BACOLOD City – A Philippine Army official railed against “bogus human rights groups” as he called on Negrenses to condemn human rights violations of communist rebels.
The Army joined on Monday the global observance of the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Public condemnation of the human rights violations perpetrated by the New People’s Army will “pressure them to put an end to their violence and terroristic acts,” said Colonel Benedict Arevalo, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental.
“Let us also condemn the bogus human rights groups who are trying to fool us,” said the Army official.
In this capital city, militant groups Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Karapatan and their allied organizations held a rally Monday afternoon to mark the International Human Rights Day.
Left-leaning human rights groups and their affiliate organizations “use lies and deception to discredit the government and manipulate people’s mind,” Arevalo said.
“Several, if not many of them, are bogus human rights advocates,” the Army commander said. “Not all who shout ‘human rights’ are genuine advocates.”
According to Arevalo, these supposed “human rights groups” never condemned the NPA, which have publicly admitted killing people and burning equipment at government construction projects.
“They never did because they are obviously in cahoots [with each other],” he said.
The NPA – the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines – has been victimizing innocent civilians, said Arevalo.
“This is shown in the numerous killings, burnings, extortion activities, and also in the recruitment of minors,” he added. (With Philippine News Agency/PN)
