MEMBERS of a farmer group in Misamis Oriental have accused the military of deception and harassment after they were allegedly threatened to sign a paper containing an agreement of withdrawal of support from organizations allied to the revolutionary movement, late last month.
But the military on Saturday, August 31, belied such accusations.
In a statement, the members of the Hiniusang Mag-uuma sa Barangay Blanco (Himab) in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental said they were allegedly told to sign a piece of paper declaring that they are members of underground organizations and are now "enlightened on the evil of communism."
Himab is a local organization under the regional formation of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Northern Mindanao Region (KMP-NMR) that fights for genuine agrarian reform and other democratic rights.
Accordingly, the farmers were met by some 12 uniformed soldiers with long firearms who introduced themselves as members of the 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB) and asked them to sign the said paper.
"One of those who attended the meeting was Winifreda Udarbe, wife of KMP-NMR chairperson Ireneo Udarbe. Mrs. Udarbe took the soldiers words as veiled threats against their organization, considering that her husband was illegally arrested and imprisoned for six months for trumped-up charges. Mr. Udarbe's case was eventually dismissed and he was released on July 31," the group added.
The group said some of the farmers were forced to sign the paper while others complained because they cannot read the paper as it is getting dark already.
KMP-NMR said farmers found out later that the soldiers were "lying".
They said the first page of the agreement stipulates withdrawal of their alleged support from certain underground organizations allied with National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and listed as Hingpit na Organisadong Masa (HOM), Pambansang Katipunan ng Magsasaka (PKM), Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MKBK), and Samahan ng Kabataang Makabayan (SKM).
The second page identified them as members who have withdrawn support from the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Barangay Blanco, Balingasag town.
The farmers went to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) last August 29 to report the incident. The CHR advised them to seek help from the local government unit.
"These incidents adds to the long list of abuses committed by state forces against farmers in Mindanao, which grew worse with Martial Law still in place. We appeal for help from the municipal and provincial government to assist their constituents against those who wish them harm for simply exercising their rights," KMP-NMR said.
"We demand that these attacks immediately stop. Surely, the soldiers have a lot more important things to do than terrorize farmers, such as defending Philippine territory against foreign intrusion. Not only is such as waste of taxpayers money when soldiers train their guns against those who feed the country, it is outright illegal and immoral,"the group added.
58IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Roy Anthony Derilo belied the accusations saying the troops were conducting Community Support Program in conflict-affected areas, CPP-NPA affected, or organized localities.
Derilo said the immersion led to the efforts of the different local government units to start acting on their socio-economic and other concerns, resulting to withdrawal of support and membership of organized masses from organizations set up by the CPP-NPA-NDF.
"The efforts have been very effective as the local organized masses realized na hindi pala talaga sila pinabayaan ng gobyerno," Derilo said. (Alwen Saliring)