P-Noy urged:Order probe On massacre of Ligiw kin

By Aldwin Quitasol

BANGUED, Abra – Nationwide human rights and cause-oriented groups urged President Aquino to probe massacre of the Ligiw family allegedly by military men even as the Abra provincial board, which tabled the issue for deliberation did not do so for lack of quorum Monday.

They also urged the President, as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Gen. Felix Brawner, commanding officer of the 5th Infantry Division, wherein 41st Infantry Battalion belongs.to initiate the pull-out.

Over 80 human rights workers nationwide trooped to this province last week to show solidarity and help the Ligiw family in their fight for justice for the brutal killing of their kin allegedly  by government soldiers deployed in Baay-Licuan.

They pressed for total pullout of military troops from the province particularly Baa-Licuan where people are reportedly now “living in a state of fear due to military presence.

The victims of yet the worst human rights violations this March were Ama Licuben Ligiw, 70, and his sons Eddie, 42 and Fermin, 30 were brutally killed and found buried in a shallow grave.

Human rights workers said the Ligiws went missing since March 3, their grave was found on March 7 and their bodies were recovered March 8.

The victims were residents of sitio Sucao, Domenglay village in Licuan-Baay.

On March 26, the Ligiw siblings Edna, Jessie and Edwin filed extrajudicial killing complaints against the 41st IBPA for the murder of their father and brothers at the Commission on Human Rights Cordillera.

The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance reported they were scheduled to meet one of the victims, Freddie in Bangued on March 4 to interview him on his experience when army men coerced him to serve as guide during their operation on Feb. 22.

Fermin's relatives disclosed they learned from the victim that the soldiers accused him of aiding New People's Army guerillas and that the army instructed him not to go to Sucao, his home village.

Abigail Anongos, secretary general of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance said the Ligiw family played a significant role in resisting entry of the Olympus Mining Company in Licuan-Baay and other large-scale mining interests in the area.

She added  the three and the other immediate members of the Ligiw family were members and leaders of Baay Licuan Takderan Umno a Karbengan (BALITOK), Kakailian Salakniban tay Amin a Nagtaudan (KASTAN), the provincial chapter of CPA.

Anongos said “these organizations have long been under attack by the AFP’s political vilification campaign labeling them as enemies of the State”.

Audrey Beltran, CHRA deputy secretary general said the death of the Ligiws caused fear in the province, especially in communities where the 41st IBPA operates.

She added Licuan-Baay and its neighboring municipalities remain heavily militarized.

“The people fear for their security and lives when going to their pacalso (temporary hut used as shelter for farmers and small-scale miners), their small scale mines or swidden farms and thus could not fully tend to their livelihood,” she said.

Beltran said harassment and other human rights violations persist in the community with the continuing presence of the military.

She said an impartial investigation of the case was not being done and there were even efforts to whitewash it.

She added human rights workers in the province especially members and leaders of the Abra Human Rights Movement (ARHM) have been subjected to harassment as they assisted the Ligiw family and documented human rights violations.

“These are the compelling reasons why the presence of the wider community working for human rights and justice need to be concretely be felt in the communities affected by the operations of the 41st IBPA and the 503rd Brigade,” Beltran said.

This, as human rights advocates and members of various organizations as well as individuals stated that “The presence of the elements of the 41st Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) gives the indigenous people of Barangay Dominglay to an atmosphere of insecurity and fear as they are already being prevented from living normally as they did before.”

This was the main finding of the National Solidarity Mission which was participated by 20 organizations done on April 4-7 barely a month after the bodies of the Ligiws were found in a shallow grave near their pacalso (resting hut) in Sitio Sucao, of the said barangay. The three members of the Ligiw family went missing on March 3. Their bodies bore torture marks.

Surviving members of the Ligiw family and their relatives pointed to the 41st IBPA as perpetrators of the brutal murder.

The NSM was held on Sitio Sucao, Domenglay Poblacion, Sitio Mugao of Barangay Dominglay, Licuan Baay; Sitio Manapnap, Barangay Binasaran, Malibcong and Poblacion of Lacub. Participants to the NSM observed that the areas they visited are heavily militarized. They found out that the Bravo Company of the 41st IBPA was even housed at the vicinity of Dominglay Barangay Captain Josephine Cario in SitioSucao.

According to Cario, the soldiers headed by Lt. Mark de los Santos prior to their stay in the vicinity of her residence wrote her a letter and asked permission to encamp in her abode. She said they offered their “bayanihan service” to construct a pathway.

Delegates of the NSM held a solidarity program with the community members of Sitio Sucao and other people coming from the neighboring areas with the presence of some soldiers of the 41st IBPA.

They noted the soldiers were not wearing proper uniforms especially their commanding officer de los Santos while going to such public activities.

The mission also reported disrespect and hostility the delegates of soldiers towards them and the people who attended the gathering.

Maria Sol Taule of KARAPATAN (National Human Rights Alliance) said soldiers blatantly intimidated  community people and the NSM delegates by taking pictures and videos.

She said army troopers led by de los Santos even entered the church where the people held a mass to harass them.

They hit the attitude of the commanding officer in challenging the community people especially the surviving Ligiw family members to a sapata (an indigenous practice of settling cases or feuds within the indigenous community) to find justice in the killing of the their three kins.

The delegates listed human rights violations in the areas where the 41st IBPA was operating.

They reported such cases like sexual abuse among women and children with several cases of abandoned children from soldier-fathers; violations of children’s rights, particularly, cases of threats and intimidations from elements of the 41st IBPA; intensified harassment, threat and intimidation especially those participating in activities organized under Kakailian, Salakniban Ta'y Amin (KASTAN), Abra Human Rights Alliance and Cordillera Human Rights Alliance. Of note is the systematic insinuation of officers of the 41st IB to the effect that the massacre of the Ligiws is perpetrated by KASTAN. Arsenio Ligiw who is the most vocal member of the Ligiw clan is persistently being associated with KASTAN; and encampments in houses and within residential areas during military combat operations under the pretext of “bayanihan.”

Meanwhile, the national formation of IP organizations criticized the administration because of the killings and HRVs against IP communities.

Kakai Tolentino of the Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (National Alliance of Indigenous Filipinos or KAMP) said that they will not just let go the Ligiw massacre case that happened under the present administration of President Aquino.

They said encampment of the 41st IBPA within civilian facilities endangers the populace, and is a violation of Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Human Rights Law (CARHRIHL) and Republic Act 7610 and makes the women and children more vulnerable to violations. RA 7610 is the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”.