Army denies killing IP leader

From the Sun Star-Cagayan de Oro (Nov 2): Army denies killing IP leader

THE Philippine Army in Caraga Region has denied accusations of various human rights violations and destruction of properties in lumad communities in Surigao del Sur.

In an e-mailed statement on November 2, 2014, Captain Jasper Gacayan of the 401IB, said the military is not responsible for the killing of a lumad leader, ransacking of a community store, and the burning of a public school more than two weeks ago.

Military blamed

Sr. Emma Copin of the human rights group Karapatan in the Caraga region, who earlier e-mailed a separate statement , blamed the military on the killing of Henry Alameda, a council member of the indigenous people’s organization Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu), last October 24.

Copin said Alameda was gunned down outside his home in Cabalawan, San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur allegedly by members of the Calpti Egua paramilitary group.

She said just minutes before the killing, residents saw more or less 30 military men belonging to the 2nd Scout Rangers Battalion in the neighboring community of Upper Oregon, Logdeck.

She added about 17 of the Scout Rangers were seen going toward Cabalawan along with indentified members of Calpit Egua.

“Despite the presence of the 2nd Scout Rangers the gunmen were not apprehended,” Copin added.

The next day, October 25, at around 8 p.m., the community cooperative store was ransacked and a school nearby was set on fire, along with the corn sheller donated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), by unidentified men, she said.

“When residents tried to put out the fire, the armed men indiscriminately fired their guns prompting the people to scramble to safety including the eight-month pregnant teacher living near the school. Again the armed men were not apprehended by operating troops of the 3rd Special Forces and 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion,” she added.

“This recent spate of military operations are but another attempt of the US-Aquino government to force the entry of large scale mining within the ancestral lands of the lumad people in the Andap Valley Complex. They are using the paramilitary group of Calpit Egua and targeting the leaders of the Mapasu who have been consistent and firm in their refusal to allow coal mining within the [area],” Copin said.

The Andap Valley Complex covers the mountain areas of San Miguel, San Agustin, Marihatag, Cagwait, Tago and Lianga in Surigao del Sur.

Military gains nothing on HR violations

In response to the allegations, Gacayan said: “The AFP does not gain anything from committing HR (human rights) violations as these defeats its intention of gaining popular support to win the peace.”

He added the military would not condone any of its own to commit such violation. “We have no ‘bagani’ paramilitary elements under our command.”

He said the best course of action that the aggrieved individuals should take is to file appropriate charges against the perpetrators in the court of law.

“We encourage the affected parties to avail [of] legal remedies to resolve the issues,” Gacayan said.

On the accusation that the soldiers on combat operations in the IP communities created fear and panic to the lumad people forcing them to evacuate, he said “soldiers are for peace and development” and burning of school house and ransacking cooperative store “runs counter-productive to the community efforts being pursued by the soldiers.”

Gacayan said the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion denies such allegations of HR violations committed in Andap Valley during their recent operations.

“They (Scout Rangers) strictly adhered the policy prohibiting troops from encamping inside communities, barangay halls, health and day care centers without explicit local officials’ acceptance or clearance. Rangers avoid getting compromised and converse or meet with IPs for OPSEC [operational security] and also to protect the IPs from getting the ire of the NPA as military informers,” he added.

“We, the AFP, is open for investigation on those alleged human right abuses, we will help the PNP initiate investigation. It is our mandate to work on peace. Let us give peace a chance,” said Col. Gregory Cayetano, the 401IB commander.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2014/11/02/army-denies-killing-ip-leader-374412