By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on June 10 condemned the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives for urging the Absalon family to file a complaint before the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).
The JMC accepts complaints about violations of international humanitarian law by the New People’s Army (NPA).
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the left-wing bloc is giving the Absalon family false hopes because the JMC as such no longer exists, because peace talks collapsed between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines/NPA/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF).
“The Joint Monitoring Committee was disbanded many years back. It no longer exists. It’s just unfortunate that the Makabayan Bloc is misleading the Absalon family who is demanding justice for the death of Keith and Nolven Absalon,” he said.
Malaya said that rather than complaining to the JMC, the authorities, together with the families, should file cases against the perpetrators before the proper courts so that they can undergo trial.
He said that justice will only be served if the CPP/NPA surrender the perpetrators to the proper authorities.
“The only way that justice may be served is for the perpetrators to face trial. Human Rights Watch said that the perpetrators are subject to criminal prosecution, not only in the Philippines but around the world. We must make sure they are prosecuted here in our country,” Malaya said.
“Since the CPP/NPA has accepted full responsibility for the senseless murders, it now becomes their duty to turn over the terrorists responsible for the deaths so that justice may be served to their families and loved ones,” he added.
Rather than misleading the Absalon family, the Makabayan Bloc should instead pressure the CPP/NPA into turning over the perpetrators to the Commission on Human Rights so that the wheels of justice may turn, Malaya said.
“We wish to emphasize that the Makabayan Bloc are government officials receiving salaries from the taxes of the people. A dastardly crime has been committed here. The DILG challenges the Makabayan Bloc and their allied organizations to pressure the CPP/NPA to turn over those responsible and to condemn the CPP/NPA for manufacturing, stockpiling, transporting, and using anti-personnel mines all over the country,” he said. # – jlo
