An NGO which had played a key role in the Philippine signing of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 15 years ago has issued a statement calling for an impartial probe on the police commando killings but urging the public not to over-react.
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) said:
We mourn with the families of the dead and with the whole nation and we call for justice for war crimes or other violations of IHL (International Humanitarian Law) that were allegedly committed in the fighting. But we cannot lose our head in our grief and demand for justice. Those withdrawing their support for the peace process and calling for a return to all-out-war must be made aware that all-out-war is in itself a violation of the rules of war – a violation of international humanitarian law (IHL).
The PCICC is part of a 2,000-strong international coalition of NGOs which believe in bringing to justice perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
You can read their full statement below:
Beachberm says
Thanks Raisa for sharing this on your blog. Such a well written article from Pinoy.
netty says
Something weird happened minutes after I shared your link of Jette Po’s essay tribute to the fallen soldiers where I attached with on top , the photo of the soldiers carried by the group of soldier pallbearers, my FB account was blocked. I tried to sign up to reactivate but they are giving me a hard time of answering security questions. This woo-woo is getting controversial, then maybe I am doing something right.
It is perfectly OK, I am ready to get detach anyway. I am not going to beg for reactivating fr. the losers!!
duquemarino says
@netty, I experienced that too. It took me more than two days to have my FB account reactivated. They said my account may have been compromised, I had to submit a digital copy of my ID and reset password.
NHerrera says
A voice of reason in this national crisis — an NGO with strong international links. Although the statement is worded well and diplomatically, I sense some measure of platitudes in the statement — a UN type of statement, if you will. Nevertheless, I hope it gets the full cooperation from both sides.
Without a full cooperation, I doubt if there can be a successful resolution. National security concerns and secrets not only by the GRP, but also by the US or both together are most likely involved. The matter of the bounty and the presence of US personnel and equipment has already been reported. This matter alone — already interpreted or misinterpreted in various forms — can be a hindrance to the full discovery of the truth.
But we have to trust –because we must — that this NGO and others working sincerely on parallel moves will help in unearthing the essential truths, so that catharsis of some sort can be had with which both sides can move forward with renewed confidence as at the beginning of the BBL concept.
(My statement here sounds like platitude too, except the middle paragraph.)
raissa says
:)