October 5, 2000, ABS-CBN, Former MNLF officials confirm HR violations in Jolo,

October 5, 2000, ABS-CBN, Former MNLF officials confirm HR violations in Jolo,

ZAMBOANGA CITY, (ABS-CBN) - Two former officers of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) recently confirmed there were indeed human rights violations committed against civilians in Jolo since the start of the assault on the dreaded Abu Sayyaf group last September.

The confirmation runs contrary to the statement earlier issued by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Region 9 which cleared the military of alleged abuses in the war-torn province.

Former foreign minister Dr. Farouk Hussein and former MNLF secretary-general Datu Shakiruddin Bahjin were part of an independent body that conducted its own investigation on the violence committed against civilians in Jolo. 

Both officials confirmed the reported atrocities and looting perpetrated by the military.

Hussein revealed that among those who died in the hands of soldiers were two of his relatives from Barangay Pantao in Talipao. He identified them as Hamid Sawan and Sinning Abubakar.

Hussein, along with former Libyan ambassador Abdurajab Azzarouq and local officials, had negotiated with the bandits for months before a fed-up President Estrada ordered a massive military assault on Sept. 16. 

In an interview with TV Patrol, an eyewitness corroborated Hussein's statement and said the soldiers indeed killed the two civilians.

"Nung dumaan sila sa Pantao, pagkatapos maramingcivilian (evacuees) doon. Pagkatapos, doon lang ako sa eskwela. Narinig kong nagputukan na doon. Pagpunta ko doon, doon na sila namatay, ang mga sibilyan," the witness said.

[They (soldiers) passed by Pantao where many civilian evacuees are housed. I was in one of the schools. I heard shots ring out from there. When I got there, the civilians were already dead.]

An indignant Hussein pointed out the people killed were unarmed and defenseless.

"These are people. Innocent people are shot by the military just accordingly or knowledgeably because they reign," he said. "Everybody's afraid of the military. These are unarmed people."

An unnamed source also verified Hussein's pronouncement and said the bombings in the mountainous areas of Patikul claimed the lives of many more residents. 

The source claimed that among the gory sights the military saw in the area were severed body parts, including that of children.

The military stated only four civilians were killed in the assault. They were reportedly members of the Saida family.

Civilians are allegedly furious over reports that the military had ransacked and looted abandoned homes in the area.

"In plain words, they are taking the property of poor people, (they) who (have been) very poor for so long. (Even) plastic chairs were taken by the soldiers," Bahjin said.

The two former MNLF leaders appealed to the military to stop the bombings and to leave the civilians in peace.

"We appeal to the military to please exercise caution in dealing with the civilians," Hussein said. "They are poor people, innocent people."

Despite earlier clearing the military of allegations of abuse against civilians in the war-torn province, the CHR in Region 9 claimed the investigation is far from over.

The CHR only confirmed that a climate of fear prevails in the province of Sulu.

The commission said its three-man investigating team will soon visit actual sites outside Jolo where the alleged atrocities were committed.

(With a report from Dindo Amparo)