The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sees no problem in the conduct of the investigation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) into the death of a suspected communist rebels which is claimed to be a peace consultant.
AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said they stand by the report that Ericson Acosta and another communist rebel were killed in one of the two firefights in Barangay Camansi in Kabnkalan City in Negros Occidental on early morning on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The local communist group said Acosta was not an armed fighter but a consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) AFP working on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social Economic Reforms, or CASER.
CASER is a socio-economic reform framework being pushed by the NDF for a peace agreement between the communist rebels and the government when then president Rodrigo Duterte opened the peace talks anew. Duterte later rejected the peace agreement.
Aside from the report that Acosta was among those who clashed with the soldiers, the military said it does not recognize CASER.
The CHR, in a statement, said it will look into the incident.
Aguilar said they do not have problem with the CHR probe as it is part of its mandate.
"We welcome the initiative of CHR. CHR is our partner in many activities like seminars to inculcate among our soldiers our duties to protect human rights," said Aguilar.
"We trust our soldiers. They are risking their lives in the performance of their duties," he added.