CHR probes death of militiaman as NPA claims 'responsibility'

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 17): CHR probes death of militiaman as NPA claims 'responsibility'

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Negros Oriental is conducting an investigation on the murder of a militiaman in Siaton town perpetrated by suspected members of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA).

CHR provincial chief and special investigator, Dr. Jess Cañete, disclosed that the widow and two daughters of the deceased came to his office Thursday to seek help but stressed that he wants everybody to cooperate in the investigation.

"I need the cooperation of everybody to come out with a fair and objective investigation result" in relation to the death of Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary (SCAA) member Gelino Vailoces, 52 years old, who was killed by suspected NPA members in Barangay Mantiquil, Siaton the other day, he said.

According to the CHR provincial chief, while there is a letter from the Rachelle Mae Palang Command of the NPA claiming responsibility for Vailoces’ death, this has yet to be validated.

Cañete raised three points in his investigation, namely, whether there was a violation of the International Humanitarian Law with the deceased being an SCAA; if the perpetrators are identified so murder charges can be filed against them; and the letter acknowledgment from the NPA that needs verification.

The Rachelle Mae Palang Command (RMPC) claimed responsibility for the execution of a member of the Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA) of the 12th CAFGU (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit) Battalion of the 79th IB based in Sitio Cuadra, Barangay Mantiquil in Siaton on Monday.

In an unsigned, undated statement, the NPA unit claimed that Vailoces was meted a death sentence for his active involvement in intelligence gathering against the NPA.

The statement also said other members of the SCAA or even civilians who are actively spying on the activities of the NPA will be meted the same penalty.

In an interview, Marialita Vailoces, wife of the slain SCAA, said that at least seven armed men abducted his husband Gelino while he was pasturing a cow and a carabao at 6 a.m. last November 13, 2017.

An initial police report said that around 30 armed men had fetched Vailoces from his house that day.

Marialita narrated to the CHR provincial chief that she was also ordered to jump from their house after which the armed men went upstairs to get her husband’s caliber .38 revolver.

The armed men also took their cellphones and the sling bag of Vailoces that contained PHP9,082 and Marialita’s sling bag that contained PHP82.

Two hours later or at about 8 a.m. on the same day, Marialita said she heard bursts of gunfire which made her believe her husband was shot and killed.

She also relayed that before the armed men left, she was ordered to "disappear" and not to come back within three years, if not, she would be killed.

Marialita said she went to Sitio Avocado in Barangay Talalak in the adjacent town of Santa Catalina.

Another member of the SCAA, Antonio Fabillar, who recovered the dead body of Vailoces, told Marialita it was his dog who led them to the body of the victim.

The responding militiamen found the purported NPA statement near the body of the victim that sustained a gunshot wound at the back of his head and another on the right knee.

Cañete said the supposed claim of the NPA can be validated if members of the so-called RMPC would make a public pronouncement through the radio that it was indeed responsible for Vailoces’ death.

The CHR investigator could not also file the necessary complaints in the absence of any identification of the armed men.

The slain SCAA member left 10 children, the youngest is three years old.

He was in the service for five years. His wife said she could not remember if he had enemies.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/1016194