ANOTHER human rights defender has been “visited” by suspected members of the army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion at his residence in Macanhan, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City late last week.
In a statement, the Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) in Northern Mindanao, said two men in civilian clothes went to the house of Kadamay-Northern Mindanao chairperson Francisco Pagayaman and asked for his whereabouts.
The group said the two introduced themselves as members of the army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion but allegedly refused to give their names.
MAT-Northern Mindanao said the two took pictures of his house and said they will be back after learning that Pagayaman was not around.
“The state forces continue their threats and harassment against human rights defenders in Northern Mindanao. It is important to note that 1st SF Battalion had been ‘visiting’ the houses of human rights activists, with an “invitation” to their military camp for questioning. In all cases, no warrant of arrest has been provided,” the group said.
The group said the 63-year old Pagayaman is a long-time human rights advocate. He has been the subject of multiple red-tagging efforts and named as one of the respondents for a “trumped-up” case of robbery and arson filed by the military.
On August 8, Pagayaman and other rights advocates filed a petition to the city government seeking to stop “sustained” red-tagging against the church, lawyers, and media for their alleged connection to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“This is yet another desperate effort of the military and the government to silence critics and rights defenders, which is made worse by the ongoing Martial Law in Mindanao,” the group said.