P-Noy, CHR urged: Probe Army bombings, clashes

  

By Freddie G. Lazaro, Gina Dizon and Roel Tabliago

AGUINALDO, Ifugao — Human rights groups urged President Aquino and the Commission on Human Rights to probe Army aerial bombings particularly in Abra which they said, resulted to terror and displacement of residents in clashes wherein three communist rebels were killed in northern Luzon clashes.

The organizations which included the Cordillera Human Rights Organization,  Abra Human Rights Movement and Kalipunan ng Mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, in a statement, assailed the 503rd Brigade, for air strikes that reportedly bombed sites in Malibcong, Abra where they were holding combat operations against the New People’s Army which terrorized folks, the latest of which nearly killed two girls on their way to gather vegetables. 

In Ifugao, Army soldiers are still holding pursuit operations against New People’s Army guerrillas who figured in an encounter on June wherein three rebels were reportedly killed  by government troops in a remote village, the Army’s Isabela-based 5th Infantry Division said.

The chief of the NPA in Ifugao was among those killed in the June 2  encounter in the province, the Army said. 

The Isabela-based 5th ID confirmed the death of Eleseo “Artus” Talastas, who led around 20 NPA rebels in an early morning firefight in Aguinaldo town’s far-flung Butac village. 

1st Lt. Rowena Abayan of the 5th ID’s public affairs office said Talastas, also known as Libre or Layden in the military intelligence community, was the head of the Ifugao command of the NPA’s Kilusang Larangang Gerilya-Cordillera.

Talastas’ body, which bore a gunshot wound in the chest, was identified by relatives.

Talastas’ remains was buried in his hometown in Lias, Barlig on June 5.

The military operation led by a certain 2nd Lt. Barrion recovered six firearms -- three M16 assault rifles, two M14 rifles and a M203 grenade launcher.

Another unidentified guerrilla was wounded.

 No casualty on the government side was reported.   

Col. Loreto Magundayao, chief of the 5th ID’s civilian-military operations battalion, said pursuit  operations were ongoing at press time with elements of the Philippine Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion (54IB) collecting three M16 rifles – one mounted with a grenade launcher – on the battleground.

 “During the exchange of gun fire; our troops outpowered the rebels and prompted the latter to escape from the encounter site leaving a number of firearms and subversive documents,” said Abayan.

 In Abra, government troops shelled the location of a band of fleeing communist rebels to reinforce the ground troops running after them after the clash erupted on Thursday.

The bombs pounded a remote area in Sitio Alligang, Barangay Lat-ey in Malibcong town and killed at least one communist rebel.

The fatality was confirmed by some commuters who spotted four rebels carrying a cadaver wrapped with a blanket near the boundary of Kalinga province, said Limmong.

“Our troops were dispatched in the area following the information they received from the civilians in the area about the presence of more or less 20 fully-armed men, who reportedly conducting extortion and violent activities,” said Colonel Danilo Domingo, commander of the army’s 41st Infantry Battalion (4IB).

The rebels are led by a certain “Ka Chico” and “Ka Bram,” he said.

The groups also urged the Commission on Human Rights and other government agencies to investigate the bombings. 

Two bombs reportedly exploded at Bolan/Pugopog east of Barangay Duldulao at around 9 am. May 30.

Another bomb exploded at the Allikoman ricefields - around 180 meters from residential houses of Barangay Alligang same day according to residents in the area.

One of the bombs fell on the Pugoricefield at Barangay Lat-ey, 150 meters away from the community’s powerhouse.

“We are seriously concerned over the safety and security of the communities in Malibcong, Abra,” said a press statement issued by the Cordillera Human Rights Organization headed by lawyer Rene Cortes,  Pastor Ed Solatre of Abra Human Rights Movement and Kalipunanng Mga Katutubong Mamamayanng Pilipinas (KAMP).  “We do not know if there are civilian casualties because the military operation in the said area is still ongoing.” 

The AHRM with Fr. Benitez, parish priest in the area was scheduled to talk with a certain Captain Martinez of the 503rd Brigade to demand stop to bombings.

“We condemn these air strikes perpetrated by the 503rd Brigade hurting the civilians and destroying their sources of livelihood.  Even in times of armed conflicts and counter-insurgency operations, the military is bound by international human rights instruments and the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL) so as not to endanger the lives and dwellings of civilians,” the statement said.

“We urge the military to stop the bombings in Malibcong, Abra.  With the ongoing military operation, the affected communities suffer from severe psychological stress due to fear for their security.  It limits their mobility and disrupts their daily lives.  These are clear violations of human rights and the continuity of military operation in the area would further lead to more and worse cases of violations.

“We call on the Commission on Human Rights and other concerned government agencies to investigate the bombings and to immediately issue recommendations to protect the welfare of the affected communities.

“We call on the Aquino government to stop OplanBayanihan, the military’s counter-insurgency plan aimed at crushing the insurgency in the country, but in doing so, has harmed the civilians through relentless military operations.”

Malibcong is ancestral territory of three tribes: Banao, Gubang and Mabaka. 

It is divided into three districts based on tribe: Malibcong district (Banao tribe), Bangilo district (Gubang tribe), and Mataragan district (Mabaka tribe).

Malibcong has an aggregate area of around 316.10 sqkm  and accounts to about 7.95% of the province’s total land area of 3,975.55 sq km.