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
Soldiers Vent Wrath on Civilians
Following the firefight
between government troops and New People’s Army guerrillas on April 24 in San
Miguel, Bulacan, 12 farmers from the village were arrested and detained by the
military. Two days later, 11 of them were released but the 12th
detainee remains missing to this day.
BY DABET CASTAÑEDA SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan – The
road to Camp Tecson, the headquarters of the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR)
of the Philippine Army in San Miguel, Bulacan was rutted and rough. Dust trailed
the two jeepneys and a van that transported members of a fact-finding mission
team. That day – April 28 - the
team was to conduct an investigation of reported human rights abuses by the
military after soldiers from the 56th Infantry Battalion and FSRR
engaged New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas in a firefight April 24 in Sitio (subvillage)
Sulucan, Barangay (village) Balaong, same town, about 90 kms north of Manila. Citing military sources the
following day, major dailies, television and radio stations reported that there
were six guerrillas killed. The military denied any casualties on their side. However, in an April 26
statement, the NPA command in eastern Bulacan denied the military report
although it admitted that they had six members who were wounded in the
firefight. It further said the military suffered no less than 10 killed despite
the fact that it was they who were on the offensive. The soldiers – numbering
about a company – were about to attack an encamped NPA platoon when the
guerrillas were able to fire first. The NPA statement further
assailed the government troops for wreaking havoc among civilians after
suffering tactical defeats. Missing
civilian The trip to the military
camp was the last leg of the investigation with the team hoping against hope
that it would finally locate 32-year-old Bernie Santos, a farmer from Balaong.
He has been missing for six days since he, according to witnesses, was illegally
arrested by the FSRR an hour after the encounter between government troops and
the NPA ceased. Relatives and witnesses
interviewed by Bulatlat said Santos was last seen being dragged by at
least 10 Scout Rangers toward a vehicle parked just a few meters away from the
victim’s house. Santos was taken together
with his cousin, Florante Santiago. Ten other farmers from the same village were
also seized as NPA suspects or sympathizers. Fr. Rollie de Leon,
spokesperson of the human rights Alyansa ng Mamamayan para sa Pantaong Karapatan
(ALMMA-Bulakan or People’s Alliance for Human Rights), told Bulatlat that
Santos’ detention at Camp Tecson in Bulacan was confirmed to him by San Miguel
Mayor Edgardo Buencamino in a meeting on April 26. Santos was still “under
interrogation” at the camp, Fr. De Leon said quoting the mayor. However, the fact-finding
team was told by FSRR Commanding Officer Col. Ric Tuval at Camp
Tecson on April 28 that they only had 11
detainees who, the latter added, have since been released. Tuval also denied any
knowledge of Santos’ whereabouts. Santos could be the sixth
person who went missing in Central Luzon since January. Leading the fact-finding
mission were Bulacan provincial board members Raul Mendoza and Erning Sulit;
Elmer Maniego and Jake Maguilas, representatives from the Commission on Human
Rights-Region 3; ALMMA and representatives from national human rights groups and
sectoral organizations. Witness’
account When seen by this reporter
on April 28, Santiago, 28, had bruises around his wrists and neck. The back of
his left ear was numbed and red. He complained of hearing impairment in his left
ear. He looked perturbed as he
faced the investigating team that afternoon. Taking a deep breath before
answering questions, Santiago said he was arrested with Santos at around 11
a.m., April 24. About 10 Scout Rangers
barged into their home in Balaong, the victim said. “Kakausapin lang namin
kayo banda rine” (We will just talk to you somewhere here), Santiago quoted
the soldiers as saying. As they stepped out of the house, however, both he and
Santos were quickly hogtied, blindfolded and dragged toward a vehicle. Santiago said he was
blindfolded all throughout his detention so he did not know where they were
brought. The last he heard of his cousin, he said, was when Santos shouted “Tama
na po!” (Enough, please!). Under
duress Fearing military
retaliation, Santiago refused to talk of the torture he suffered under the hands
of his captors. Barangay Tanod chief
Vicente Angeles, one of the 12 civilians arrested and detained at Camp
Tecson, also would not give details of
his torture for the same reason. “Baka bweltahan ako ng militar” (The
military might get back at me), he said. That the victims choose not
to talk at this time is understandable, de Leon said. “They are still under
duress because (their homes) are surrounded by the military,” he said. Members
of the 48th IBPA are still deployed around Balaong, most of them
occupying the farmers’ homes. Another officer from the 48th
IBPA, 2Lt. Melner Taglinao, told Bulatlat that the military deployment in
the barrio is “temporary” until they are able to build a detachment. “We should stay here
because we have to protect the people from bad elements. The NPAs might come
back,” he said. In neighboring Barangay
Labne, a company of the 56th IBPA has made the church, the village’s
elementary school and the barangay hall its temporary quarters. Residents of Balaong told
Bulatlat that the military’s plan would only prolong the climate of fear
in this remote village of San Miguel.
“Syempre kinakabahan din kami dahil nandito sila,” one of the villagers
who asked not to be named said. Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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Another person
missing in Central Luzon
Bulatlat