Another Moro group accuses military of human rights violation in Mindanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Human rights group KAWAGIB has denounced alleged violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law by elements of the 3rd Air Division of the Philippine Air Force and demanded Manila to punish the perpetrators the country being a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

It said a 19-year old pregant woman, Wilma Ambil, was killed during a bombing run September 20 in Sitio Talibang in the village of Buanza in Sulu's Indanan town.

But the military's Western Mindanao Command has denied the accusations and called on the KAWAGIB to present evidence and file charges against those involved in the raid.

KAWAGIB accused the military of covering up the killing of the civilian and numerous human rights violations in Sulu. It said the military even branded as "terrorists" those who accused troops of human rights violations.

“The issue here is that a pregnant woman was killed. The truth and the real issue should not be diverted to other issue by arbitrarily pointing fingers to which the military accuses as terrorist”, Bai Ali Indayla, secretary general of KAWAGIB, said in a statement.

Indayla said: “This is frustrating because the military is supposed to protect us, but instead the victims of human rights violation and organizations advocating peace and human rights are being by authorities and tagging them as terrorists.”

“We will file complaint to United Nations so that the perpetrators will be held accountable, especially if the Philippine government under President Gloria Arroyo will not take necessary action to protect the civilian and enforce laws and agreements on human rights,” she said.