MANILA - The Philippine government should set a clear and short timetable for an end to martial law in Maguindanao province and dismantle all armed paramilitary groups in the country, international human rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) said Tuesday.

Amnesty International Asia-Pacific director Sam Zarifi said a human rights team visited the province over the weekend after President Arroyo declared martial law last Saturday. He said the team did not find indications so far of serious human rights violations by military personnel since the imposition of martial law. 

He added, however, that the military deployment has prompted more than 2,000 residents to flee areas of Maguindanao controlled by the powerful Ampatuan clan.

“The people of Maguindanao are terrified of martial law because they remember the terrible violations that occurred during military control in the 1970s,” he said in a statement.

The recent insecurity has also hindered humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of civilians displaced there due to previous clashes between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). 

“Every day of heavy military deployment increases the risk of human rights violations or new clashes with the MILF even as peace talks begin anew," Zarifi said.

President Arroyo declared martial law in Maguindanao province to effect the immediate arrests of members of the Ampatuan clan suspected to have had a hand in the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan, Maguindanao last November 23. More than 80 people have been arrested by security forces since the imposition of martial law in the province.

The military raided several weapons caches allegedly owned by the Ampatuans, which contained more than 900 pieces of firearms, including mortars, sniper rifles, machine guns and anti-tank equipment; and at least 450,000 rounds of assorted bullets. Maj. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, Armed Forces vice chief of staff for operations, said the weapons were enough to arm two Army battalions.

Aside from the guns, the military also seized police cars and armored personnel carriers, supposedly used by some 3,000 to 4,000 Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs) that are loyal to the Ampatuans.

“The CVOs in Maguindanao have engaged in systematic attacks on civilians, arson, and even murder, often with the knowledge and involvement of provincial authorities and the military. Powerful clans have used the CVOs against their political opponents, while the central government has often turned a blind eye. In return the clans have helped the government in winning votes and fighting the MILF and the New People’s Army (NPA),” Zarifi said.

Dismantle private armies

Amnesty International called on President Arroyo to immediately revoke or amend Executive Order 546, implemented in 2006, which allowed the use of paramilitary “force multipliers” in counter-insurgency operations. Under the guise of CVOs and Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAAs), in practice, local strongmen have used these forces as private armies.

He said a commission established by Malacañang to dismantle CVOs and CAFGU auxiliaries should "act urgently to end the use of  groups that are well-armed but poorly disciplined and unaccountable. We hope that the commission follows through with decisive action to disband the armed groups.”

“International law recognizes that in some circumstances, governments may have to resort to emergency regulations and measures. But some rights, such as the right to life, freedom from arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, and the right to habeas corpus, can never be restricted. Any other restrictions must be limited to those absolutely necessary to the situation and must be lifted as soon as possible,” he added.