By Ronron
March 23, 2007
A military commander from Sorsogon echoed on Friday allegations that Bayan Muna and Gabriela party-list groups are enjoying the support of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
Lt. Col. Benigno Antonio II, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion based in Juban, Sorsogon, showed to reporters in Camp Aguinaldo a document allegedly seized from an NPA member in a recent encounter in Sorsogon province that indicates the supposed link between the communist movement and the party-list groups.
In a press conference, Antonio said his men recovered a three-page document that laid out the plans of the NPA in said province to help ensure the victory of five progressive party-list groups in the May 14 elections.
The document was found inside the backpack of a slain rebel, identified as Allan Villare, following the encounter last March 21 in Juban town between the NPA and Antonio’s men.
It identified the five party-list groups that the NPA will help campaign for as Kabataan Party, Gabriela Women’s Party, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Suara Bangsa Moro.
The first two pages bore the three phases based on certain timelines as to how the NPA will carry out the campaign.
The first phase, from February 13 until March 13, includes the following activities: identify local party-list officials; dissemination of posters; house to house campaign; initial submission of local candidates; asking of possible assistance of the candidates to the party-list organizations; start of hiring watchers; and the establishment of a municipal headquarter or drop-off point of propaganda materials.
The second phase, from March 14 until April 13, will saw the following activities happening: more widespread dissemination of posters; creation of Mobile Propaganda Team; house to house campaign; submission of names of local candidates and party-list representatives to the provincial level; continued alliance with the candidates and political parties; launch of the party-list to the municipalities; sending of delegations to the provincial convention of the municipal officers and party-list groups; submission of names of watchers; sending of delegation, especially municipal canvassers, to the training that will be held in the provincial level; and reporting to the provincial level of incidents of violence and harassments against the five party-lists.
Finally, the third phase, from April 14 until May 14, includes the following plans: participation in meeting de avance in the province to be launched on May 1 together with a massive and nationwide protest action; massive dissemination of posters; provincial caravan of the Mobile Propaganda Team; reporting of incidents of violence and harassments against the five party-list groups’ members; and swift reporting of election results for the party-list categories.
Meanwhile, the third page of the document showed the targeted minimum number of votes that each town in Sorsogon should give for each of the five party-list groups.
For Bayan Muna, Bulan should generate 15,000 votes; Gubat, 7,000 votes; and Prieto Diaz, 3,000 votes.
For Anakpawis, Castilla should provide 5,000 votes; Pilar, 12,000 votes; and Donsol, 8,000 votes.
For Gabriela Womens Party, Casiguran should contribute 5,000 votes; Juban, 5,000 votes; Irosin, 10,000 votes; Sta. Magdalena, 3,000 votes; and Gubat, 2,000 votes.
For Kabataan Party, Barcelona and Bulusan should give 2,500 votes each; and Magallanes, 5,000 votes.
And finally, for Suara Bangsa Moro, Matnog should be able to contribute 5,000 votes.
Asked about his assessment on the seized document, Antonio said: “We can consider this as an evidence that the NPA and the party-list groups have a link with each other.”
The military has long tagged Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela as legal fronts of the NPA.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the military to crush the communist movement before her term ends in 2010.
The communist movement has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now./DMS
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sorsogon locale escapes death sentence from NPA captors
By Ronron
March 23, 2007
A 42-year-old locale of Sorsogon province escaped death from the hands of the New People’s Army (NPA) after he successfully ran away from the rebel’s camp last Tuesday night.
Jesus Lasala of Barangay Lajong, Juban town, recounted yesterday (Friday) to reporters in Camp Aguinaldo his ordeal when he was presented by military officials to prove that the NPA’s Kangaroo Court still exists these days.
According to Lasala, he was abducted by three suspected NPA members last Monday evening from his residence in Sitio Jagusara in the same village. He claimed that he was reported to the NPA by a sibling of his 28-year-old wife, Rosalina, with whom he had a fight over his piece of land.
From his house, he was brought to an NPA camp in Sitio Belwang in the same village, about three kilometers away from his residence.
Lasala claimed to have seen some 18 rebels at said camp, led by a certain Ka Roy or Raul.
Upon arrival there, Lasala said he met two other captives whom he identified as Bunso and Arnol. All three of them, he said, were handcuffed, blindfolded, and tied to a bed.
