Año challenges UN, activists to show proof of alleged military abuses

By Priam Nepomuceno

October 10, 2017, 10:41 am

MANILA -- While it welcomes any complaints against alleged abusive members of the military, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. Eduardo Año said groups planning to do so must provide the proof so it can launch an investigation.

Año issued this statement in wake of a United Nations Security Council report claiming that the AFP was involved in the alleged killing 11 children sometime in 2016.

"Regarding (the UN report), the AFP welcomes any complaint just provide us the data, circumstance and we will conduct the investigation. We do not condone any extra-judicial killing or violation of human rights (as) from top up to the lowest unit of our troops in the field, we have a designated human rights officers," he added.

Also, Año said the leftist groups often file unverified reports against the military, hence, his desire for complainants to give exact data and circumstances.

The AFP chief added that complaints similar to those mentioned above should be filed in the proper forum.

"We have a Commission of Human Rights so welcome any filing of cases against our personnel," he stressed. (PNA)

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