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Tuesday, September 02, 2003
AFP denies hand in Gingoog priest home's break-in, kidnap
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
MILITARY officials have denied any involvement in the break-in of a parish priest's house as well as the kidnapping of its caretaker in Gingoog City at 9 a.m. last Aug. 24.
This came about even as radio station dxIF said they have received reports that an army unit stationed at Bancasi, Agusan del Sur, admitted to the break-in and abduction of the parish priest's caretaker.
Armed men wearing black bonnets arrived in three heavy duty vehicles and broke into Fr. Juliano Retiquez's residence. None was stolen but the parish priest's caretaker was blindfolded and kidnapped.
The parish priest was suspected to be coddling a New People's Army (NPA) commander.
Fourth Infantry Division spokesman Narciso Alamag said not one of their soldiers or paramilitary men have broken into Fr. Juliano Retiquez's house and abducted the latter's caretaker.
"It was not the military behind it, we don't have any information about such an operation," he said Monday.
Col. Francisco Simbajon, commanding officer of the 4th Civilian Affairs Unit (4th CAU) said it is possible that it was only the NPA which initiated the entire operation.
Informed
The official said this may have been intended to taint and damage the military's reputation in the eyes of the people.
"Pwede man sila ang naghimo niadto aron naa sila'y ipahid sa military (It is possible they initiated the entire incident so that they can have some mud to smear up the military's image)," he said.
Meanwhile, Alamag denied any knowledge that their Bancasi military unit has admitted to initiating the break-in and abduction of Retiquez's caretaker.
He said if there was any admission it would have course through the proper channels. "We would have been informed," he said.
Earlier, Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese spokesman, Msgr. Rey Monsanto, said Retiquez told their Archbishop Jesus Tuquib that the break-in and the abduction was due to suspicions he was with the NPA.
Monsanto said because of this they already have their suspicions on who is behind the incident.
However he said they are still currently investigating the incident and would wait for results before releasing any statement to the public.
"Duda nata kay ang pangutana karon kay kinsa man nga grupo ang mangita ug NPA kumander? (We have our suspicions as what group would be interested to look for an NPA commander in a priest's house?)," he said.
Clear
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) president Jerry Orcullo and Bayan Muna regional spokesman Nero Vallar both voiced suspicions that it was the military who was behind the incident.
Orcullo said he has suspicions that the incident could be part of a military operation judging on the "modus operandi" they used.
"They were wearing bonnets," he said adding that it could not be the NPA behind the incident as they would have immediately laid claim on the abduction for "political and organizational propaganda."
"Based on my experience, I suspect that this could be the works of the military as there is the same pattern...unya walay maanindot nga mga sakyanan ang mga NPA tulo pa gyud ka bo-ok (and the NPAs don't own three good vehicles)," he said.
Vallar for his part said it is "clearly" a military operation citing similar incidents like that of the abduction of Julia Cagadas suspected to be an NPA Amazon.
He recounted how Cagadas and two other civilians were abducted in a barangay in Nasipit, Butuan City by men also wearing black bonnets and riding on civilian vehicles.
The two other civilians were released at Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, where a major military unit in the province is based.
The two were given P350 each for fare while Cagadas suddenly turned up in the 4th Infantry Division Camp in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro as announced by no less than the former spokesman, Col. Johnny Macanas.
"So clearly there is a pattern to what happened to Father Retiquez and Julia Cagadas both could only be a military operation," he said.
(September 2, 2003 issue)
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