Kin of slain NPAs seek help over army ‘abuses’

BAGUIO CITY - Seeking justice, families of the so-called “Tineg 8” in Abra and “San Narciso 11” in Quezon provinces have lodged complaints against the military before the Commission on Human Rights and Joint Monitoring Committee.

Complaining of violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the Republic Act 9851, known as the “Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes against Humanity”, families of the “Tineg 8” and San Narciso 11” are pursuing those responsible for “inhumane treatment” they experienced.

In October 2011, eight members of the New People's Army died in a clash with the 41st IBPA under Lt. Jeson Capoquian in remote Tineg town, in Abra while on June 30, 2012, 11 members of the NPA were killed in a clash with the 74th IBPA in San Narciso, Quezon.

According to the families of the killed NPAs, their kin in the two separate clashes bore signs of mutilation and were left unattended.

The treatment of the bodies, as per medico-legal report, were reportedly an “overkill” as most of the victims were almost unrecognizable when their bodies were retrieved in decomposing states.

There were also strong indications that the combatants were not spared their lives especially those who, at the time of the encounter, were already in no position to defend themselves (hors de combat), their complaints read.

The families also complained the military denied the retrieval of remains of their kin. It took a couple of days before the bodies were retrieved through the initiative of the communities.

The families also complained of the continued harassment by the military and their intelligence personnel.

CHR Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag said they will look into the complaints but as a matter of procedure, will forward it to the concerned regional offices of the agency.

Jim Arroyo, head of the secretariat of the Government of the Philippines monitoring committee to the JMC, on the other hand, said that their office will serve as liaison to concerned agencies such as the AFP, and the Department of Justice, and they will act “in their mandate, but won’t give any false hopes to the victims.”

The Baguio-based Cordillera Human Rights Alliance Secretary General Jude Baggo, said the courage of the families to seek justice for their slain kin “is spirit-uplifting”.  “Despite the fear of the common practice of retaliation against those who speak the truth, the families courageously are standing up to demand for justice and for peace.”

This comes as Baggo challenged the government to resume the peace talks with the NDFP and to implement the CARHRIHL, the first agreement signed by the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines more than five years ago in connection to the GRP-NDF peace negotiations.