Philippine soldier linked to extrajudicial killings falls

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / February 3, 2010) – Human rights advocates hailed the arrest of a Philippine Army soldier tagged as behind the killing of political activists in central Luzon.

The soldier has at least six warrants for his arrest in connection with the reported murders of other activists. “This is good news, but he should pay for his sins. We want justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings,” said Nolan Santiago.

Human rights groups and leftist organizations have accused the military of murdering hundreds of political activists who had been accused either as communist rebels or supporters of the New People’s Army which have been waging a secessionist war for the past six decades.

Television giant ABS-CBN on Thursday reported that the Philippine Army handed the soldier to agents of the National Bureau of Investigation after he was implicated in extrajudicial killings in central Luzon.

It said the Presidential Task Force against Political Violence led by Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor tracked down the soldier and was eventually arrested by members of the military's Provost Marshall Office at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija province.

Human rights groups and leftists organizations said the army base was where abducted political activists were allegedly being tortured and eventually murdered. (Mindanao Examiner)