Soldiers kill Negros farmer in front of his family

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This article is available in PilipinoBisayaHiligaynon

Recent weeks have seen successive cases of human rights violations under the Marcos regime. These include the killing of a farmer, bombing and strafing of a community, and arbitrary arrests of civilians.

The 62nd IB troops killed farmer Victor Baldonado at his home in Sitio Columbia, Barangay Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on November 21, at 6 a.m. The soldiers shot him in front of his wife and children.

The 62nd IB claimed Baldonado was a fighter of the New People’s Army (NPA) and that he was killed in an armed encounter. The soldiers dressed his dead body and laid weapons and documents by his corpse to justify the crime.

Arrest. In Negros Occidental, the 62nd IB arbitrarily arrested Wilben Callura and Juliet Callura, residents of Sitio Binataan, Barangay Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla. At the same time, military troops strafed the house of Virgie Perolino, Roberto Gario and Jorenda Callura in the same sitio. Soldiers stole their chickens and butchered their pig. As a result, 800 farmers fled their homes in Sitio Oway-uway, Binataan and other nearby communities.

On November 25, soldiers of the 62nd IB and 33rd DRC ransacked homes in Sitio Ngalan in the same village. They forcibly entered and searched the house of Zaldy Jimenez, Richard Jimenez, Robert Jimenez, Cardo Juanites and Sernel Juanites. Soldiers stayed in these houses from November 25 to 28.

Unionist Roel Duyag was arrested on November 25 in Butuan City at the wake of his mother. Duyag is the coordinator of the Kilusang May Uno in the Caraga region. He was taken to Butuan PNP Station 1 and lodged with false charges of murder.

Bombings and strafing. Rockets and ammunition shook Purok 8, St. Peter, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on November 16 after the 8th IB rained the community with bombs and bullets. This attack is a clear retaliation against civilians after the AFP suffered defeats from two recent NPA armed actions. An MD520 helicopter released 16 rockets and strafed the village eight times. The first round lasted 40 minutes.

Residents ran away in panic because the bombs fell very near their community. Teachers and students dropped to the classroom floor as helicopters flew just above their village.

Shooting. Five civilian hunters were fired at by troops of the 24h IB in the forested area of Sitio Sap-al, Barangay Buneg, Lacub, Abra on November 27.
Two farmers were injured in the incident while the three ran to a nearby community to ask for help.

The soldiers came upon the five while they were resting. The hunters immediately raised their hunting weapons and shouted “We are civilians!” so that soldiers would not shoot them. Despite this, the soldiers still fired at them.

Dispersal. Police and guards violently dispersed a workers’ picket last November 25 at the Manila Harbor Center in Road 10, Manila City. They destroyed the tent that was just set up by workers and their youth supporters. Workers demand immediate reinstatement of 370 workers who were illegally terminated in 2020.

Soldiers kill Negros farmer in front of his family