By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has vowed to act on reports of abuses and other crimes allegedly committed by soldiers during the five-month Marawi City crisis, following a report by London, England-based human rights watchdog Amnesty International that civilians in Marawi suffered from abuses committed by terrorists and government forces.
According to AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla, they will investigate allegations of human rights abuses, looting, illegal detention, and maltreatment of escaping Marawi residents allegedly committed by soldiers.
“We are committed to respecting international humanitarian law and respecting human rights,” Padilla said during the Bangon Marawi press briefing in Malacañang yesterday.
“We will investigate and discipline those found guilty of violating policies and regulations, which includes IHL and HR,” he added.
Padilla said that just mere allegations of human rights abuses are disturbing. “These are disturbing. Any reports of human rights violations are disturbing and they’re very serious. So we take them with focus and seriousness as well,” Padilla said.
“If these are allegations, they will remain to be allegations unless there are concrete and formal reports that come our way and we will act on it,” he added.
