Agents and elements from the 5th ID has been conducting relentless harassment and intimidation against Alyansa dagiti Mannalon ken Mangngalap ti La Union (AMMLU) second chairperson Lourdes Doctolero. This includes four military agents’ “visit” to Doctolero at her home in Barangay San Isidro, Agoo, La Union on March 10.

The 5th ID’s Sgt. Junas Asuncion Difuntorum, along with three soldiers who introduced themselves as soldiers, along with a barangay councilor, asked Doctolero to name the leaders of Timek ken Namnama dagiti Babassit a Mangalap iti La Union (Timek La Union), an organization of fisherfolk in the province. Difuntorum mentioned to him their plan to visit Edward Kuan and return to George Cacayuran, Timek La Union leaders to have a “talk”.

“Difuntorum also said that they want to help and establish a fisherfolk organization in San Isidro,” according to the Ilocos Human Rights Alliance (IHRA)-Karapatan. Based on experience in other parts of the country, as driven by the National Task Force-Elcac, the military deceptively “establishes” mass associations or organizations to directly control and dictate the latter’s operations. This is part of their “whole-of-nation” approach.

“The modus of ‘befriending’ with the end goal of surrender has long been exposed. These soldiers ultimately aim for cash. Anyone they ‘entice to surrender’ is a sure profit for state elements,” according to AMMLU.

They also allegedly asked about IHRA-Karapatan spokesperson Genaro Dela Cruz. Sgt. Difuntorum, described by IHRA-Karapatan as “notorious for the anti-people modus of fake surrenders in the region,” is the same person who led the intense harassment of other mass leaders in the region in the past year.

Meanwhile, on March 16, soldiers phoned Doctolero. The soldiers also visited the Doctolero family’s house again, terrorizing and causing concern for her and her family’s security. According to IHRA-Karapatan, Doctolero has already filed a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights, but the soldiers’ harassment continues.

“We demand the 5th IDPA stop their harassment of Doctolero and other fisherfolk in Agoo. The citizens have the right to organize and form organizations and the Constitution guarantees this,” according to IHRA-Karapatan.

It added that if anything bad happens to Doctolero and her family members, no one is culpable but Sergeant Difuntorum and the 5th ID.