of that killing but he was killed in cold blood, it was an assassination and we raised the question, was he assassinated because of his activism? His work for justice? Is this going to be a pattern?” CHR chairperson Chito Gascon said at a press conference.

Paez, 72, a resident of Barangay Baloc, Santo Domingo town and former parish priest was killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Jaen, Nueva Ecija on Monday night.

CHR spokesperson Attorney Jacqueline De Guia, meanwhile, said that investigation is also ongoing for the deaths of at least 14 alleged NPA members in a clash in Nasugbu, Batangas.

“Patas po naming tinitingan kung yung rules of engagement ng military ay nasunod at gusto rin po naming i-highlight na hindi lang militar ang aming iniimbestigahan sa panahon ngayon pati po yung mga ambush ng NPA sa Mindanao for example kung saan may isang sanggol ang namatay,” De Guia said. — RSJ, GMA News