Army denies abducting leader of farmers’ group

From the Mindanao Times (Mar 26): Army denies abducting leader of farmers’ group

THE 25TH Infantry battalion denied the accusation of the Karapatan-Southern Mindanao Region (Karapatan-SMR) about firing their guns and arresting a member of Montevista Farmers Association (Montefarma) in Purok 3, Barangay Camansi, Montevista, Compostela Valley on Saturday, March 24.

In a report posted by Karapatan-SMR, Adelaida ‘Nanay Ede’ Macusang, 59, an active member of Montefarma was reportedly taken by soldiers from the 25th Infantry Battalion around 8 a.m. on March 24.

According to her family members, a certain Maj. Durano of 25th IB ordered his men to fire their rifles in front of Macusang and also plant a bomb inside her house. She was brought to the headquarters in Monkayo, Compostela Valley

In the latest update by Montefarma to Karapatan-SMR, Nanay Ede was already brought to the Montevista PNP station and was charged with illegal possession of firearms, which the group called a “fabricated case.”

In a separate interview, Lt. Col. Oscar Balignasay, the commander of 25th IB, said the accusations are not true.

“Nobody fired their gun. The soldiers did not encounter the enemy (NPA) in her house and the immediate vicinity. They were already gone,” he said.

Balignasay said that when Macusang saw the soldiers, she reportedly ran toward the house. They followed her and they reportedly saw inside one set of improvised explosive device, 12 bottles of butane, three pairs of boots, a camera stand, and subversive documents.

“We all know their style of countering our legal actions,” he said. “We will not do anything that will harm the organization.”

The 25th IB’s own version of events revealed that at around 8 a.m. of March 24, soldiers apprehended Macusang, whom they tagged as a collector of the Guerrilla Front 33. She was turned over to the police around 10 p.m. of the same day.

http://mindanaotimes.net/army-denies-abducting-leader-of-farmers-group/