Philippines must do more to stop killings–US

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines must do more to stop human rights abuses especially extra-judicial killings if it wants to receive more US aid, the US ambassador to the country said on Friday.

Harry Thomas praised Philippine President Benigno Aquino III for his commitment to human rights but stressed that abuses were still going on despite the president’s efforts.

“The US government will continue to press for progress on addressing past cases and the on-going problem of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines,” an embassy statement quoted Thomas as saying.

Speaking at a round table of human rights advocates, the ambassador said that the US Congress still withholds a portion of US aid to this country until the Philippines meets certain conditions in solving the extrajudicial killings.

He did not say how much aid was being withheld to the poorly-equipped Philippine military.

The ambassador cited a 2010 US State Department report that such killings are still taking place under Aquino and that previous cases of abuse and murders were not being vigorously investigated.

The United States is the main defence ally of the Philippines which is fighting both communist and Muslim insurgencies.

Aquino, who took office in June, 2010, had vowed to curb extra-judicial killings and other abuses following several such murders including the massacre of 57 people by a powerful political clan in November, 2009.

However earlier this year, international human rights monitors Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said Aquino had failed to deliver on this pledge even after a year in office.

Human Rights Watch said that, just as with previous governments, Aquino’s administration had been unable or unwilling to punish soldiers accused of killing leftist activists as part of the wider counterinsurgency campaign.

Aquino officials have previously denied that they tolerate extra-judicial killings.