Members of a government employees' union and social workers from a non-government organization on Monday filed complaints against the military and police before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Confederation of Unity of Recognition and Advancement for Government Employees (Courage) leaders and social workers from Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) accused military and police agents in Metro Manila of harassment and surveillance.
"This pattern indicates a worsening trend of political repression against union organizers and political activists and attempts to disrupt the organizations’ activities and terrorize people involved in development and human rights work," Courage Chair Ferdie Gaite said.
Gaite said that on April 27, at least five members and officers of Courage received letters listing down their involvement with the union and alleging that they were linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.
Those who got the letters were Roman Sanchez, National Food Authority employee and National Food Authority Employees Association (NFAEA) national president; Evelyn Garcia, NFA employee and national assistant secretary general of NFAEA; Fely Saño, National Housing Authority employee and a union official; Rosalinda Nartates, Courage secretary general; and Manuel Baclagon,Social Welfare Employees Association–Department of Social Welfare and Development national president.
On April 21, a certain Sgt. Borres who introduced himself as liaison officer of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines entered the NFA premises looking for Hilario Tan, retired NFA employee and former vice president of the NFAEA, and Garcia.
He was stopped by the lobby guard and brought to the Security Service office of the NFA for questioning because he was carrying a .45 calibre pistol. The security personnel asked Borres for a mission order but he could not produce one, so he left.
From May 14 to up May 16, staff members of Salinlahi and the CRC claimed they were being hounded in their offices and tailed by suspected agents of the military and police.
"This is a clear act of harassment and reprisal on our active opposition to government policies and programs that are not beneficial for Filipino children and their families. CRC has been documenting cases and providing services to children victims of human rights violations perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and its paramilitary groups for almost three decades now," Salinlahi Secretary General Kharlo Manano said.
Members and supporters of the organizations also held a picket protest outside the CHR building in Diliman, Quezon to support the complaints filed by the union leaders and social workers.
Both Confederation of Unity of Recognition and Advancement for Government Employees (Courage) and Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) are, in fact, Communist Party of the Philippines front organizations. I don't know if there is any truth to the current allegations made by these groups against government security forces, however, in the past, the military has used such ham-fisted tactics in an attempt to intimidate leaders/members of CPP fronts.
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