“They Own the People”

This report talks about human right violations and murders executed by one clan in Mindanao, Southern Philippine cooperated with local armed force for more than 20 years. The clan is Ampatuan Family. They are mastermind of the massacre that happened in Maguidanao province in Philippine on November 23rd in 2009. However the Philippine government has not investigated this massacre well moreover prohibited militia activity that violates human rights. The report reveals vicious and real situation of Philippine and provides their recommendation to Philippine. “The Maguidanao massacre was not an aberration, but the foreseeable consequence of unchecked killing and other serious abuses.” (From reading) Philippine government’s problem about impunity for core causes of slaughter and the militia related with slaughters has made the unusual situation in Philippine. The militia owned by Ampatuan clan is just one of a hundred of private militias in Philippine. Philippine’s constitutional law has legislate disbanding or demilitalizing militia. However private militias still exist and the Philippine government has never probed and prosecuted the people who illegally using militia for private purpose. The researchers recommend proving justice for human rights violation to the victims and prohibited strongly private militia to destroy all private militia in Philippine.

I agree with the researchers’ recommendations. In Philippine, the people in power are using militia for private purposes related with election and political background. They are not using power for protecting and using for