General’s confession on extrajudicial killings a step in the right direction

Revelations chilling and gut-wrenching

“The revelations are a chilling reminder of how human right abuses can be sanctioned by the highest echelon of military command. The callousness of the discussion on killing of unarmed activist is gut-wrenching and deserves the toughest condemnation.”

This was the reaction of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center on the recent revelation of a 3rd General on how extra-judicial killings were discussed during a top-level meeting in 2005.

“This information validated the suspicions of the survivors of the victims, the various findings of local and international human rights organizations, the Alston report and other related researches that the hand of the military is drenched with the blood of human rights victims," said Elmer "Ka Bong" Labog.

According to Labog, the disclosure can be used for fuel to sustain the efforts of various human rights group seeking for justice. “The efforts of the Supreme Court to call a multi-sectoral summit, seeking to render tougher laws to curb the killings, coupled with the three General's testimonies provides a chance in cracking the case of continued killings of activists and bringing the butchers to justice.

“We will build on this momentum and hopes the inertia can bring us closer to solving the cases and stopping once and for all the killings of activists. Since 2001, 76 unionist and labor activists are among more than 900 victims of extra-judicial killings and the perpetrators must be punished,” ended Labog.