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Friday, March 23, 2007
Charges filed vs 2 AFP officers, 5 Cafgus over activist slay
By Danilo V. Adorador III
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Police filed anti-graft charges against two military officials and five militiamen for their failure to act on the killing of an activist who was gunned down a stone-throw away from their detachment.
Charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Army Lieutenant Ruel Engaña, commander and Corporal Apang Abdulmuher, deputy commander of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment based in Barangay Guinalaban, Salay in Misamis Oriental province.
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The five militiamen also charged with graft are Baylen Crisogono, Armando Cabutaje, Roy Gonzales, Rigoberto Galamiton Sr., and Rigoberto Galamiton Jr.
Northern Mindanao Task Force Usig chief Danilo Empedrad in his report to General Geary Barias said the graft charges was based on the alleged inaction of the Army and the Cafgu men when their assistance was sought at the time Siche Gandinao was gunned down.
Gandinao, the third militant to be murdered in Salay, was killed a few meters away from the Army-Cafgu detachment over a week ago.
Seeing her bloodied mother, Elda, Gandinao's eldest daughter who witnessed the shooting, said she immediately shouted for help but the Army and Cafgu personnel who were playing basketball near the detachment ignored her.
"I was carrying my mother in my hands and desperately pleaded for help, but no one did. I turned to the Army personnel near the detachment who heard my shouts but they did nothing," she said in an earlier interview. "No one seemed willing to help and I felt helpless."
Gandinao, who sustained four gunshot wounds, died minutes later in a hospital in the neighboring Balingasag town.
Barias said the actions of the Cafgu detachment personnel amounted to gross violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
He clarified that investigators have found no evidence to link the detachment personnel to the murder of Gandinao.
Militants, who have been clamoring for a military withdrawal in Salay, alleging that government troops were behind the killings said they were dissatisfied with the charges.
Blaming the murder on government troops stationed in the town, militants said, the move only amounts to no more than a slap on the wrist aimed at providing a cosmetic lift to the military's image.
"That is only for pogi points, as if the government and its security forces merit any," said lawyer Beverly Musni, head of the militant human rights group Karapatan in Northern Mindanao.
"If charges are indeed filed, these should be coupled with the immediate suspension and relief of the 8th Infantry Battalion from Salay," said Musni, referring to one of the army units stationed in the town.
She said the military presence in Salay meant the probe was meaningless "because of the reprisals expected by the witnesses."
The military, which denied any role to the killings, ruled out any withdrawal of troops from Salay. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (March 23, 2007 issue)
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