Philippine troops clashed with suspected Muslim militants on a southern island Tuesday, leaving four navy commandos and six of the guerrillas dead, a military spokesman said.
The fighting took place on the small island of Lanhil, northeast of Basilan island where U.S.-backed troops have been pursuing al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels, said marine spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan.
He said troops were responding to reports from civilians that "lawless elements" had infiltrated Lanhil when the clash erupted. Four commandos and six of the attackers were killed, while two sailors were wounded but in a stable condition, he said.
It was not immediately clear whether the guerrillas belonged to the Abu Sayyaf, which is notorious for bomb attacks, kidnappings and beheadings.
Abu Sayyaf militants and cohorts from Indonesia's Jemaah Islamiyah terror network have used Basilan and nearby Jolo island to evade government forces. According to military officials, they have sought refuge with Muslim separatists who signed a cease-fire with the Manila government.
At least 50 government troops were killed, some of them beheaded, in fighting in July and August.
Last week, two soldiers were killed and 10 wounded on Basilan when troops, searching for Abu Sayyaf militants, clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels. The MILF rebels have denied links with terrorists.
Showing posts with label killing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label killing. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
Philippines President Orders Police To Address Extrajudicial Killings
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered newly-installed Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Avelino Razon to put a stop to the killings of political activists and journalists in the region.
The president issued the directive during the turnover of command of the PNP from Director General Oscar Calderon to Razon at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The president said while Razon must continue Calderon's task to lead the fight against insurgency and criminality, he has an additional task of addressing extrajudicial killings.
"In addition, I instruct General Razon to continue to be on top of Task Force Usig. However, his perspective must be wider now: It must not only be on police action, but the entire criminal justice system," the president said.
She ordered Razon to immediately submit a report on updates on the murders.
"The first report I want to receive from him is an update on arrests, convictions and imprisonment of those responsible for the killings of political activists and journalists," the President said.
She said that if Gen. Calderon left a legacy on housing for the uniformed men, Razon's legacy must be the "protection of human rights."
"We deplore any and all killings of political activists and journalists," the President said, adding that she has met with the journalist community and human rights activists to resolve once and for all extrajudicial killings and put a stop to human rights abuses.
To put a stop to the killings, the president said her administration is following the recommendations of the Melo Commission to establish separate courts, expedite prosecutions, expand victim assistance and increase funding for more investigators.
The president issued the directive during the turnover of command of the PNP from Director General Oscar Calderon to Razon at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The president said while Razon must continue Calderon's task to lead the fight against insurgency and criminality, he has an additional task of addressing extrajudicial killings.
"In addition, I instruct General Razon to continue to be on top of Task Force Usig. However, his perspective must be wider now: It must not only be on police action, but the entire criminal justice system," the president said.
She ordered Razon to immediately submit a report on updates on the murders.
"The first report I want to receive from him is an update on arrests, convictions and imprisonment of those responsible for the killings of political activists and journalists," the President said.
She said that if Gen. Calderon left a legacy on housing for the uniformed men, Razon's legacy must be the "protection of human rights."
"We deplore any and all killings of political activists and journalists," the President said, adding that she has met with the journalist community and human rights activists to resolve once and for all extrajudicial killings and put a stop to human rights abuses.
To put a stop to the killings, the president said her administration is following the recommendations of the Melo Commission to establish separate courts, expedite prosecutions, expand victim assistance and increase funding for more investigators.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Philippines Police Investigates Death Of Priest
Police on Thursday, August 30, stepped up an investigation into the killing of a Catholic priest in the Philippines' Illocos Norte province, amid fears of renewed attacks against the country's clergy.
In a statement police said armed men shot and killed 48-year-old Priest
Florante Rigonan late Tuesday, August 28, as he left a house in Pinili town, where he performed a prayer service around 10 pm [local time].
"He was about to board his vehicle when armed men shot him several times with an M-16 Armalite rifle. The victim sustained bullet wounds on his body, mostly on his back," Ilocos Norte Police official Roman Felix, told reporters.
