The commanding general of the Philippine Army’s 10th
Infantry Division is ready for the City Council investigation on the alleged
massacre of three civilians in Barangay Paradise Embac, Paquibato District last
Sunday as it would ferret out the truth on the relations of the New People’s
Army (NPA) and the legal fronts.
“Ako ay tuwang-tuwa sa imbestigasyon (I am very happy). I am
happy,” 10th ID chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps
at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday.
The Davao City Council on Tuesday declared it will
investigate the incident which the Karapatan human rights group claimed as
massacre that killed three civilians and wounding of a 12-year old child of
peasant leader, Aida Seisa. Año insisted it was a legitimate encounter.
He also disclosed that they are also filing charges against
Seisa, the owner of the house where the rebels stayed, for obstruction of
justice and possession of explosives and firearms.
Año said Seisa, who is the secretary-general of Paquibato
District Peasant Alliance (PADIPA), has been facilitating needs of the NPA
including medical treatment of the wounded rebels.
Año was amused why the militant groups easily claim that NPA
rebels killed in encounter are identified as civilians as he stood firm that
the incident was a legitimate encounter.
He said they even recovered M14 rifles, two Improvised
Explosive Device (IED), two grenades and other materials in the encounter site.
He added that in the investigation of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO)
the slain rebels identified as Ruben Enlog, Randy Carnasa and Garyo Quimbo have
gun powder burns indicating they also fired their arms.
Año said Enlog was no longer an IP datu after he was
replaced by the lumads there due to his involvement in the activities of the
NPA. He said Enlog was instrumental to the joining of seven lumads to the NPA
rebels.
Año welcomed the investigation so the truth will come out.
He said it will be a venue for them to prove that the persons slain in the
encounter with the 69th Infantry Battalion were really regular members of the
NPA.
Karapatan however wanted to probe the incident which they
claimed as an attack on Aida Seisa. It was learned that Seisa, a peasant leader
was also one of the targets of the military. Karapatan reported that one of
Seisa's children was wounded and not provided immediate medical aid.
The 10th ID reported that the troops recovered at the
encounter site one M14 Rifle, two landmines, two hand grenades, three
backpacks, empty shells of cal 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunitions and subversive
documents. No one was hurt among the government troops.
Hanimay Suazo of KARAPATAN-SMR, claimed that after strafing
the bodies of the three victims they were brought to the central area of the
community and were photographed with guns and explosives by their side to
falsely show that they were members of the NPA.
Suazo said the incident happened only a few days after a
fact-finding mission was conducted in Paquibato by several concerned
organizations.
“We have just wrapped up a fact-finding mission in Sitio
Quimotod in Paquibato, where we documented bombings and harassments of the
populace by the 69th IB. A few days after, state forces massacre civilians,
adding up to their already long list of human rights violations,” Suazo said.
Año denied the accusation. He stressed that the army troop
went to the area after receiving information from the civilians on the presence
of Leonardo Pitao alias kumander Parago in the house of Aida Seisa. He said the
troop wanted to serve the warrants of arrest for Parago and Nelson Algo alias
"Upaw, who are both facing a string of cases, but they were met with gun
shots.
He further claimed that Randy Carnasa was a member of Bayan
Militia, while the other two were party members of the NPA.
“Gusto namin na mag imbestiga ang city council para malaman
ng lahat kung bakit nasa bahay ni Aida Seisa ang grupo ni Kumander Parago, They
are not civilians, they are armed and they are NPA, alam ng grupong Karapatan
yan (We wanted the city council to investigate for everybody to know why they
the group of Kumander Parago were in the house of Aida Seisa,” Año said.
When asked if it was a legitimate function of the military
to serve the warrants of arrest, Año said it was a citizen’s army and it was
the call of time since there was presence of the rebels wanted by law.
Año said there was also coordination with the police under
the joint security conference.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson, Sr. Inspector
Milgrace Driz said the army is allowed to serve the warrants of arrest because
they are also law enforcers. Driz said they can return the warrants of arrest
to the court.
Driz confirmed there was prior joint coordinating conference
between the army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) prior to the
operation.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=773897
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