ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Nov 19 (PIA) – The
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has formed an
inter-agency body that will monitor alleged human rights violations committed
by government and communist rebels.
“We have long recognized that respect for
human rights is an indispensable ingredient in establishing and maintaining
genuine peace,” Deles said at the signing of Terms of Reference (TOR) of the
Complaints Monitoring Working Group (CMWG) held at the Astoria Plaza in Pasig
City on November 8.
The CMWG is an inter-agency body tasked to
monitor alleged human rights violations of both the security forces of the
government and the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army
and the National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF).
The GPH Monitoring Committee (MC), the
government component of the Joint Monitoring Committee formed to monitor
compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and
International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), heads the CMWG with the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Department of
Justice (DOJ) as members.
Deles said the TOR emphatically reaffirms the
government’s commitment to uphold human rights and international humanitarian
law.
“More than simple terms of reference, this
document, and the inter-agency cooperation it defines, embodies a loud and
clear statement of intent…that our commitment to human rights and International
Humanitarian Law (IHL) goes far beyond mere policy statements and lip service
and is premised on genuine accountability and justice, for as we know, without
justice, there can be no peace,” Deles said.
The CMWG was created to facilitate the
investigation of violations of alleged human rights and IHL through cooperative
efforts among its member agencies.
Atty. Jaime Arroyo, head of the GPH-MC
Secretariat, stressed that the CMWG itself is not an investigative body, but it
will “refer [the victims’ complaints] to offices of the government that are
mandated to investigate and/or prosecute crimes” against human rights laws.
Reiterating the administration’s commitment
to peace talks with the NDF, Secretary Deles said, “The government stands ready
to face challenges in pursuit of peace with the Communist rebels and their
various instrumentalities.”
“Finding a peaceful solution remains a high
priority considering that the armed conflict between the government and the
communist NPA has lasted for over four decades and has inflicted unimaginable
suffering on several generations of Filipinos, whether it is the government
troops, the rebels, or the civilians who are often caught between them,” she
added.
Joining Secretary Deles at the TOR signing
were Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima, AFP Provost Marshal General Brig. Gen.
Herbert Yambing, Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Community
Relations Director Lina Sarmiento, Political Affairs Undersecretary and GPH-MC
Chair Jose Luis Martin Gascon and Commission on Human Rights Chair Loretta Ann
P. Rosales.
