Eastmincom chief Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad (L) is seen in file photo being welcomed by the then chief of the Army's 10th ID, Major Gen. Eduardo Año. The latter is now the Army chief.
The commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command denied Sunday that the military had organized the Magahat/Bagani Force tagged in the killing of leaders of indigenous groups (Lumad) suspected to be sympathizers of the New People’s Army in the CARAGA region.
“I deny that report na kami ang nag-organize niyan [that we were the ones who organized those],” Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad said in a phone interview.
The Army general said they favor calls to disband paramilitary groups and will support the police’s law enforcement operations to stop what he called private armed groups from carrying out more crimes.
At the same time, however, he said State security forces must tread carefully in dealing with PAGs that are also members of Lumad communities. They cannot simply interfere in the Lumad’s culture and structure by dismantling their paramilitary groups, he explained.
“If we look at the Lumad, parte sa kanilang indigenous political structure, besides ‘yung Datu nila saka ‘yung kanilang Babaylan or spiritual leader is ‘yung Bagani. Lahat ng indigenous people dito, if we look at it, I have observed may Bagani silang sarili kada community, kada tribo. [If we look at the Lumad - at part of their indigenous political structure, besides their Datu and Babaylan or spiritual leader is their Bagani. In all IPs here, I have observed that each community, each tribe, has a Bagani]. So, this is one Bagani group and they have committed the criminal offense, and are under police investigation,” Baladad explained.
He said the Army is ready to lend support to the police tasked to arrest the suspects involved in the spate of Lumad killings.
This despite claims by affected Lumad communities that the Magahat/Bagani Force were organized and were being used by the military to harass and even kill Lumad leaders and members believed to be coddling the NPA.
Some Lumad groups also claimed the paramilitary units got their high-powered firearms from the Army arsenal.
But again, Baladad vehemently denied this and said such militias may in fact “be part of private armed groups, dahil hindi naman ito [as they are not] sanctioned ng [by the] government.”
He said the suspected killer units are "not part of our command and control." What are in fact under their command and control, he said, are "the CAFGU (Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit).”
Baladad confirmed the evacuation of more than 2,000 Lumad from different places in Surigao provinces.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/117142/army-general-afp-not-behind-militias-tied-to-lumad-killings
The Philippine military attempts to counter incessant Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front group propaganda that military units are behind the so-called Bagani forces that purportedly have carried out several "massacres" in lumad (hill tribe) communities.
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