Phl - Activists alarmed over renewed abductions in Central Luzon | Philippines |
By Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 16:04:00 02/11/2008
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines -- Leaders of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines) on Monday raised the alarm over what they said was a resumption of abductions of leaders of farmers' groups in Central Luzon.
The latest victim was Nardo Serrano, a leader of the Central Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA) in Floridablanca, Pampanga, according to KMP chairman Rafael Mariano and Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (Alliance of Farmers in Central Luzon) chairman Joseph Canlas in a joint statement.
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 16:04:00 02/11/2008
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines -- Leaders of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines) on Monday raised the alarm over what they said was a resumption of abductions of leaders of farmers' groups in Central Luzon.
The latest victim was Nardo Serrano, a leader of the Central Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA) in Floridablanca, Pampanga, according to KMP chairman Rafael Mariano and Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (Alliance of Farmers in Central Luzon) chairman Joseph Canlas in a joint statement.
Serrano, they claimed, was abducted by troops from the 70th Infantry Battalion and members of the Special Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAA), from his house in Barangay (village) Nabuklod at 9 a.m. on February 8.
"Barangay officials saw what happened and followed the abductors. Ka [Comrade] Nardo was taken to the military detachment at Macapagal Village in Barangay San Ramon in the same town. When the barangay officials tried to retrieve him, the soldiers refused and even tortured Ka Nardo," Mariano said.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer source in the village said military officials in the area offered Serrano P40,000 if he surrendered. Soldiers also brought a sack of rice to his family.
However, he refused to surrender, saying he had never joined the New People's Army (NPA), the source said.
Brigadier Gen. Rommel Gomez, chief of the 703rd Infantry Brigade, has ordered his men to check the incident.
Canlas said Franco Corpuz, the first KMP leader in the region to be abducted this month, was released by his captors the evening of February 9. They brought him back to his house in Barangay Pandalla, Science City of Muñoz, Canlas said.
Corpuz, 41, vice chair of the AMGL in Nueva Ecija, "bore signs of torture," Canlas said.
Corpuz was taken from his house at 2 a.m. on February 8 by four armed men who identified themselves as NPA members. His relatives, who witnessed the abduction, suspect the armed men belong to the 71st IB.
"The soldiers [warned] him and his family not to talk about his abduction and to go to the police to say that he is okay," Canlas said.
Major General Juanito Gomez, chief of the 7th Infantry Division, promised to look into Corpuz's abduction.
There has been a respite in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in Central Luzon since October last year.
The last known case of disappearance involved Pedro Calilung, 60, an organizer of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD, Movement for National Democracy). He was last seen in Guagua, Pampanga, on October 24, 2007.
The human rights group Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) has documented more than 120 murders and 80 disappearances in Central Luzon starting January 2001.
These peaked during the stint of now retired major general Jovito Palparan Jr. as 7th Infantry Division commander from September 2005 to September 2006.
In previous interviews, however, Palparan had denied ordering or orchestrating the killings and abductions.
Seven Aeta leaders in Pampanga surfaced in July 2007 and reported to religious leaders and human rights advocates that they had been tortured and harassed by the military.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080211-118156/Activists-alarmed-over-renewed-abductions-in-Central-Luzon
"Barangay officials saw what happened and followed the abductors. Ka [Comrade] Nardo was taken to the military detachment at Macapagal Village in Barangay San Ramon in the same town. When the barangay officials tried to retrieve him, the soldiers refused and even tortured Ka Nardo," Mariano said.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer source in the village said military officials in the area offered Serrano P40,000 if he surrendered. Soldiers also brought a sack of rice to his family.
However, he refused to surrender, saying he had never joined the New People's Army (NPA), the source said.
Brigadier Gen. Rommel Gomez, chief of the 703rd Infantry Brigade, has ordered his men to check the incident.
Canlas said Franco Corpuz, the first KMP leader in the region to be abducted this month, was released by his captors the evening of February 9. They brought him back to his house in Barangay Pandalla, Science City of Muñoz, Canlas said.
Corpuz, 41, vice chair of the AMGL in Nueva Ecija, "bore signs of torture," Canlas said.
Corpuz was taken from his house at 2 a.m. on February 8 by four armed men who identified themselves as NPA members. His relatives, who witnessed the abduction, suspect the armed men belong to the 71st IB.
"The soldiers [warned] him and his family not to talk about his abduction and to go to the police to say that he is okay," Canlas said.
Major General Juanito Gomez, chief of the 7th Infantry Division, promised to look into Corpuz's abduction.
There has been a respite in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in Central Luzon since October last year.
The last known case of disappearance involved Pedro Calilung, 60, an organizer of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD, Movement for National Democracy). He was last seen in Guagua, Pampanga, on October 24, 2007.
The human rights group Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) has documented more than 120 murders and 80 disappearances in Central Luzon starting January 2001.
These peaked during the stint of now retired major general Jovito Palparan Jr. as 7th Infantry Division commander from September 2005 to September 2006.
In previous interviews, however, Palparan had denied ordering or orchestrating the killings and abductions.
Seven Aeta leaders in Pampanga surfaced in July 2007 and reported to religious leaders and human rights advocates that they had been tortured and harassed by the military.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080211-118156/Activists-alarmed-over-renewed-abductions-in-Central-Luzon
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