He then learned from the two that earlier in the day, a certain Marlon, another captive, was executed by their captors. On the following day, March 19, Bunso suffered the same fate, and Arnol on the 20th, he said.
For fear that he was going to be killed next on the 21st, Lasala said he forced his way out of the camp on the night of March 20.
He said he cut the rope tied to his legs using glass sharks. He then ran away at around 10 pm while his captors were sound asleep.
Lasala said he went directly to the 2nd Infantry Battalion camp of the Philippine Army in Barangay Ranggas, same town, where he was found by military men at around 8 am of March 21.
Immediately, elements of the 2IB went to the NPA camp where they exchanged fires with some 10 suspected rebels. One of the rebels, a certain Allan Villare of Barangay Calateo, also in Juban, was killed in said encounter. Recovered from him was an M16 rifle.
Lasala said that while in captivity, he was only fed once and was not even given water to drink. He said he was also hit by the rebels using their guns.
He claimed to have overheard also his captors talk about allowing political candidates for the upcoming elections to enter their territory only when “they agree on the right price.”
His claim was supported by 2nd IB commander Lt. Col. Benigno Antonio II who, in the same press conference, said that reports reaching his office indicate that permit-to-campaign fees being collected by the local NPA range from P50,000 for municipal candidates to P500,000 for provincial and congressional aspirants.
“This is part of their extortion activities in those barangays,” Antonio said.
Lasala said that after his experience, he now wishes to be a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) so he could fight back the NPA. Lasala works as a bus conductor prior to his abduction.
“I will fight them. I will fight to kill if that is what they want,” he said in Filipino.
Upon his return, Lasala and his family were immediately placed under the custody of the 2nd IB for their security./DMS
March 23, 2007
A 42-year-old locale of Sorsogon province escaped death from the hands of the New People’s Army (NPA) after he successfully ran away from the rebel’s camp last Tuesday night.
Jesus Lasala of Barangay Lajong, Juban town, recounted yesterday (Friday) to reporters in Camp Aguinaldo his ordeal when he was presented by military officials to prove that the NPA’s Kangaroo Court still exists these days.
According to Lasala, he was abducted by three suspected NPA members last Monday evening from his residence in Sitio Jagusara in the same village. He claimed that he was reported to the NPA by a sibling of his 28-year-old wife, Rosalina, with whom he had a fight over his piece of land.
From his house, he was brought to an NPA camp in Sitio Belwang in the same village, about three kilometers away from his residence.
Lasala claimed to have seen some 18 rebels at said camp, led by a certain Ka Roy or Raul.
Upon arrival there, Lasala said he met two other captives whom he identified as Bunso and Arnol. All three of them, he said, were handcuffed, blindfolded, and tied to a bed.
He then learned from the two that earlier in the day, a certain Marlon, another captive, was executed by their captors. On the following day, March 19, Bunso suffered the same fate, and Arnol on the 20th, he said.
For fear that he was going to be killed next on the 21st, Lasala said he forced his way out of the camp on the night of March 20.
He said he cut the rope tied to his legs using glass sharks. He then ran away at around 10 pm while his captors were sound asleep.
Lasala said he went directly to the 2nd Infantry Battalion camp of the Philippine Army in Barangay Ranggas, same town, where he was found by military men at around 8 am of March 21.
Immediately, elements of the 2IB went to the NPA camp where they exchanged fires with some 10 suspected rebels. One of the rebels, a certain Allan Villare of Barangay Calateo, also in Juban, was killed in said encounter. Recovered from him was an M16 rifle.
Lasala said that while in captivity, he was only fed once and was not even given water to drink. He said he was also hit by the rebels using their guns.
He claimed to have overheard also his captors talk about allowing political candidates for the upcoming elections to enter their territory only when “they agree on the right price.”
His claim was supported by 2nd IB commander Lt. Col. Benigno Antonio II who, in the same press conference, said that reports reaching his office indicate that permit-to-campaign fees being collected by the local NPA range from P50,000 for municipal candidates to P500,000 for provincial and congressional aspirants.
“This is part of their extortion activities in those barangays,” Antonio said.
