Davao City – The claim of Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas about the police and military personnel having perpetrated high cases of rape and sexual violence is a big lie, the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11) said.
PRO-11 was reacting to Brosas earlier opposition to the proposal of vice presidential candidate Mayor Sara Z. Duterte to make military service mandatory for those who reach the age of 18.
Brosas said military officials were given a free pass to rape and abuse women.
PRO-11, in a statement Monday, said accusing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) of abuses against women and children is another lie being peddled by Brosas to deceive the people and justify a failed bloody struggle that victimized Filipino women and children perpetrated by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) organization which she never condemned but appears to support.
“Using the PNP and AFP’s alleged abuses to women to argue her opposition of the proposal of Mayor Sara Duterte is irrelevant and desperate. Unlike the NPA, PNP personnel who were found guilty of any offenses are automatically subjected to litigation and eventually dismissed from the service,” the statement said.
The PRO-11 clarified that the PNP has institutionalized the Women and Children’s Protection Desk and has filed several cases of crimes committed by the NPAs against women and children.
“Even lawmakers from her allied party-list group such as the Satur Ocampo and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran Case among many others,” the statement added.
PRO-11 clarified that rescued victims of sexual abuses revealed violations such as rape, child abuse, human trafficking being perpetrated by the NPA.
“To prove, PRO-11 is currently in the custody of Alyas Nene, a former NPA member who has been a sex slave by one of the NPA commanders. Brosas, who advocates for the protection of women should also focus their resources to run after the NPA who abuses their female members for their despicable urges,” the statement added.
PRO-11 also challenged Brosas to help all female victims get the justice they deserve, not only for the sexual abuses but for the ‘life’ lost because of the deceptions of the NPA or at least condemn the acts for allowing such abuses to happen to their members.
“PRO-11, through our Revitalized-Pulis sa Barangay (RPSB) was able to unmask the evil brought by the ideologies of the communist NPA to the people. After all, the country deserves to be freed from oppressive NPA atrocities and party-list organization supportive to its violent and criminal acts,” the statement said.
(Source: Philippine News Agency)