A member of the indigenous Aggay of Isabela who had been given sanctuary by the Social Action Center of the St. Ferdinand Cathedral in Gamu town went missing under mysterious circumstances Friday and human rights suspect she was abducted by security forces.
The Cagayan Valley office of Karapatan said staff of the SAC discovered footprints in the garden in front of their office around 7:30 a.m. Friday and realized that Bikas Magtanggol of San Mariano town was missing.
Magtanggol was last seen 10 p.m. the previous night when she went to her room at the SAC.
She had been staying there since June 25, when she posted bail for charges of homicide and illegal possession of explosives and ammunition filed against her by authorities who accuse her of being a New People’s Army member who joined an ambush on the military in 2011, her lawyer, Catherine Salucon said.
Magtanggol was arrested on July 1, 2011.
The SAC had provided her shelter while her case is being heard. Salucon said the prosecution is scheduled to present its last witness on September 12.
Karapatan’s Mildred Abiva, explaining why they believe state forces responsible for Magtanggol’s abduction, said: “Who would have any motive to abduct Bikas if not the elements of the state security forces.?”
She noted that the headquarters of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division is a mere five- to ten-minute ride from the SAC office.
‘Not with us,’ says PNP
Senior Inspector Calixto Labang, Gamu chief of police, told Northern Dispatch that tanod (watchmen) of Barangay Upi saw Magtanggol at the Upi junction as they made their rounds late at night on August 22 and brought her to the police station.
However, he added, police officers took her back to Upi junction because she
supposedly said she wanted to go to San Mariano and they had no reason to hold her.
Labang also said police again checked on Magtanggol at the junction but found only her belongings, including a copy of the order for her release issued by the court. He said this was when police learned she was out on bail and in the custody of the SAC.
5th ID deputy commander Colonel Ricardo Jalad said abducting people is not part of the army's rules of engagement and challenged Karapatan to file a complaint with the police if they have proof she was seized by the military.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/69264/isabela-tribeswoman-missing-from-cathedral-sanctuary-rights-workers-suspect-military-abduction
Of course KARAATAN, a CPP human rights front group, would assert that Ms. Magtanggol was abducted by the military. Discrediting the military on HR issues is a primary mission of KARAPATAN.
ReplyDeleteThere is a logical alternate explanation for the disappearance of Ms. Magtanggol. Perhaps rather than face trial and run the risk of imprisonment, she decided to jump bail and return to her NPA comrades in the hills.
But of course, KARAPATAN would never consider this a possibility because it doesn't fit the group's anti-military propaganda objectives.