Kim Gargar
After initially tagging a former University of the Philippine professor a member of the New People’s Army, the military is now accusing communist rebels of violating a human rights agreement with government by “allowing the participation of civilian or civilian officials in military field operations and campaigns.”
Earlier, the Eastern Mindanao Command claimed physicist Kim Gargar, 34, was among the rebels who clashed with Army troops in Cateel, Davao Oriental on October 1.
However, human rights and environmental groups, who visited Gargar while he was confined at a hospital, belied the military claims and said the scientist, a doctoral student of the University of Groningen in The Netherlands and staff member of the Center for Environmental Concerns, was conducting studies for rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by typhoon “Pablo” and was injured when he fell from a waterfalls as he tried to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
“If indeed Gargar is a civilian as claimed by the NPAs and Karapatan, he was therefore exploited by the NPAs which is a clear violation of his rights” and of Part 4, Article 4, Section 9 of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law," Eastmincom public affairs chief Captain Alberto Caber said in a statement Friday.
The CARHRHIHL was signed by the government and National Democratic Front.
Caber said Gargar, in a video statement recorded by the military, “revealed that that he was given M16 rifle by the NPAs and was among those who fired against the soldiers during the said clash. He further revealed informations (sic) about the NPAs platoon Front 25 (to) which he belongs.”
The military also claimed to have seized a rifle and improvised explosive devices from Gargar, for which he has been charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, attempted and frustrated murder, and violating the election gun ban.
However, in an interview with the independent media outfit Mindanews, Gargar denied having the weapon and explosives in his possession.
As for the video, he told Mindanews, “lahat ng sinabi ko, ginawa ko mula nung dinakip nila ako is to please them kasi I don’t want to antagonize so kung ano ‘yung gusto nilang marinig sa tingin ko, ‘yun ‘yung aking sasabihin (everything I said and did since they arrested me is to please them because I don’t want to antagonize so whatever I thought they wanted to hear, that’s what I would say).”
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/72561/military-now-says-physicist-a-civilian-used-by-npa-in-violation-of-rights-pact
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