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In the meantime, in nine percent of all cases or in 42 of them, the perpetrators were “men in uniform,” meaning men in positions of authority such as those in the police, the military, the clergy, and in political office. In the 471 cases that Gabriela handled from January to September 2012, some 58 were cases of rape, eight of which involved men in uniform or persons of authority as perpetrators. Of the 58 rape cases, 28 cases involved minors as victims.

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“While it’s true that in many cases of VAW including rape the perpetrators are ordinary men; but in the last two years, rapes and VAW are being committed by men in uniform: members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and their paramilitary units,” she said.

The Gabriela leader said the Aquino government’s counter-insurgency campaign Oplan Bayanihan has allowed the massive deployment of soldiers in communities all over the country. Soldiers set up camp in the heart of communities – next to schools and churches, or even within campuses themselves and inside public buildings.

“Soldiers and even commanding officers have been reported to woo young lasses in the barrios. They entice the youth to join drinking sessions or impromptu parties. It’s all part of the military’s campaign to supposedly win the hearts and minds of the people, but what often happens is devastating for civilians,” she said.

In October 16, 2011, three members of the 16th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army PFC Alexander O. Barzaga, PFC Ronnie Q. Castro and PVT Rocky H. Domingo raped a 17-year-old girl in Rizal. The soldiers invited the victim and two other minors to join the 16th IBPA’s anniversary in their camp. “Mutya” was consequently raped.

The three soldiers were, on March 30, 2011 following an order by Regional Trial Court Branch 78 of Morong, Rizal, imprisoned on charges of qualified rape without bail. The victim, however, has since become mentally ill, and her family, who pressed charges against the military men, are at the receiving end of harassment tactics from the soldiers’ relatives. The relatives of the accused are said to be attempting to bribe the victim and her family and pressure them into withdrawing the case.

In February 17, 2012, a 16-year old girl was raped by a military officer in Mankayan, Benguet. The victim went missing for three days before she came home weak and unable to speak. According to Inna-buyog-Gabriela, the victim suffered deep trauma. She failed to take her final school exams and was unable to graduate with her high school class.

The perpetrator was identified as Capt. Danilo Lalin, an officer of Highland 86 of the Philippine Army 50th IB. According to reports, Lalin asked the mionor to be his text mate before asking to meet her. Then the military official forced the girl to take contraceptive pills before raping her several times.

A staff of Gabriela in Southern Tagalog has reported that a CAFGU recruit in Lobo, Batangas raped his 13-year old niece and got her pregnant last year. Gabriela’s Rjei Manalo said the sisters of the victim had attested how she had been the victim of molestation since she was eight, but the family feared to report the perpetrator because the Cafgu might use his connections to harass or even harm all of them.

“It’s true that we’ve monitored 160 cases of rape in the last two years and hundreds of other forms of VAW outside of domestic violence. We are certain that all these cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Specifically concerning the VAW cases involving men in uniform, we believe that they can number thousands more, especially in areas where there are high concentrations of military forces,” Montes said.

Montes argued that human rights group have so far been unable to create a sub-category for human rights violations against civilians: HRVs against women specifically.

“Men in uniform such as the police and the military when they are deployed in communities where there are mining operations for instance take to harassing women. These men use their weapons and uniforms to threaten women they pretend to woo into accepting them as suitors. Then, of course, there are also the cases wherein out of desperation women in internal refugee camps guarded by the military are forced to sell themselves for money to soldiers,” she said.