The 4th IB has been harassing the family of Red fighter martyr Marife Gayadan, a Mangyan-Iraya, for several days since they started retrieving her remains. Gayadan was martyred in an encounter between the 4th IB and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Tinis-an, Barangay San Vicente, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro.

Karapatan-Southern Tagalog (ST) condemned the military for harassing the Gayadan family and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. “The military has no respect for the remains and the family,” the group stated.

Since December 20, when Marife’s father Pepe Gayadan arrived in Roxas with a humanitarian team from Karapatan-ST, the police and 4th IB deliberately delayed its processing. The next day, a narrative of another family claiming the remains suddenly emerged.

The family identified by the police and military would later be uncovered as Marife’s mother and other relatives. Tatay Pepe clarified that he deliberately did not include them in the retrieval of the remains due to their poor health condition. “Inconsiderate of age, the 4th IBPA forced Pepe’s wife to join them,” Karapatan-ST stated.

“Tatay Pepe is being harassed using red tape when our laws clearly stipulate the considerations and rights that should be accorded to indigenous peoples,” Karapatan-ST said. The group added that the martyr’s father took long journey just to retrieve, bring home, and bury his daughter.

Police and military tried to seize Marife’s remains on the night of December 21. Some Karapatan-ST members were injured in the humanitarian team’s attempt to intervene. Videos and photos of the state forces’ brutality have been circulating in recent days.

“The military will steal and hide the remains of their victims from the families to boost their image to the families and the public as if they were not the perpetators of the killing,” Karapatan-ST said. This is the soldiers’ usual tactic, as this allows them to then post false information and photos on social media.

The group added that, “all these are violations of human rights, not only against Marife but her entire family. These are also war crimes the 4th IB has long been committing. The group called on the local government to help the Gayadan family and to push the police and military to follow the law and respect human rights.

Meanwhile, militarization and its accompanying abuses continue in Barangay San Vicente. Civilians in the community face threats, food blockades, encampment in populated areas, and other human rights violations.

The 203rd IBde butchers have long been subjecting the barangay to heavy militarization. In April 2023, around 10,870 residents were severely affected by the 203rd IBde’s indiscriminate bombing for their so-called “test firing” unleashing an estimated 4-6 cannon shells.