Lasala said that after his experience, he now wishes to be a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) so he could fight back the NPA. Lasala works as a bus conductor prior to his abduction.
“I will fight them. I will fight to kill if that is what they want,” he said in Filipino.
Upon his return, Lasala and his family were immediately placed under the custody of the 2nd IB for their security./DMS
NPA rebel killed, three others wounded in clash with AFP in Batangas
By Ronron
March 23, 2007
A suspected communist rebel was killed while three others were wounded in an encounter Friday morning against government troops in Batangas province, a military spokesman said.
Maj. Augusto dela Peña, public information officer of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), said elements of the 740th Combat Group of the PAF were conducting combat operations when they encountered around 15 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) at around 8:30 am yesterday in Barangay Libato, San Juan town.
Aside from inflicting casualties on the NPA side, the government troops also recovered two pistols from the suspected rebels.
There is no casualty on the government side, dela Peña said, adding that their troops immediately pursued the withdrawing rebels.
The 7,000-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered government forces to crush the communist movement before her term ends in 2010./DMS
March 23, 2007
A suspected communist rebel was killed while three others were wounded in an encounter Friday morning against government troops in Batangas province, a military spokesman said.
Maj. Augusto dela Peña, public information officer of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), said elements of the 740th Combat Group of the PAF were conducting combat operations when they encountered around 15 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) at around 8:30 am yesterday in Barangay Libato, San Juan town.
Aside from inflicting casualties on the NPA side, the government troops also recovered two pistols from the suspected rebels.
There is no casualty on the government side, dela Peña said, adding that their troops immediately pursued the withdrawing rebels.
The 7,000-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered government forces to crush the communist movement before her term ends in 2010./DMS
CHR tells AFP to pull out troops in Metro Manila; AFP “considering it very seriously
By Ronron
March 23, 2007
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is wary about the presence of military troops in Metro Manila that it asked the Philippine government, particularly the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership, to pull them out immediately.
In a letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Calderon, CHR Chairman Purificacion Quisumbing said there is “no prevalent lawless violence which would necessitate the deployment of military personnel in urban residential areas in Metro Manila.”
“The deployment and presence of the military in urban areas, particularly in depressed communities within Metropolitan Manila, raise human rights serious curtailment of the free exercise of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of persons,” reads a part of Quisumbing’s three-page letter dated March 16, 2006.
“In this vein, the Commission calls upon the Government, particularly the top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to recall all military personnel deployed in and patrolling certain urban residential areas in Metro Manila as they are generally into police work,” it added.
Members of the Philippine Army’s Civil Military Operations (CMO) Battalion, which is under the operational control of the AFP National Capital Region Command (NCRCom), were deployed in urban poor and Moslem communities in Metro Manila since November of last year.
CMO Battalion commander Col. Ricardo Visaya said the deployment is part of the military’s help to maintain peace and order in the communities, and at the same time to train its men for peacekeeping missions.
Visaya had said that there are 26 teams, each composed of nine to 10 personnel, deployed in different barangays in Caloocan City, Taguig City, Quezon City and Manila City.
Following the admission of the AFP early this month about the troops deployment, Quisumbing said the CHR immediately dispatched quick reaction teams to said areas to verify.
And indeed, they have validated the presence of troops inn the following areas: Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City; barangays located along the railways near España Avenue, Manila City; Pandacan, Manila City; Barangay 592, Sta. Mesa, Manila City; Barangay 176 Hall Annex Package 5, Phase 9, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City; Barangay Lupang Pangako, Payatas, Quezon City; Unit 7, Fairview, Quezon City; Ideal Subdivision, Fairview, Quezon City; and, Barangay Ususan, Taguig City.
“In summation, CHR validated reports show that the military presence in some areas in Metro Manila are not solely for community services, but likewise patrolling said areas to detect the presence of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army) / insurgents and prevent recruitment of residents into their organization, and also to address criminalities,” Quisumbing said.
But while the CHR appreciates the military’s community service at the barangay level, Quisumbing said it is not “within the appropriate time considering the crises / issues of human rights violations, foremost of which, the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country implicating some members of the (AFP) as perpetrators.”
“Let it be emphasized that the country, apparently, is in normal situation and the responsibility in the maintenance of peace and order in Philippine society is not the primary responsibility of the (AFP), as the law reposed such responsibility, principally, upon the law enforcement agencies of the State,” Quisumbing wrote.
