DUTERTE REWARDED his henchmen in the Armed Forces of the Philippines with medals and promotion. Last June 5, the Com­mis­si­on on Appo­int­ments (CA) confirmed the promotion of 50 military officials spearheading militarization and the perpetration of abuses in the countryside. These promotions are an epitome of injustice, said the Ki­lu­sang Mag­bu­bu­kid ng Pi­li­pi­nas. The hands of his mercenaries in the military are drenched in blood and each medal awarded to them further mocks the killing of national minorities and peasants.

Among those confirmed by the CA were Lt. Ge­n. Fe­li­mon T. San­tos, commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, which sows terror and perpetrates human rights abuses in the regions of Davao and Caraga until today. Maj. Gen. Gil­bert Ga­pay was also promoted. He is the commander of the Sout­hern Luzon Com­mand which attacked peasant and Mangyan communities in Mindoro and Dumagat communities in Quezon. It conducted bombings in Mindoro which resulted in the forcible evacuation of around 1,000 Mangyans.

Also promoted were Col. Jo­nat­han Ga­yas, a psywar official of the 3rd ID and Brig. Gen. Alber­to De­so­yo of the 303rd IBde, both based in Neg­ros. The two are responsible for the relentless militarization and the perpetration of tortures and massacres in the island.

Meanwhile, retired Col. Allen Capu­yan was appointed as chair of the National Com­mission on Indi­genous Peo­ples last May 27. Earlier, Capuyan was also appointed as the Executive Director of the national secretariat of the National Task Force to End Local Com­munist Armed Conflict.

AFP battalion and brigade officials who spearhead intelligence and psywar operations and forced surrender campaign against civilians were also promoted.