Human Rights Watch urges Manila to disarm

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/human-rights-watch-urges-manila-to-disarm/story-e6freoo6-1226522303167
 
MANILA, PHILIPPINE - Philippine President Benigno Aquino has been urged to do more to break up private armed groups, three years after 58 people were killed in the country's worst political massacre.

Human Rights Watch's Asia director Brad Adams on Thursday said the government had failed to disband dozens of so-called "private armies" following the November 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao province that was blamed on a powerful local clan.

"Three years since the horrors of the Maguindanao massacre, the trial crawls along, half of the suspects remain at large, and the victims' families still face threats," Adams said in a statement.

Aquino spokesman Ramon Carandang said police had carried out raids against such groups, leading to some arrests.

He cited an interior department report that showed only around 60 private armed groups remained, compared with 112 at the end of 2010.

Related Coverage

• Massacre families launch lawsuit Courier Mail, 23 Nov 2011
• Patriarch pleads not guilty to killing The Australian, 2 Jun 2011
• Clan head pleads not guilty to massacre Courier Mail, 1 Jun 2011
• Family 'plotted massacre over dinner' The Australian, 9 Sep 2010
• Clan 'murdered to halt political rival' The Australian, 8 Sep 2010

Adams said Aquino should revoke an order issued by his predecessor Gloria Arroyo that authorised local officials to form and arm civilian paramilitary units to help law enforcers keep the peace in areas troubled by insurgencies.

HRW said the order had been abused by many local officials in justifying their own "private armies" that he said they then used against political rivals.

The Ampatuan clan is accused of carrying out the 2009 massacre in their Maguindanao provincial stronghold to stop a rival, Esmael Mangudadatu, from running against one of its members in elections the following year.

The victims included Mangudadatu's wife and sister, their lawyers and a large group of journalists.

Philippine police said 103 people have been arrested over the massacre, including the clan patriarch. However 92 other suspects remain at large.