The militant women’s group Gabriela protested the appointment of Gen. Emmanuel Bautista as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In a picket in front of Camp Aguinaldo, Gabriela called the newly appointed Bautista an “author of deception.” Bautista authored the Oplan Bayanihan, the government’s counter-insurgency program.

The group alleged that under Oplan Bayanihan, government troops were allowed to mingle freely in civilian communities and military camps, making women and children vulnerable to sexual abuse and other human rights violations.

Gabriela said they have documented at least seven cases of rape against women and children committed by military and paramilitary personnel last year.

“Women and children victims of sexual abuse by military authorities have yet to achieve justice and now the author of Oplan Bayanihan has been appointed by Aquino as AFP head. This only proves that despite the consequences to women and children, the Aquino administration is hell bent in implementing Oplan Bayanihan and wreaking havoc on the people.” said Joms Salvador, Gabriela secretary-general.

The group also deplored violations against women human rights defenders, especially leaders of legal mass organizations, who openly criticize the Aquino administration for bringing forth rising poverty and violence.

Salvador cited the trumped up murder charges filed by the military against Gabriela Negros chairperson Clarizza Singson.

According to Karapatan, a human rights organization, Clarizza Singson was implicated in a murder charge for the death of a certain Lt. Archie Polenzo who was allegedly killed during NPA-AFP clash in March 2010.

Singson, together with 51 individuals including Karapatan-Negros Secretary General Fred Caña, Christian Tuayon of Bayan-Negros, Ronald Ian Evidente of KMU-Negros, Bernardito Patigas of the North Negros Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (NNAHRA), and Gualberto Dajao of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Negros), were named in an affidavit executed by Freddie Sanchez, a rebel surrenderee.

Karapatan documented at least 137 individuals allegedly killed in operations purportedly under Oplan Bayanihan.

Salvador also added that instead of training the AFP’s guns on civilians and leaders of progressive organizations, the military must do their job in defending Philippine territories from external threat such as the US incursion in Tubbataha Reef near Palawan.

“Gen. Bautista, our real enemies are those who trespass our territory and do not recognize our sovereignty, not the civilians and leaders of people’s organizations whose only desire is to improve the dire situation of the majority of our people,” Salvador said.