A HUMAN rights group is urging progressive organizations in Northern Mindanao to mount security measures in their offices to prevent similar incident that happened in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental which led to the arrest of four farmers tagged by the government security forces as high-ranking officers of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Human rights lawyer Czarina Musni of the Union of People's Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) said human rights workers and other organizations vocal against the government may install security cameras in their offices to capture the circumstances of “illegal search” and “illegal arrest” the military and police might do.
“Usa siguro sa measure is pagbutang og CCTV para at least duna tay record sa unsa insakto nahitabo kay kani nga mga progressive groups are legal and legal pud ilang gabuhaton,”Musni said.
The four members of the Misamis Oriental Farmers Association (MOFA) who were arrested in a raid carried out by the combined forces of the military and the police are insisting that there are questionable circumstances on how the supposed court order was implemented.
Authorities seized a gun and explosives inside the MOFA office and arrested Gerald and Gerry Basahon and Marivic and Mylene Coleta.
Mylene said the military forces just barged into their office and ransacked the house before the actual search is made by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
They reiterated the confiscated firearm and grenade were all “planted.”
The human rights group Karapatan in Northern Mindanao also agreed to the suggestion to mount physical security measures in the offices of progressive organizations to ensure state agents are following proper protocols and procedures in implementing laws.
Father Allan Khen Apus, Karapatan-Northern Mindanao spokesperson, said putting up security cameras is a good move amid the recent attacks and harassment against human rights advocates and defenders.
“Gawas sa statement sa kapolisan ug sundalo ug mga biktima naay actual footage nga magpatim-aw unsa ang tinuod nga hitabo labi na kay uso karon ang alternative truths so maayo nga lakang ang pagbutang og security cameras,” Apus said.
Apus also urged law enforcers to wear body cameras to erase doubts on supposed irregularities during operations.
He also said human rights defenders and all individuals and groups vocal against the Duterte administration have been followed and monitored after the government declared these progressive groups as communist fronts.
“After pagdeklara sa president nga communist fronts ang mga progressive groups nag step-up pud ang pagsunod-sunod ug pag monitor sa ila gina-picturan ug gina-videohan sila, dunay magpundo gawas sa ilang opisina ug bisan gani ang simbahan nga maoy sanctuary sa mga human rights advocates gina-red tag,” Apus said.