Gov’t troops hit for rights abuses in Abra

BANGUED, Abra - The Abra Human Rights Movement assailed recent attacks of the 24th IB led by Lt. Col Jaramilla in the province, particularly in Ud-udiao, Sallapadan town last August 31 around 7 a.m. that resulted to human rights violation.

A fact finding mission led by AHRM confirmed reports of grave human rights violations committed in the area by government soldiers. The AHRM is chaired by Msgr. Demetrio Batay-an.

“Members of the 24th IB led by 2nd Lt. Alquin Bolivar illegally searched three properties without any search warrant nor permission from the owners,” an AHRM press statement said. “They were also looking for Adjato Pati, the 47 year old son of Tingguian leader Villamor “Tang Amoy” Pati. When they couldn’t find him, they pointed guns and interrogated his wife and his 8-year- old child. Soldiers were also overheard confirming over the radio if the order was “shoot to kill” Adjato Pati. When his wife left to seek refuge in the barrio, soldiers went inside the house and ransacked their house and the cage of their chickens.”

That was also what happened to the house of Buenafe family morning of August 31, the statement said.

“Soldiers illegally searched their rice granary and took Rudy Buenafe’s cell phone and ID. His family hasn’t seen him since August 30, when he went with a man named Angutin to claim the livelihood grant for rebel returnees. He was allegedly being kept in the army camp in Barbarit, Lagangilang and used as a guide from military operations.”

The AHRM statement said “facts refute 24th IB’s claims that the people of Ud-udiao were the ones who requested their presence in the community. Their supposed achievement of confiscating 4 M16 rifles, 2 Garand rifles, a homemade shotgun supposedly owned by the NPA are nothing but lies to hide the violations that they committed in the area. In addition, they should be charged and reprimanded for conducting searches without any search warrant and without the presence of owners of the property.” 

Under the present counter-insurgency plan Oplan Kapayapaan, the statement said, local governments and line agencies in collusion with the military allegedly present false promises of amnesty and economic grants as a reward for community folks to pose as rebel returnees.

“They are convincing past surrenderees and other community folk to function as guides in military operations, identify NPA storage spaces and other things causing suspicion, discord and distrust in indigenous communities. Similar to the Tokhang list and the Tanim Bala practice, they care not for truth but for money that they will be getting as a reward. In short, the AFP is actively destroying traditional values ethnolinguistic tribes. ”

 “If money and harassment are not successful, the AFP will file trumped up charges just like in the case of political prisoner Amilyn Toni Balucag from Tubo, wherein intelligence agents are convincing her to surrender so that the trumped up charges filed against her will be dismissed. Instead of spending taxes to build schools, hospitals, roads and sanitation facilities in far flung communities in Abra, taxes are being used in counterinsurgency operations that put lives of civilians in danger.”

The statement said “the 24th IB has a bloody record of bombing, filling trumped up charges and other human rights violations in the province. Just like the ongoing case in Malibcong (town in Abra) wherein the communities of Bangilo were placed under a de facto martial law, soldiers are also actively interrogating and convincing community folk to turn against each other and while corrupting funds for amnesty and rebel returnees.

“The situation has to stop. The 24th IB has contributed nothing but fear and suffering to the people of Abra. They have been committing human rights violations without fear nor regard to the lives of the people. They have been abusive in their conduct and had been disregarding certain safeguards afforded to civilians as provided by the law,” the AHRM statement ended.

 AHRM calls on all Abrenios to unite and fight for our rights as a people with honor and dignity. Let us all remember that there is no honor in serving for an institution like the 24th IB that is cruel and corrupt at the suffering of thousands.