“When we have more respect for the rules of war—fewer destroyed homes, fewer war crimes, less cruelty and hatred—some of the roadblocks to sustainable peace-making can be avoided. Whenever the brutality of war is limited by affirming the importance of IHL, this reaffirms our common humanity. This is an important step on the road to peace,” said Johannes Bruwer, head of the ICRC delegation in the Philippines.
Decades of internal armed conflicts have displaced many Filipinos across the country, particularly in Mindanao. Although the Philippines is a strong supporter of IHL, ratifying important treaties and passing local IHL laws, Bruwer noted that a bill protecting the rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is still a work in progress.
In addition, the obligation to prevent people from going missing and to take all feasible measures to account for persons reported missing is enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. Bruwer said that despite advancements on aspects linked to compensation, the affected families have the right to know from the authorities the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones who went missing due to the 2017 Marawi conflict.
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