MANILA, Philippines - The military downplayed Thursday the filing of human rights charges against the military and the police in connection with the arrest of 43 suspected members of the New People’s Army in Morong, Rizal last February 6.

In an interview, Armed Forces spokesman Lt.  Col.  Romeo Brawner said the filing of human rights charges before the Commission on Human Rights was expected following allegations by some rights groups that the detainees underwent physical and psychological torture at the hands of the military and police.

“As far as the AFP is concerned, we are saying that we did not violate any of their human rights,” Brawner said.

The military spokesman said military custodians did not torture or sexually abuse the suspects who are detained at Camp Capinpin, home of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division in Tanay, Rizal.

He said the Armed Forces even allowed earlier various bodies, including the CHR and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to look into the condition of the detainees.

Activists earlier assailed the move by the Armed Forces to grant medals to two military officers who were involved in the arrest of the Morong 43.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr. said the "citations send the wrong message that human rights abuses committed in the name of counter-insurgency will be rewarded under the Arroyo government."

"This simply reinforces the climate of impunity that has resulted in numerous abuses in the recent past," he added.

The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) said the move showed the “intransigence” and “arrogance of the military, especially with regards to human rights violations.

“Rewarding human rights violators is not only insulting to the victims and their families but also an affront to basic decency in a country that is supposedly a democracy,” said Dr. Darby Santiago, HEAD chairperson.