Seven ambassadors of countries under the European Union have offered to help the Philippine government address the killings of militants and journalists in the country.
During a meeting Monday at the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Manila, Finland’s Ambassador to Manila Riite Resch said that her group has a complex picture of the present situation due to the one-sided media releases, most of which come from militant groups.
Government officials led by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales informed the European officials about the country’s efforts to stop the killings.
Robert Fitchet, deputy head of mission of the United Kingdom, asked why the “summary executions” continue despite the creation of Task Force Usig and the Melo Commission whose job is to investigate and put an end to the killings.
Gonzales said the killings had been a great concern for the government as the issue is being used by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army to destabilize the government. “The issue is being sensationalized by the CPP-NPA,” Gonzales said.
Apart from Resch and Fitchet, other ambassadors present during the meeting were Ambassadors Ignacio Sagaz of Spain, Robert Vornis of The Netherlands, Axel Raimund Weishaupt of Germany, Ruben Ana Fedele of Italy, Herbert Jager of Austria, Jaroslav Ludva of Czech Republic, CDA Brito Camara of Portugal; Bernard Regnaud Fabre, counselor and deputy head mission of France; Britt Marie Hartvig, counselor and deputy head mission of Sweden; and Gabriel Vinals Munuera, first secretary and head political, trade and public affairs of the European Council.
On the Philippine side were Special Concerns Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, Gonzales, DFA European Affairs Assistant Secretary Ma. Zenaida Collinson, PNP Deputy Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon Jr., Dir. Emmanuel Carta of the PNP Directorate for Police Community Relations, Chief Supt. Pedro Tango, deputy chief of PNP CIDG, and Chief Supt. Rodolfo Mendoza, deputy chief of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management.
Razon, head of Task Force Usig, said his unit has made significant progress in its investigation on militant killings.
“We have obtained credible reports of widespread purges conducted by the CPP-NPA against their members as well as in ambushes and encounters where police, soldiers and dissidents alike have been casualties,” Razon told the European leaders.
During the question-and- answer forum, Resch said she recognized the hard work being undertaken by Task Force Usig and the Melo Commission, but raised concern over the near-term prospects.
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