(22.02.2007) UN envoy Philip Alston has accused the army in the Philippines of being "in a state of almost total denial" about the wave of political killings, the BBC reported on Wednesday. Many of these killings in the past years have been "convincingly attributed to them", Alston stated in a press release dated 21st February.

According to the human rights group Karapatan, 832 activists have been killed since President Gloria Arroyo took power in 2001.

Mr Alston urged the President to confront what he called a culture of virtual impunity in the legal system. Although critical of the president, Alston stressed that he did not believe that there was any political sanction for the killings.

Professor Philip Alston visited the Philippines as Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. He spent 10 days in the Philippines investigating the killings. He said that during his stay he had the opportunity to meet with "virtually all of the relevant senior officials of Government". He also met with members of Congress on different sides of the political spectrum, the Chief Justice, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Chair of the Human Rights Commission, and representatives of the MNLF and MILF. Furthermore, Alston spoke representatives of civil society in Manila, Baguio and Davao.

Alston is due to present a full report on his findings in three months' time.

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Press Statement by Professor Phillip Alston about extrajudicial killings in the Philippines - 22-02-07 09:48