Cordi PNP nixes report human rights worst in Cordillera region

By Dexter A. See 

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – The leadership of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera  denied allegations by the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), a militant non-government organization and human rights advocate, that human rights violations in the region have gone worst, saying such report was unfounded.

Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong, outgoing PRO-COR regional director, said the CHRA report wasdeceitful as it used the incidents that transpired on Nov. 17 at Mount Sipitan, Aguid, Sagada, Mountain Province wherein two minors from the area were accosted by the police for entering a PNPcamp in Mt. Sipitan while a joint AFP-PNP internal security operation was on going.

“The minors, who initially gave conflicting reasons for their presence in the area later admitted - in the presence of their parents - that they were being used by the NPA as spies to gather vital information on the strength and whereabouts of AFP and PNP troops,” Magalong said.

He questioning the CHRA on how the incident became a human rights violation when the minors were the ones who voluntarily gave their confessions in the presence of their parents.

Magalong said the minors who were immediately turned over to their parents on the same day as witnessed by barangay officials of Aguid.

“The NPA has in fact violated the rights of the minors to be treated as zones of peace as provided for by Section 22, Article X of R.A. 7610, a statute that implements the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child specifically on the involvement of children in armed conflict,” he underscored.

This matter was already brought by Magalong to the attention of the Regional Peace and Order Committee on Nov. 21. “The PNP is now contemplating on filing a case against the NPA for violation of the said law.”

On the other hand, Magalong also branded a separate report stating that government troops are using civilians as guides in the mountainous terrain in the region as incorrect, baseless and misled the public on the truth in the campaign against the communist rebels.

According to the AFP, the two civilians whom they met in the mountainous area of Besao, Mt. Province during their operation in October were being escorted out of the area when they were fired upon by the NPA.

One of the civilians and members of the government forces were wounded during the incident.

Despite the attack, the government forces secured the two civilians who were immediately turned over to the personnel of the Besao Municipal Police Station as witnessed by Sagada Vice Mayor Benjamin Capuyan, he said.  

Magalong said that the PRO-COR had always upheld human rights and has been very cautious in all its operations to avoid civilian casualties even as the PNP has suffered casualties in the past.

"Our operating personnel are also Cordillerans. We always adhere to the rule of law and police operational procedures in all our police operations." Magalongsaid.