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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Wednesday, February 8, 2017
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ILOILO City – The human rights group Panay Alliance Karapatan accused the Philippine Army’s 82nd Infantry Battalion (82IB) of transforming the barangay hall of Boloc, Tubungan, Iloilo into a military camp.
The 82IB, on the other hand, slammed the group’s Feb. 6 “self-serving” fact-finding mission on alleged human rights violations of the Army in the village.
“The military violated the law. Public infrastructures such as schools, hospitals and rural health units shall not be utilized for military purposes such as command posts, barracks, detachments, and supply depots,” said Karapatan secretary general Reylan Vergara.
Citing statements from local farmers, the group also accused the 82IB of indiscriminate firing on Feb. 1.
But according to 82IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Vener Morga, while it was true that they temporarily used the barangay hall, this was approved by the barangay council and supported by Mayor Vicente Gargaritano of Tubungan.
“On and off ang paggamit sang tropa sa barangay hall because they also have to go to other barangays for our BTA (Bayanihan Team Activity) efforts,” said Morga.
Karapatan said village farmers claimed government troops occupied the barangay hall from Dec. 25 to 26, 2016 and from Dec. 28, 2016 to Feb. 3, 2017.
In a petition paper, Karapatan said, the farmers also claimed they were threatened by government troops.
“They can easily kill us and just plant (illegal) drugs on us,” part of the petition read, according to Karapatan.
Morga described the fact-finding mission of Karapatan as self-serving and aimed to pressure the government into releasing political prisoners as demanded by communist leaders negotiating peace with the Duterte administration.
“They are playing a bluffing game. It’s good we have a good and courageous President,” Morga said.
President Rodrigo Duterte terminated the peace talks on Saturday, saying he could not give in to the communists’ demand to release over 400 political prisoners. He also accused the insurgents of continuously waging offensives against government troops despite the truce.
Morga said a neutral third party should investigate the Feb. 1 incident.
That day, armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army fired their guns meters away from Morga’s troops at the barangay hall.
“Barangay Boloc is peaceful. Look at what the NPA did. Wala nagpalupok ang akon tropa,” insisted Morga.
According to Karapatan, the result of the fact-finding mission shall be endorsed to the Joint Monitoring Committee monitoring the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, the first substantive agreement signed by the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines during the Ramos administration./PN
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