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FACTBOX-Five facts on Philippine's extra-judicial killings

22 Feb 2007 05:37:27 GMT
Source: Reuters

Feb. 22 (Reuters) - The Philippine military went on the defensive on Thursday after a U.N. investigator said soldiers appeared to be behind many extra-judicial killings and ahead of the release of a damning report into the murders.

Here are five facts on the killings:

* Definitive figures are not available, but local human rights group Karapatan says some 830 people, including political activists, journalists, farmers and students, have been killed or have gone missing since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took office in 2001.

* Arroyo, who is also Commander in Chief of the armed forces, has called for the creation of special courts to deal with the political killings and asked the military to update its rules on command responsibility.

* Both the government and the military have maintained that the murders are the result of infighting in the New People's Army (NPA), the military wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

* Critics say the killings and kidnappings are part of official counter-insurgency efforts aimed at ending nearly 40 years of communist insurgency. They accuse the Philippine military of using intimidation and torture to discourage support for militant groups.

* U.N. special rapporteur on extra-judicial executions, Philip Alston, will present a final report on the situation in the Philippines within three months. Source: Reuters (Additional reporting by Carmel Crimmins)

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Last updated:Thu Feb 22 05:38:37 2007