Press Statement
Reference:
Paul Vincent Casilihan
Spokesperson,
Karapatan-Bicol
Elements of 2nd
Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army (2nd
IB, PA) conducting intense military
operations in far flung barangays in the municipalities of Guinobatan, Pio Duran, and Jovelliar in the
province of Albay simultaneous to the GPH-US Balikatan Exercises 2014 committed
gross human rights violations by harassing
and intimidating civilians.
On April 26, through May 1, 2014,according to the report, Philippine
Army soldiers threatened the recipients
of Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) or the 4Ps
in Barangays Pood and Balite of
Guinobatan town that if they will be seen in the May 1 International Labor Day rally, they
will be removed from the program. Some Army soldiers fired their rifles on Alwyn Naños while he
was walking fast to the comfort room to relieve himself. The soldiers were shouting, “NPA iyan! NPA
Iyan! The victim was shouting back and pleading,” Sibilyan ako, Sibilyan ako!”
but the soldiers kept on firing their guns aimed towards his direction.
Victims of these human rights
violations accompanied by barangays officials reported to the office of
Karapatan-Bicol and narrated the atrocious acts of soldiers against them. After
securing their testimonies, the victims proceeded to the Regional Office of the
Commission on Human rights (CHR 5) for filing of formal complaints against the
perpetrators.
In a local TV station
interview, 2nd Lt. Albert Belingan,
head of the 2nd IB PA civil military operations (CMO) weaved
lies to deny the accusations. If
it were true, said him, the victims should have reported the incidents to the 2nd
IB PA headquarters for investigation.
It is most appalling that the
Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), a palliative program touted by the US-Aquino
Regime to eradicate poverty is being used as a counter-insurgency tool by the
military. Intimidating the 4Ps recipients of removing them from the program should they join the
people’s legitimate exercise of their civil liberties violates their basic
rights. Moreover, it is the State
responsibility to provide to its citizens the needed basic social services and
the military has no right or authority to deprived them of such.
2nd Lt. Albert
Belingan is so naïve to tell the human rights victims to report the human
rights violation cases committed by State security
forces to the military. It is ironic and
dementing. Everybody knows State
security forces commit human rights violations with gross impunity.
The intense military
operations in the barangays near the site of the Balikatan Exercises 2014
Engineering Civic Action Program (ENGCAP) in barangays Malobago and Doña Mercedes
in Guinobatan, Albay clearly shows that this humanitarian civic action (HCA) is
just a ploy for the covert joint military operations of the Philippine and US armed forces. It is a convenient component of Oplan
Bayanihan, the counter-insurgency program of the US-Aquino Regime designed
based on the US Counter-Insurgency Guide (US COIN) of 2009, funded and
supported by the imperialist US through the annual $50 M US military assistance
to the Philippines.
Karapatan-Bicol strongly condemns
this atrocious act of harassment and intimidation of civilians committed by
elements of 2nd IB PA in furtherance of the intense military
operations conducted simultaneous to the 2014 Balikatan Exercises in Albay. It equally condemns the GPH-US Balikatan
Exercises, it latchets military operations that breeds human rights violations
particularly and directly affecting the civilian population.
STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!
US TROOPS OUT NOW! SCRAP VFA/MDT!
JUNK THE US-GPH ENHANCED
DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENT!
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