Sunday, July 06, 2008 Guihulngan residents dismayed over fact-finding team
OFFICIALS and residents of Barangay Linantuyan in Guihulngan City expressed disappointment over the fact-finding team composed of foreign religious nationals of the California-Nevada Solidarity Mission.
"Barangay officials said the foreigners did not confer with them regarding human rights issues in their locality," said Lieutenant Colonel Franco Gacal, commanding officer of the 11th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, during his recent visit in Dumaguete City.
Gacal said the residents felt violated as this group was on fact-finding mission but never accorded them the "right to be heard" regarding the human issues at hand.
The California-Nevada Solidarity Mission joined the human rights advocate Karapatan in conducting a fact-finding mission on the alleged human rights cases in Barangay Linantuyan, Guihulngan City on July 1 and 2, 2008.
"To show courtesy to the foreigners and as reported, barangay officials invited the group at the barangay hall to discuss the alleged human rights issues affecting their barangay," Gacal said.
He added: "(But) to their dismay, the barangay officials complained that the foreigners did not show up."
Instead, the fact-finding mission team sent them a letter, saying they are busy with their activities.
"The populace could have raised their problems with the foreign visitors had this group took time consulting with the residents," the army official said.
He also said a more balanced report could have been reached if all stakeholders were properly consulted.
"What is more insulting is that, it needs a group of foreigners to determine whether there are human rights violations in Barangay Linantuyan," he said. "It is more ironic because the so-called human rights champions failed to accord our Filipino brothers the right to be heard."
Gacal said the residents, led by their barangay officials,
are now preparing charges against the six-man foreign fact-finding team. (VLC)
