The Philippines Armed Forces have been implicated in most of the recent human rights abuses that have occurred in that country (almost 800 unlawful executions since 2001). Journalists, activists, pastors, and lawyers have been kidnapped, tortured, or even gunned down in public for daring to advocate on behalf of the economic, social, and civil rights of the poor.

But since 9/11, the U.S. government has given the Philippines army $245.6 million for "foreign military financing," "anti-terrorism," and "international military education and training." This is more military funding than any other country in Asia receives. As American taxpayers, we should be outraged that the U.S., through massive military funding, extends carte blanche to a government that cannot control and discipline its own national army –an army that carries out personal vendettas and hit lists en masse. As members of the body of Christ, we should lament when our brothers and sisters are cut down in the mission field – especially when we helped to bankroll it.

In my previous blog post about the disappearance of Jonas Burgos, I mentioned that the Farmers' Alliance he volunteered for had been labeled an "enemy of the state" organization. The military did this to justify the half-hearted investigation conducted on his disappearance. This and other incidents have alarmed the United Nations Human Rights Council, especially since the Philippines has (strangely) just been granted a seat on the committee. In keeping with the strictures of committee membership, the Philippines is set to undergo a kind of human rights audit called the "Universal Periodic Review" on April 11, 2008.

After Ecumenical Advocacy Days, Edita Tronqued Burgos planned to tour the U.S. to speak to Filipino-American communities about the things going on back home. In her increasingly hopeless search for her activist son, she has stumbled upon a new mission: to put American taxpayers and citizens in contact with their U.S. congresspersons about the issue. The work of Edita and others like her have made the extrajudicial killings a more high-profile issue, and there were even hearings in the U.S. Congress about it last year. Still, positive change seems elusive in 2008 as military aid to the Philippines increased by "a few million," with $2 million earmarked for human rights issues. Seems to me like we're trusting foxes to guard the henhouse here.

To read more about American military funding to the Philippines, click here. 

Anna Almendrala is the marketing and circulation assistant for Sojourners.