She specifically identified the PNP as the “agency responsible for the maintenance of peace and order and public safety, while the AFP is “to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory.”
The letter was received by the AFP, the PNP and the DILG last March 19th; by the Office of Senate President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Jose de Venecia last March 20th; and by Malacañang last March 21st.
Sought for comment on the request of troops pull out, AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said: “The Chief of Staff is considering it very seriously because this might have an effect on the areas where we also have troop deployments… like Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga cities.”
Bacarro said Esperon wishes to discuss the matter further with the CHR before coming up with a final decision.
But in a separate interview, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino said he would want the troops to remain in the metropolis, citing the threat of penetration by communist insurgents.
“There are reports that they are trying to infiltrate… to establish their staging point… They have been saying that they want to surround the city from the countryside, haven’t they? Now, they want to enter the city already because they could no longer establish in the countryside,” Tolentino said.
To prove his point, Tolentino recalled the presence of SPARU units in Metro Manila who carried out liquidation operations against former members of the communist movement.
He also pointed out that while the PNP is doing good in its job, the organization is undermanned.
“We are contributing because the PNP is our partner,” Tolentino said./DMS
March 23, 2007
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is wary about the presence of military troops in Metro Manila that it asked the Philippine government, particularly the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership, to pull them out immediately.
In a letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Calderon, CHR Chairman Purificacion Quisumbing said there is “no prevalent lawless violence which would necessitate the deployment of military personnel in urban residential areas in Metro Manila.”
“The deployment and presence of the military in urban areas, particularly in depressed communities within Metropolitan Manila, raise human rights serious curtailment of the free exercise of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of persons,” reads a part of Quisumbing’s three-page letter dated March 16, 2006.
“In this vein, the Commission calls upon the Government, particularly the top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to recall all military personnel deployed in and patrolling certain urban residential areas in Metro Manila as they are generally into police work,” it added.
Members of the Philippine Army’s Civil Military Operations (CMO) Battalion, which is under the operational control of the AFP National Capital Region Command (NCRCom), were deployed in urban poor and Moslem communities in Metro Manila since November of last year.
CMO Battalion commander Col. Ricardo Visaya said the deployment is part of the military’s help to maintain peace and order in the communities, and at the same time to train its men for peacekeeping missions.
Visaya had said that there are 26 teams, each composed of nine to 10 personnel, deployed in different barangays in Caloocan City, Taguig City, Quezon City and Manila City.
Following the admission of the AFP early this month about the troops deployment, Quisumbing said the CHR immediately dispatched quick reaction teams to said areas to verify.
And indeed, they have validated the presence of troops inn the following areas: Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City; barangays located along the railways near España Avenue, Manila City; Pandacan, Manila City; Barangay 592, Sta. Mesa, Manila City; Barangay 176 Hall Annex Package 5, Phase 9, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City; Barangay Lupang Pangako, Payatas, Quezon City; Unit 7, Fairview, Quezon City; Ideal Subdivision, Fairview, Quezon City; and, Barangay Ususan, Taguig City.
“In summation, CHR validated reports show that the military presence in some areas in Metro Manila are not solely for community services, but likewise patrolling said areas to detect the presence of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army) / insurgents and prevent recruitment of residents into their organization, and also to address criminalities,” Quisumbing said.
But while the CHR appreciates the military’s community service at the barangay level, Quisumbing said it is not “within the appropriate time considering the crises / issues of human rights violations, foremost of which, the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country implicating some members of the (AFP) as perpetrators.”
“Let it be emphasized that the country, apparently, is in normal situation and the responsibility in the maintenance of peace and order in Philippine society is not the primary responsibility of the (AFP), as the law reposed such responsibility, principally, upon the law enforcement agencies of the State,” Quisumbing wrote.
She specifically identified the PNP as the “agency responsible for the maintenance of peace and order and public safety, while the AFP is “to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory.”
The letter was received by the AFP, the PNP and the DILG last March 19th; by the Office of Senate President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Jose de Venecia last March 20th; and by Malacañang last March 21st.
Sought for comment on the request of troops pull out, AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said: “The Chief of Staff is considering it very seriously because this might have an effect on the areas where we also have troop deployments… like Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga cities.”
