The Independent commission is supposed to investigate the existence of private armed groups “with a view to dismantling them permanently” before the May 2010 polls.

Initially named as commissioners are Butuan bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, representing the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines; Mahmoud Mala L. Adilao of the Bishops Ulama Conference; Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) president Herman Basbano, representing the media, Ret. Gen Jaime Echevarria, president of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO); Ret DDG Virtus Gil of the Philippine National Police, and Dante Jimenez of  the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

Echevarria was commander of the Regional Unified Command in Southern Mindanao when the Marcoses were toppled in 1986.

Pueblos told MindaNews through text message Sunday “wala pay klaro. Akong iclarify sa Nuncio” (nothing clear. Will have to clarify with Papal Nuncio).  

He said he would consult Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Edward Joseph Adams on Monday.

The bishop is known to be a friend of President Arroyo and  was appointed by Arroyo in 2006 to the five-person Melo Commission tasked to investigate extrajudicial killings in the country.

On February 28 last year, he warned then CBCP chair Bishop Angel Lagdameo,  against attending an anti-Arroyo rally in Makati City the next day.

"If Archbishop Angel Lagdameo does not listen to the majority of Catholic bishops, I think there would be moves to replace him as president of the CBCP,"  Pueblos said.

Jaro Archbishop Lagdameo was CBCP president from 2005 to 2007 and was reelected from 2007 to 2009. He completed his term in December 2009 and was replaced by Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag, Surigao del Sur.

Under AO 275 signed by President Arroyo on December 8, Malacanang tasked an independent commission to address and dismantle private armies in the country and to “make a report to the President outlining its action and policy recommendations including appropriate prosecution and legislative proposals, if any, aimed at eliminating the existence of private armies prior to the May 2010 elections.”

The Commission is tasked to: “prioritize and focus investigation of the existence of private armies in the country; be the government’s sole voice on the issue of private armies; make a report to the President outlining its action and policy recommendations including appropriate prosecution and legislative proposals, if any, aimed at eliminating the existence of private armies prior to the May 2010 elections.”

Under Section 4 of AO 275, law enforcement agencies of the government “shall prioritize the dismantling of private armies in accordance with the instructions of the Commission, with the aim to eliminate them prior to the May 2010 elections.”

The Department of Justice “shall prioritize the prosecution of members and leaders of such private armed groups with a view to their conviction at the soonest possible time.”

The Commission’s powers are as follows:

- all the powers of an investigative body under Section 37, Book 1 of the Administrative Code of 1987, including the power to summon witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony or evidence relevant to the investigation and issue compulsory processes to produce documents, books records and such other matters in the performance of its functions;

- the power to clear or disapprove all pertinent media statements by any member of the4 Administration;

- the power to promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations  as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the AO;

- the power to call upon any agency of the government for such assistance as it may require in the discharge of its functions; and

- the power to deputize the AFP, the National Bureau of Investigation, the PNP, the DOJ and any other law enforcement agency to assist it in the performance of its functions.

The Commission will be funded by the Office of the President.  (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)

---

Share this story through the following Social Media sites: