No hearing yet on Paquibato deaths

From the Sun Star-Davao (Jun 21): No hearing yet on Paquibato deaths

THE Davao City Council is yet to schedule a committee hearing with members of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division following the deaths of three lumads in Paquibato District last June 14.

Human Rights Committee chair Councilor Karlo Bello proposed to have a committee hearing with the military before the 22nd regular session on Tuesday to address the concerns of the families involved and the civil society groups.

"We will invite the military and hopefully, those who were involved in the encounter as described by the military and on the contrary described as an attack by the members of the family [of the victims]," Bello said in a privilege speech.

Aside from the military, the victims' families and the civil society groups, Bello said he would also invite the Women and Children Committee chairperson Councilor Leah Librado-Yap to join them on the committee hearing.

Councilor Diosdado Mahipus, who sent his condolence and sympathy to the victims' families, has also committed to join the hearing.

"I call upon the committee you make me an active member of the committee [hearing] because from now on I would assist in making sure that if these are military personnel, we will ask for their dismissal," Mahipus said.

Mahipus said he believes that harassment is going on in Barangay Paradise Embac in Paquibato, and he would like to know who these people are, and to address the concerns of the residents in the area.

Bello also urged the military to re-visit their policies and to investigate the actions of their personnel allegedly involved in the incident.

Soldiers belonging to the 69th Infantry Battalion admitted Sunday to killing Randy Carnasa, Rubel Enlog, and Oligario Quimbo, believed to be members of the New People's Army, in an encounter.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2015/06/21/no-hearing-yet-paquibato-deaths-414487