PNP, AFP should probe ranks over Negros killings —Senate report

The military and the police should conduct internal investigation in connection with the killings in Negros island provinces, including that of the nine Sagay farmers in October 2018, according to a Senate report.

In their Committee Report 33, the Senate committees on Public Order and Safety as well as on Justice and Human Rights pointed out that killings in Negros between October 2018 and July 2019 escalated at a time when the Simultaneous Enhanced Managing of Police Operations (SEMPO) was launched on December 27, 2018. Its second version—the Oplan Sauron—was also launched on March 30, 2019.

SEMPO involved the Philippine National Police (PNP) and several battalions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Specifically, the joint panel cited that six persons were killed while 31 were arrested during the period. Among those killed were "habal-habal" driver Reneboy Fat, Demetrio Fat, Jaime Revilla, Dondon Isugan, Jun Cubul of Guihuingan City, and Constancio Languita of Sta. Catalina town.

The joint panels noted that many of those killed and arrested were affiliated with Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide.

“The launching of these two police-military operations saw the further escalation of killings in the two provinces. To say that the period between October 2018 and July 2019 was bloody is a gross understatement,” the report said.

“The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines should conduct an internal investigation and gather evidence for possible filing of administrative and criminal liabilities against police and military personnel involved in the implementation of 'Oplan Sauron' for possible human rights abuses and/or violations of law, if any," it added.

The two committees made the recommendations after conducting a hearing on August 27, 2019, based on Senate Resolution Numbers 47 and 65 filed by Senators Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima.

Likewise, the joint Senate panel recommended probe on the members of anti-communist vigilante groups, such as Kagubak, which has been allegedly involved in the series of killings of alleged New People’s Army members.

The other recommendations of the joint panel include:

• deploying additional police and military personnel to secure the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental
• deploying additional Commission on Human Rights Investigating Officers in Negros Islands for the continuing investigation of complaints or allegations of violations of human rights vbuses committed against the local residents, the police or military;
• allocating additional funding for Commission on Human Rights to enable it to hire more investigating officers to efficiently and expeditiously conduct investigations into reported cases of human rights violations;
• enhancing and strengthening the cooperation between the CHR and the PNP in probing human rights violations
• intensifying anti-insurgency operations in identified rebel-infested areas in Negros Islands,but with due regard to the protection of human rights and observance of the established principles of due process of law;
• providing adequate socio-economic and psycho-social assistance to the families of individuals who were killed
• reviewing effectiveness of Oplan Sauron in the objective to suppress and end lawless violence in the Negros Island;
• pursuing amendments to The Human Security Act by considering the series of killings or violence as acts of terrorism, with the end goal of creating public emergency, among others.

—KBK, GMA News