Parishioner Elisea Macalma told the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News), that she heard gunshots after the priest left her family's house in Puritac, a village of Pinili town, and called the police.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but church officials said the killing underscored concerns that clergy will be targeted once again by militants, especially those involved in church advocacies.
MORE ATTACKS
Illocos Norte, a northern Philippine province, has seen attacks carried out by rebels of the New People's Army (NPA), a paramilitary group fighting for a Communist revolution in the Philippines. Several priests have been killed or kidnapped by different rebel groups in the country.
Priest Leonardo Ruiz of the Laoag diocese's Social Action Center said in a statement that the Catholic community mourned the death of Rigonan. "This is a sad day for the Catholic community. What are they doing to us priests?" he asked.
Ruiz, who leads church advocacies, including for environmental causes, protection, said Rigonan was mainly involved in administrative functions within the Laoag diocese.
Rigonan was a member of the diocese's Commission on Temporalities, which is tasked to look
into the properties of the church. He also looked into the welfare of priests, including their hospitalization and retirement, Catholic sources said.
"PERSONAL GRUDGE"
Police investigators have not ruled out that the priest was killed over a "personal grudge" or during a robbery. There "could be personal grudge on the part of our relatives, who were jealous because we gave Father Rigonan a large sum for the reconstruction of the parish church," confirmed Macalma.
After working in the United States for 40 years, she and her husband reportedly returned to Pinili last year and donated 5 million pesos ($107,000) for reconstruction of the parish church, which used to be a small chapel. They also gave another 250,000 pesos they had raised for the project from relatives in California. Bishop Sergio Utleg of Laoag, whose diocese serves the province of Ilocos Norte, "blessed" the church in May, UCA News said.
The Laoag parish territory has 20,654 people, 48 percent of them Catholics and others members of the Philippine Independent Church and other Christian denominations, according to estimates.
In a statement police said armed men shot and killed 48-year-old Priest
Florante Rigonan late Tuesday, August 28, as he left a house in Pinili town, where he performed a prayer service around 10 pm [local time].
"He was about to board his vehicle when armed men shot him several times with an M-16 Armalite rifle. The victim sustained bullet wounds on his body, mostly on his back," Ilocos Norte Police official Roman Felix, told reporters.
Parishioner Elisea Macalma told the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News), that she heard gunshots after the priest left her family's house in Puritac, a village of Pinili town, and called the police.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but church officials said the killing underscored concerns that clergy will be targeted once again by militants, especially those involved in church advocacies.
MORE ATTACKS
Illocos Norte, a northern Philippine province, has seen attacks carried out by rebels of the New People's Army (NPA), a paramilitary group fighting for a Communist revolution in the Philippines. Several priests have been killed or kidnapped by different rebel groups in the country.
Priest Leonardo Ruiz of the Laoag diocese's Social Action Center said in a statement that the Catholic community mourned the death of Rigonan. "This is a sad day for the Catholic community. What are they doing to us priests?" he asked.
Ruiz, who leads church advocacies, including for environmental causes, protection, said Rigonan was mainly involved in administrative functions within the Laoag diocese.
Rigonan was a member of the diocese's Commission on Temporalities, which is tasked to look
into the properties of the church. He also looked into the welfare of priests, including their hospitalization and retirement, Catholic sources said.
"PERSONAL GRUDGE"
Police investigators have not ruled out that the priest was killed over a "personal grudge" or during a robbery. There "could be personal grudge on the part of our relatives, who were jealous because we gave Father Rigonan a large sum for the reconstruction of the parish church," confirmed Macalma.
After working in the United States for 40 years, she and her husband reportedly returned to Pinili last year and donated 5 million pesos ($107,000) for reconstruction of the parish church, which used to be a small chapel. They also gave another 250,000 pesos they had raised for the project from relatives in California. Bishop Sergio Utleg of Laoag, whose diocese serves the province of Ilocos Norte, "blessed" the church in May, UCA News said.
The Laoag parish territory has 20,654 people, 48 percent of them Catholics and others members of the Philippine Independent Church and other Christian denominations, according to estimates.
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