Analysis

By Raissa Robles

President Noynoy Aquino and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo hold opposing views on 4 key issues:

1. Extra-judicial killings perpetrated under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration
2. The VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) with the United States
3. The JPEPA (Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement)
4. And state corruption under the Arroyo administration

In explaining why he became Preisdent Aquino's foreign secretary, Romulo recently mentioned their families' close ties but did not touch on their contrasting views on key policy issues

Extra-judicial killings perpetrated under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration

Noynoy Aquino has time and again condemned extra-judicial killings under Arroyo’s term. He has personally expressed the belief that elements in Arroyo’s government were behind such vigilante-stlye murders.

Four years years ago, the killing spree got so bad that Aroyo was pressured into forming a “Melo Commission”.

The Melo Commission’s initial report contained a shocking admission from a top general that he had ordered soldiers to shoot armed rebels even if they were among innocent civilians. The same general, Jovito Palparan, was publicly extolled by then President Arroyo.

Under oath, Palaparan told the the six-member presidential commission chaired by now Comelec chairman Jose Melo that he had told villagers in Mindoro island:

My order to my soldiers is that, if they are certain that there are armed rebels in the house or yard, shoot them.

It will be just too bad if civilians are killed in the process. We are sorry if you are killed in the crossfire.

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