This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 12, May 1-7, 2005
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
‘Father, I’m Hit!’ Several families are
deserting Samar and are now living an uncertain life in Manila. To go back now
would put their lives in harm amid the escalation of military operations that
have victimized both legal personalities and rural villagers. BY DABET CASTAÑEDA Salvador Montabo, 50, today plies the
streets of Manila to sell cigarettes for a living. This has been his fate for
more than a month now since he and his family fled their home in Barangay
(village) Palencia, Tarangnan, Samar in central Philippines. In an interview with Bulatlat,
Montabo said he and his family used to live a simple but peaceful life in Samar.
As a fisherman, he would provide the family with fish and other seafood while
his son, 23-year-old Marvin, a farmer, would provide rice. “Pero wala na lahat yun ngayon” (But
all that is gone now), he said. Turn-around Peace turned into nightmare when at around 2
a.m. on March 14, the howling of dogs awakened Montabo. As he peeped through the
window, he saw two armed men crawling toward their house. “Marvin, tumakbo ka na may armado sa
labas” (Marvin, run, there are armed men outside), he recalls telling his
son. “Kayo na lang ang tumakbo” (It’s you
who should run), Marvin told his father. One of the armed men, wearing a black jacket
and ski mask, entered their house, Montabo said. He immediately ran outside.
When he was about 40 meters away from their house, Montabo said a gunshot rang
out. “Tatay, may tama ako” (Father, I’m
hit), he heard his son shout. That was the last time he would hear of his son.
Then he heard another shot. The two armed men then poured gasoline
around the house – a nipa hut made of cogon and bamboo. Then they lit it on
fire. As the hut was ablaze, Montabo’s wife and
three other children, who had also been roused by the shots, rushed outside the
house. His wife tried to rescue Marvin out of the house but was prevented by the
intense blaze. Only when the hut was completely gutted did
Montabo and some relatives went back to retrieve Marvin’s body. It was
completely scarred beyond recognition. Marvin was laid to rest the following
morning. He was from the party-list group Anakpawis (toiling masses) and the
first member to be gunned down in Samar this year. Another party-list, Bayan
Muna (BM - people first), lists about three of its members in the same province
killed since January this year. One of the three was labor and human rights
lawyer Fedilito Dacut, a victim of ambush also on March 14. Bus to Manila After the funeral, Montabo and his family,
including two of his married sons and their families – 17 all – bringing only
the clothes they wore rode a bus to Manila. Montabo had only P600 in his pocket for
everybody’s 24-hour trip to Manila. A relative from Manila met them at the bus
terminal and paid the total fare of P6,600. The Montabos are just among several families
who have fled Samar this year to evade what they said were threats against their
lives amid the intensified counter-insurgency campaign that began with the
deployment of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan as Army commanding general for Eastern
Visayas. The family of Barangay Tanod (security)
Arsenio Cabigayan, 56, hitched a ride with a fish dealer to get to Manila and
save themselves from further harm from the military. Cabigayan said soldiers
from the 34th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) have
wreaked havoc among the residents of Barangay Palencia after a reported
encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas on March 3 in the same area. Cabigayan said a military unit made the
village hall of Palencia their temporary detachment after the firefight with the
NPA. Soldiers in camouflage uniforms would roam around the village at daytime
but would change into black outfits and ski masks when they make the rounds at
night, frightening the villagers. The barangay tanod said more than 50
residents have left their village for fear of their lives. The human rights group Katungod-SB (Alliance
for the Advancement of People’s Rights - Eastern Visayas) has documented 10
cases of summary executions, six cases of disappearances and three cases of
frustrated killings, among others, since January. Palparan The rash of killings came after Palparan, CO
of the 8th IBPA, declared in a media forum, “Express it at the Park,”
in Tacloban City on March 5 that he will “end up all anti-government rallies in
Samar Island within six months.” He also declared war against leaders and
members of legal organizations in Eastern Visayas. The following day, to show the new military
command meant business, 30 soldiers in full battle gear and with an armored
personnel carrier (APC) stationed themselves in front of the BM provicial
headquarters in Sitio Bukhasan, Barangay Cawayan, Catarman, Northern Samar.
Then a month later, armed men hurled molotov
bombs into the same BM office wounding member Oscar Turla Jr. Turla sustained
first degree burns on the face. On April 16, 19 and 20, Katungod-SB reported
that Barangay Catarman, Calbayog City and Pambujan in Northern Samar came under
aerial bombings by the Philippine Air Force choppers. The human rights organization also said it
has a copy of the military’s Order of Battle (OB) which names 36 activists
including Katungod-SB’s secretary general Alex Garcia-Lagunzad. Dacut topped the
list. The House of Representatives Committee on
Human Rights is expected to investigate the series of abuses allegedly
perpetrated by Palparan and his men. Meanwhile, more and more Samarnons are
taking refuge in Manila, living in their relatives’ houses or on the streets. “Mahihirapan
na kaming bumalik kung patuloy ang gulo” (It would be difficult for us to go
back if the threats persist), Montabo said. Bulatlat
Related story:
© 2004 Bulatlat
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Palparan threat force Samarnons out of hinterlands
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