Relatives of victims of alleged war crimes in Myanmar seek justice against generals in Philippines

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Relatives of victims of alleged war crimes committed by Myanmar’s military have filed a criminal complaint in the Philippines against their nation’s ruling generals. Human rights lawyers representing five Myanmar nationals say that a 2009 Philippine law that promotes human rights obligates the Philippines to prosecute war crimes committed elsewhere in the world under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Those named in the complaint include the head of Myanmar’s ruling military council, eight of his military commanders and a state minister. Myanmar and the Philippines are both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation bloc that has a policy of not intervening in each other’s domestic affairs. Philippine prosecutors have 90 days to rule on the complaint.