Militant groups: 60 HR cases filed
AT least 60 cases on human rights violation in Mindanao were filed by progressive groups in line with the nationwide simultaneous filing of cases to the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).
Barug Katungod Mindanao and Karapatan also filed cases to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines section of the Joint Secretariat, JMC of the NDFP, and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) on CARHRIHL.
The group, in a statement issued yesterday, said these cases involve extra-judicial killings, frustrated killings, forced evacuation, harassment and intimidation, attacks on lumad schools and communities, among others, all over Mindanao.
"The filing of these cases before Joint Monitoring Committee of
NDFP-GRP is pivotal in the implementation and monitoring of the GRP's commitment to and compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Hu-
manitarian Law (CARHRIHL)," the joint statement read.
They also said that these cases document the vicious escalation of human rights violations perpetrated by state forces and their agents.
"In Mindanao, since President Rodrigo Duterte sat in power, there have been 130 extra judicial killings mostly in lumad and peasant communities strongly opposing foreign mining operations, land grabbing, and agro-plantation expansions; 579,475 internally displaced lumads, moros and farmers caused by heavy militarization, aerial bombardment, harassment, and intimidation; 284 attacks on lumad schools in the form of closure of at least 54 schools, and other violations of political, economic and cultural rights,” the group said.
The group alleged that these numbers come as a result of the deployment of the 70 percent or 71 battalions of the country.
"We urge the JMC to act on these complaints as a means to seek justice for all whose rights have been violated. We urge for full compliance with the CARHRIHL. And we call for the immediate resumption of the GRP-NDFP peace talks," the statement read.