Philippine Army soldiers are now required to wear at all times an ID-sized Rules of Engagement card, which stipulates the appropriate responses permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations, or in the course of their duties.

This replicates what Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, then commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, had done for more than 4,000 soldiers assigned in Negros and Panay, in support to his Internal Peace and Security Program “Bayanihan.”

Written in both English and Tagalog, the procedures contained in the Bayanihan ROE card are from the present Philippine laws as well as the Laws of Armed Conflict, that apply during military operations, Bautista, who is now the commanding general of the Philippine Army, said.

The 1st Scout Ranger Battalion stationed in Negros Occidental, that is commanded by Lt Col Ariel Felicidario is among the first Army units to comply with the order of Bautista, a policy that is part of the security sector reforms embodied in the IPSP Bayanihan.

"The Rules of Engagementprovide those who give political direction to military operations a degree of confidence that the actions of military personnel are conducted within a legally defensible framework. They provide commanders and personnel with a clearly delineated set of responsibilities and operational constraints,"Bautista said.

Soldiers assigned in headquarters attach the cards to their official ID, while those in the front lines either wear it together with their “dog tags”, or placed in their wallets.

Felicidario said that he implemented it last year in Negros, and the wearing of ROE cards has produced positive effects, based on the performance of Scout Ranger troopers in the field.

This was bolstered by the report of the Commission on Human Rights that not a single complaint of human rights violations has been lodged against the Army in Negros from January to November last year.

Felicidario said he is proud to say that no single case of human rights violations in Negros Island has been filed since the time the soldiers became well-informed on correct behavior in combat.*GPB

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