Successive incidents of human rights violations committed by state armed forces were recorded in Negros Occidental over the past two weeks. These include cases of killing, arrest, ransacking of civilian homes, and others.

Killing. On the night of November 3, suspected state forces shot and killed woman farmer Joan Escuadro inside her home in Barangay Linaon, Cauayan. The Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) condemned the killing.

Arrest. On November 4, 94th IB soldiers arrested indigenous Anoy Pacheco on his way to his farm in Sitio Tigbao, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City. Pacheco is the son of a Magahat-Bukidnon Tribe’s “Kalanyan,” or an indigenous leader in their area. The family had already filed a blotter as early as November 7. However, to date, they still do not know where the 94th IB took or is keeping Pacheco.

Ransacking. On October 28, soldiers raided and ransacked farmer Remy Villacanao’s house. The soldiers later stormed and surrounded the house of Chona Martinez, the wife and sister of victims of the military’s political killings. The soldiers threatened and interrogated Martinez. The victims are residents of Sitio Cantupa, Barangay Buenavista.

A minor was traumatized after 79th IB soldiers ransacked the Charita family’s house in Sitio Bunacan, Barangay Salamanca, Toboso on October 31. The family was targeted for harassment for their participation in protests against corruption in flood control projects and their advocacy for genuine agrarian reform.

Forced surrender. On October 25, 94th IB soldiers forced civilians Epi Villacanao and Maita Flores to surrender in Sitio Cantupa, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City. The victims were forced to enroll in the corruption-ridden Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

Theft. Residents of the sitios of Lomboy, Pitong, and Candida, and neighboring sitios in Barangay Biao, Binalbagan, complained about the soldiers’ theft and killing of more than 30 goats. Residents said the perpetrators denied responsibility and disseminated the claim that aswang (mythical malevolent beasts) killed the goats, further infuriating the residents.