Fascist State on a Rampage:
Rampant violations of the CARHRIHL

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Unbridled violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) by the reactionary state's armed forces continued without letup in November.

In North Cotabato. Elements of the 39th IB under Col. Arnold Quiapo summarily executed Renante "Ka Benjie" Ediza, a Red fighter, on the morning of November 21 in Barangay Kisante, Makilala. Ka Benjie, who is a member of the New People's Army (NPA) Magtanggol Roque Command was cornered by the military in a house along with three youths�Josephus Ramada, Jeramie Dante and Alibaoi Musa. Despite his having raised his hands in surrender, the soldiers stabbed Ka Benjie and shot him in the head several times until his brains splattered on the floor. According to the Merardo Arce Command of the NPA in Southern Mindanao, the military violated Article 14 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the CARHRIHL because Ka Benjie was hors de combat. An autopsy on Ka Benjie's body revealed that he was first stabbed before being shot at close range.

Ramada, Dante and Musa also complained of being tortured by the military after their capture. The military rejected a request from Ramada's parents to have him examined by a doctor before turning him over to the police.

In Albay. Joel Barrameda Baclao, regional coordinator of the Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) in Bicol and coordinator as well of Andurog-Bicol, a disaster relief program of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), was shot outside his house in Daraga, Albay on the night of November 10.

A week before the incident, Baclao received a warning to be careful because he was supposedly in the military's order of battle. In an earlier incident, a group of soldiers came to Baclao's house on September 26 to ransack it but were prevented from doing so by Baclao's father-in-law.

In Rizal. Ten elements of the 80th IB Alpha Coy led by 1Lt. Mamintal Demapinto abducted farmers Amador Estanislao, 42 and his nephew Rolando de la Cruz, 29 from their house in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan in the early morning of November 9. The soldiers posed as Red fighters. Estanislao and dela Cruz were found dead the following day in Sitio Lawa, Pinugay, Baras, Rizal, each with two bullet wounds in the head.

In a statement dated November 12, the Narciso Antazo Aramil Command (NAAC) of the NPA in Rizal said that the 80th IB sought to avoid blame for the summary execution not just by posing as guerrillas but by throwing Estanislao and de la Cruz's bodies in Baras, Rizal, near the camps of the 59th IB and 419th PNP Provincial Mobile Group. The 80th IB's camp is located in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Lieutenant Demapinto, who led the abduction and summary execution, is a former element of the 204th Bde and was trained by the butcher Gen. Jovito Palparan on the brutal suppression of the people's rights.

The 80th IB, to which Demapinto belongs, was also responsible for the shooting of four young girls aged 10 to 14 and their driver in April 2004 in San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal on the ludicrous allegation that they were members of the New People's Army.

In Batangas. Ten people accused of being NPA guerrillas were illegally arrested by elements of the Philippine Air Force 740th Strike Wing on the morning of November 6 in Barangay San Felipe, Cuenca. Danilo Mayo, Mary Ann Vibat, Ronnie Ferrer, Marichu Cataquiz, Paterno Atienza, Precy Balmes, Christopher Malabanan, Rufino Arante Tabares, Lijan Gunmay and Analiza Espiritu came from Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental and were aboard a jeep when three vehicles blocked their way in Batangas.

According to witnesses, the victims were beaten up, kicked and their arms twisted behind their backs. They were forced into the blocking vehicles. The timely exposure of the incident compelled the AFP to admit on November 9 that those arrested were indeed in its custody.

Nine of those arrested, dubbed the "Mindoro 9," have been implicated by the military in NPA attacks on the AFP in 2002 and 2003. Contrary to the AFP's claims, no arrest warrant has been issued by the Mindoro Regional Trial Court on any of the victims. The ten victims of illegal arrest have yet to be allowed to communicate with their families and their lawyers.

In Davao del Norte. Three Ata-Manobo tribespeople were killed and nine were wounded when paramilitary elements belonging to Alamara rained bullets on their homes at around 1 a.m. on November 4 in Sitio Kapatagan, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong.

The slain victims were Dao Mamborao, Letty Mamborao and Rosaly Sumpo, while the wounded were Linda Sambag, Dikay Tiwog, Colas Mamatao, Ging-ging Mamboto, Juanito Tiwog, An-an Mamatao, Igay Mamatao and two unnamed children ages 1 and 2 years old.

Witnesses say the massacre was the handiwork of six elements of Alamara led by Romy Aragil, a soldier under the 72nd IB.

In Kalinga. Elements of the 21st IB mercilessly tortured and killed Bagtang "Ka Awi" Bulawit, 27, on November 2. Bulawit, a Red fighter under the NPA Lejo Cawilan Command in Kalinga and Apayao, was unarmed when he was arrested by a unit of the 21st IB under 1Lt. Arvin Encinas in Sitio Kilayon, Barangay Balantoy, Balbalan at around 11 a.m. He was interrogated by Encinas and 2Lt. Benito Ramos, commander of of the 21st IB Charlie Coy. Failing to extract any information from Bulawit, they tortured him and eventually killed him at around 1:30 p.m. Two other officers, 2Lt. Manuel Dumpao and 2Lt. Aurelio Kigis of the 49th Separate Rifle Coy, were also involved in torturing and killing him.

Bulawit's body was found hanging on a tree trunk between Sitio Kilayon and Sitio Ligayan with 13 bullet wounds and signs of torture.

In a statement, Lejo Cawilan Command spokesperson Ka Tipon Gil-ayab said that the 21st IB along with the 77th IB were also responsible for other human rights violations in Kalinga. On August 25, four civilians were wounded in a strafing incident by elements of the 21st IB in Balantoy town. In December 2003, elements of the 77th IB killed Victor Balais, a hunter whom they mistook for an NPA guerrilla. Prior to this, in March 2003, elements of the 77th IB also mercilessly interrogated and refused to extend medical attention to Leonard Angid, a wounded Red fighter.

07 December 2004
English Edition

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