EU Leaders Rebuke Philippine President On Killings
Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Helsinki, Finland (AHN) - Several leaders from the European Union have questioned Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the hundreds of activists murdered during her rule. Finland President Tarja Halonen brought up the issue of human rights records of the Arroyo administration during their one-on-one meeting held on Saturday. Other European Union leaders are expected to bring the same topic up when Arroyo meets with them on Tuesday in Brussels. Philippine National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said they expect the topic to be included in the discussions. He said, "The tough questions will be asked of the President in Brussels and she is prepared for this." Her government was facing face criticism back home when she announced that controversial Army Major General Jovito Palparan would be appointed as deputy for counterinsurgency operations in the National Security Council, which Arroyo chairs. Palparan is being blamed by the activists for the series of summary executions in central Philippines. The announcement of Palparan's appointment, made by Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, came amid rising European concern over the large number of unsolved killings of activists and journalists in the country. Human rights group in Manila is claiming that Palparan and the government's security forces were responsible for the killing of |
