Philippine army hit by torture video rage
Source: Agencies |
March 21, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A PHILIPPINE army official acknowledged yesterday the authenticity of a 2008 video recently posted on YouTube that shows army trainers laughing as they slap, punch and beat mud-splattered recruits with sticks and rope, but he said the cruel practice has been stopped.
New People's Army rebels said they obtained the video, which they dubbed "9th ID torture video" from disgruntled soldiers and posted it on YouTube last week, drawing strong condemnation from viewers. The title refers to the 9th Infantry Division, the regional military command where the maltreatment happened.
The issue emerged as the military grapples with an exposed corruption scandal involving top generals.
Regional army spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc said the two-part video, shot by an officer with a cellphone in 2008 in eastern Camarines Sur province, shows recruits acting as military captives being tortured by guerrillas - played by army trainers.
One of the trainers opposed the cruel practice and complained to army officials, who ordered the training stopped and investigated the officers, Cabunoc said. The officer who led the training staff was relieved of his post while others were demoted or reprimanded, he said.
"It's unacceptable and degrading," Cabunoc said.
The video shows male recruits crawling across a muddy field clad only in shorts. Each recruit is made to kneel while an officer sitting on a chair uses his dirty boots to squeeze the trainee's neck while others beat the recruit's back with a rope, belt and wooden sticks.
New People's Army rebels said they obtained the video, which they dubbed "9th ID torture video" from disgruntled soldiers and posted it on YouTube last week, drawing strong condemnation from viewers. The title refers to the 9th Infantry Division, the regional military command where the maltreatment happened.
The issue emerged as the military grapples with an exposed corruption scandal involving top generals.
Regional army spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc said the two-part video, shot by an officer with a cellphone in 2008 in eastern Camarines Sur province, shows recruits acting as military captives being tortured by guerrillas - played by army trainers.
One of the trainers opposed the cruel practice and complained to army officials, who ordered the training stopped and investigated the officers, Cabunoc said. The officer who led the training staff was relieved of his post while others were demoted or reprimanded, he said.
"It's unacceptable and degrading," Cabunoc said.
The video shows male recruits crawling across a muddy field clad only in shorts. Each recruit is made to kneel while an officer sitting on a chair uses his dirty boots to squeeze the trainee's neck while others beat the recruit's back with a rope, belt and wooden sticks.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
