August 21, 2006

Credibility problems hound “independent commission”

The government initiated independent commission to probe the spate of political killings in the country suffers from serious credibility problems, even before its work has started, according to the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

“It is truly ironic that government agencies who have a record of covering up for the administration are now the ones being tasked to conduct an independent probe of the political killings,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“Two out of three members of the commission already have questionable records. For example, how can one expect the Department of Justice representative to conduct an impartial probe when it is the lead agency in filing rebellion charges against legal activists? It simply doesn’t make any sense?” Reyes said.

“How can anyone expect the same impartial probe from the NBI when it was the agency that shielded Mrs.Arroyo during the Hello Garci probes last year,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that the presence of the two government-appointed representatives has all but crippled the so-called independent commission.

“If this is how the commission will start, then we cannot expect it to have a truly impartial probe on the killings of activists. Assuming that the other members of the commission are credible people, the probe body will be in a perpetual state of tug-of-war. Even then, the results of the independent probe will be put to question,” Reyes said.

Bayan believes that the administration may be intending to deodorize the already odious Task Force Usig by forming a commission that would “give a semblance of government concern for the issue, but at the same time shielding the government from any responsibility for the actions and policies leading to the killings.”

Reyes also said that Bayan is still studying the records of the other three appointees to the commission.