|
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Military, group clash over rebels' surrender
CAGAYAN DE ORO - Three members of the New People's Army (NPA), who were set to surrender to authorities, were executed by their own comrades in Mt. Balatukan Complex, Gingoog City, authorities reported Wednesday.
The three, the police and military report said were executed after they were suspected to be government spies.
But a church group and an organization of lawyers slammed the military for trying to coerce some members of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) to sign affidavits attesting that three were NPA rebels and are responsible for the killings in their province.
The military said the NPA organization in Mindanao is currently "cleaning up their ranks" of any deep penetrating agent (DPAs) or spies.
Colonel Andrelino Colina, 8th Infantry Batallion commanding officer said three NPA rebels were killed by their own comrades recently in Gingoog City.
He said they have enough evidence to point out that it was indeed the armed rebel group who were responsible for the slaying as the three rebels were set to return to the folds of the law.
"The three victim were planning to surrender," he said in a text message to Sun.Star Superbalita Wednesday.
Though Colina did not reveal the names of the three rebels, Philippine National Police (PNP) regional director Florante Baguio confirmed Wednesday night that they too received similar reports.
"The NPA has been doing this. We will conduct an investigation," he said.
Colina said they have gathered reports that pointed to how this armed-wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines and National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF-NPA) in Mindanao is currently "cleaning up their ranks".
He said all NPA rebels who are suspected to be giving information to the government regarding their "communist revolutionary activities" are summarily executed.
The military reported that they have several NPA returnees who testified to how their former leaders "summarily liquidates" any member suspected to be a spy or DPA.
Also, local residents in several areas also attested to how they themselves witness the slaying of NPA rebels under the hand of their own comrades.
Colina said the execution include not just spies but also those who are set to turn themselves over to the government.
UCCP-Bukidnon Conference Minister Goel Bagundol said their member Barangay chief Jimmy Arion and his wife Nena Arion were forced by the military to sign an affidavit.
He said this affidavit contains false allegations of the killings in Kibongkog, San Fernando, Bukidnon. This includes how Arion allegedly headed the communist group in their province and the killings of civilians in the area.
Bagundol then presented the Arion couple that testified as to how they escaped from the clutches of the military and are seeking the help of their church.
Nena Arion said last April 21, a certain Benjamin Madrigal of the 26th IB pushed for the holding of a gathering in their village.
Madrigal reported told village residents that all of them in Bukidnon are members of the NPA organization.
She said Madrigal had been trying to coerce them to confirm to the public that her husband Jimmy is the responsible for all the killings in Bukidnon.
She added that Madrigal even told them to dig up the dead bodies of the killed civilians who are supposedly NPA rebel victims.
Jimmy said the military harassed the villagers and wanted us to turn against each other.
He added that the affidavit the military personnel wanted him to sign contained crimes he was supposed to have committed.
"It is very hard for me to testify that I committed such crimes when I did not," he said.
Union of People's Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) chairman Frederico Gapuz slammed the military for trying to force the Arion couple to sign such an affidavit.
He said this is a violation of their human rights and that should be brought to the scrutiny of the public.
"The media should publicize these harassments committed by the military by all means," he said. (From Sun.Star Superbalita by Alodia Bon Estrada, Lourdes College intern/With reports from LJA).
(May 18, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
2 slain Cebu 'bombers' positive of burns