Group urges human rights, CHR mandate vs. CPP-NPA

The Commission on Human Rights must deliver on its mandate against the Communist Party of the Philippines and its allied groups, the Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) said Friday.

In a statement, Jose Antonio “Ka Pep” Goitia, LIPI Secretary-General, said National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play a big role in human security as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 66/290, which addresses the challenges to the survival, livelihood, and dignity of people.

“We can surmise that NHRIs are most effective participating on addressing the root causes of personal insecurity (physical violence in all its forms, human trafficking, child labor and abuse), community insecurity (inter-ethnic, religious and other identity-based tensions, crime and terrorism) and political insecurity (political repression, human right violation, lack of rule of law and justice),” Goitia said.

The mandate of the CHR of the Philippines derives from the UN position on human security. Its principal function consists in investigating all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights, he added.

“The Armed Forces, through Brigadier-General Jose Alejandro Nacanac, submitted a total of 1,506 cases between 2010 and 2020 perpetrated by this terrorist organization,” Goitia said, referring to the CPP, its armed wing New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

The list includes 532 incidents of destruction of civilian assets, the killing of 77 soldiers and 296 civilians, and the recruitment of 464 child combatants, the LIPI chief noted.

“Liga Independencia Pilipinas and the League of Parents of the Philippines call on the Commission to investigate these atrocities perpetrated by the CPP-NPA-NDF with all seriousness and urgency,” he said.

The group also asked the Commission to:

• Condemn the CPP-NPA’s use of anti-personnel landmines which are prohibited under the UN Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mine and on their Destruction. Improvised explosive devices installed by elements of this terrorist group killed two civilians at Masbate and wounded five at Legazpi.

• Hold CPP founder Joma Sison responsible for all the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF over 50 years of existence. It has an obligation to demand the return of Joma Sison from the Dutch government in order that he be held accountable for his crimes in the Philippines.

• Bring the case of the Philippines against the CPP-NPA-NDF before the UN Commission on Human Rights.

“It is only through the combined efforts of the government and the public that we will be able to stop the repeated and dangerous acts of violence committed by this criminal organization. The time has come to end the threat posed by the CPP-NPA-NDF,” Goitia said.