Major Gen. Eduardo Ano and Major Gen. Oscar Lactao in Cagayan de Oro City. Photographed by Erwin Mascarinas.
An army officer is to face court martial proceedings over recent killings in the town of Lianga, Surigao del Sur, Army chief Major Gen. Eduardo Año said during a visit to the 4th Infantry Division headquarters on Thursday.
Last September 1, gunmen allegedly belonging to the Magahat militia murdered Emerito Samarca, executive director of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), an award-winning tribal school in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town. Samarca's death, along with that of two other lumad leaders, heightened charges from indigenous communities that military and military-backed militias have in recent months been harassing lumads out of their areas.
A few meters from the school, the chairman of the Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang Sa Sumusunod (MAPASU) and his cousin Bello Sinzo, were shot dead in front of residents as well as staff and students of the school, whom they had rounded up.
The residents alleged that government soldiers were near the area when the incident happened, but did not respond or send help when the militia opened fire on the victims.
"The 4th ID here in Cagayan de Oro, headed by Major Gen. Oscar Lactao, conducted a board of inquiry into the incident in Lianga. The result is out and one of the officers who was assigned in the area will undergo a court martial," Año told journalists.
"This is based on what we call command responsibility, our way of implementing what we call administrative responsibility - in an area where you have a responsibility to maintain the peace and order, or you might have neglected something which might have lead to a certain incident," he said.
He added, further: "As a professional organization, administratively we are also looking at the possible liability of our soldiers who are assigned in the area. Were they supposed to do anything that they did not do? So we looked into these aspects, so that we would be able to help in resolving the issues."
Año also assured the full cooperation of the army if a senate inquiry would be conducted into the incident, "because it will help shed light and give our side into the incident amid all that has been said about us from the left leaning groups. In fairness for everyone, it is better for us to be transparent about this situation," the army chief emphasized.
"Our soldiers respect human rights and international humanitarian law and, most especially, our soldiers are the protectors of the people. No matter what a community's political leaning may be, it is our mandate and duty to protect the people and the state," he said.
Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesman of the 4th ID, confirmed the court martial and the rank of the officer.
"We cannot yet reveal the name of the officer, but I can say that he or she is a platoon leader under the 75th Infantry Battalion. The Board of Inquiry made several recommendations, in which the company commander was reprimanded and the officer-in-charge of the battalion was relieved of his post," said Martinez.
Army chief Major Gen. Eduardo Año (left) walks with Major Gen. Oscar Lactao, commander of the 4th Infantry Battalion after a command conference at 4ID headquarters in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/117969/army-platoon-leader-to-face-court-martial-over-lumad-killings
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