A human rights group on Wednesday denounced the massacre of
farmers in the borders of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental and called an
investigation into the alleged participation of the military.
Four farmers, including a woman and a 17-year-old boy, died
while three others wounded when fired upon by heavily armed men in the boundary
of Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon and Tagolo-an, Misamis Oriental Sunday morning.
A police report identified the fatalities as Rosalie
Neri,37, Bernabe Sarucam, 40, Nemesio Casas Sr. ,56, Fiel Casas,17. Wounded
were Jessi Myomyo, Elejio Nakongos and Nemesio Casas Jr.
Julia Sarucam, wife of Bernabe Sarucam, told police that
about 30 heavily armed men clad in military uniform swooped down the farming village of Bugna
“She said that she and other farmers ran away and hid in a
fig tree nearby. The armed men ransacked our houses, and stole everything,
including the small amount of cash, representing the sale of our store,”
Sarucam said.
The military’s 4th Infantry Division has refused to confirm
or deny the accusation after receiving reports that the farming community in
Bugna were members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Sarucam asked the military to conduct a background check on
them as she denied that they were members of the NPA.
Fr. Christopher Ablon of the Human rights watchdog – KARAPATAN
Northern Mindanao, has asked the government to conduct a probe on the killings
of the farmers.
Ablon said that the farmers in the area have been harassed
for the past two years by private groups who are alleged henchmen by those who
are resisting the “Certificate of Ancestral Domain” claim by the indigenous
group in the area.
Like the other farmers, Sarucam said, that they settled in a
farm lot in Bugna many years ago at the invitation of Rogelio Neri.
According to Sarucam, the farmers have been an object of
harassment by armed group after a certain Raul Delfin claimed to own the land
occupied by farmers who opposed the tribal group’s claim to the land.
A few months ago, the farmers got information that the
government was now preparing to award the farm lot that the occupants were
cultivating, Sarucam told the police.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=749802
KARAPATAN (Rights) is the main Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) human rights front organization. Statements issued by this group should be viewed with some healthy skepticism. Over the years, the group has consistently conducted propaganda attacks against the Philippine military.
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