Bacarro said Esperon wishes to discuss the matter further with the CHR before coming up with a final decision.
But in a separate interview, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino said he would want the troops to remain in the metropolis, citing the threat of penetration by communist insurgents.
“There are reports that they are trying to infiltrate… to establish their staging point… They have been saying that they want to surround the city from the countryside, haven’t they? Now, they want to enter the city already because they could no longer establish in the countryside,” Tolentino said.
To prove his point, Tolentino recalled the presence of SPARU units in Metro Manila who carried out liquidation operations against former members of the communist movement.
He also pointed out that while the PNP is doing good in its job, the organization is undermanned.
“We are contributing because the PNP is our partner,” Tolentino said./DMS
Friday, March 23, 2007
AFP destroys firearms seized from armed groups
By Ronron
March 22, 2007
Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. led on Thursday the ceremonial disposal of confiscated, captured, surrendered or recovered firearms from groups regarded as enemies of the government.
About 1,600 firearms of assorted types were presented to Ebdane during the celebration of the Philippine Army’s 110th anniversary at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, which was also participated by Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino.
But not all will be destroyed since some may still be classified as standard firearms that may be re-issued to the AFP and the PNP.
Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the firearms displayed Thursday are part of the 53,805 overall assorted firearms now in the inventory of the AFP.
The said firearms were seized by government forces through the years from communist rebels, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and other threat groups.
“Regardless of the nature of their recovery, these firearms are testaments of the Philippine Army’s success stories in combat, intelligence and civil military operations,” Torres said.
“These enemy firearms are among the tangible results of the successful operations of the Army in defeating the enemy in line with the pronouncements of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to finish the insurgency by 2010,” he added.
Torres said proper disposal of said firearms is mandated by the AFP leadership to prevent them from going back to the hands of “terrorists, criminals, and insurgent groups, thus prevent the proliferation of loose firearms.”
The demilitarization of the firearms begins with cutting them into several pieces, followed by burning the cut pieces.
The Army leadership estimates that about 40,000 of the 53,805 firearms will be due for destruction since they are no longer serviceable.
“Residues or metal scraps (from those destroyed) will be disposed of thru public auction and the proceeds of the residues will form part of the trust fund to support the AFP Modernization Program,” Torres said.
On the other hand, “those found serviceable will be integrated back to the supply line of either the AFP and the PNP, ready for re-issuance after functional test,” he said.
“While all firearms used as evidence in any pending case will be kept by the Forward Service Support Units for appropriate court orders are evidence,” he added.
Among those destroyed by Ebdane, Esperon and Tolentino were an M16, M79, and AK 47.
“The destruction of these firearms signals the destruction of enemy armed components and the shift of focus in creating an environment conducive to national peace and development,” Torres said.
Thursday’s event institutionalized the disposal process that were previously done in different supply units of the AFP all over the country.
Torres said starting this year, the disposal of said firearms will be done every March and December in the different area commands and at Camp Aguinaldo./DMS
March 22, 2007
Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. led on Thursday the ceremonial disposal of confiscated, captured, surrendered or recovered firearms from groups regarded as enemies of the government.
About 1,600 firearms of assorted types were presented to Ebdane during the celebration of the Philippine Army’s 110th anniversary at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, which was also participated by Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino.
But not all will be destroyed since some may still be classified as standard firearms that may be re-issued to the AFP and the PNP.
Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the firearms displayed Thursday are part of the 53,805 overall assorted firearms now in the inventory of the AFP.
The said firearms were seized by government forces through the years from communist rebels, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and other threat groups.
“Regardless of the nature of their recovery, these firearms are testaments of the Philippine Army’s success stories in combat, intelligence and civil military operations,” Torres said.
“These enemy firearms are among the tangible results of the successful operations of the Army in defeating the enemy in line with the pronouncements of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to finish the insurgency by 2010,” he added.
Torres said proper disposal of said firearms is mandated by the AFP leadership to prevent them from going back to the hands of “terrorists, criminals, and insurgent groups, thus prevent the proliferation of loose firearms.”
The demilitarization of the firearms begins with cutting them into several pieces, followed by burning the cut pieces.
The Army leadership estimates that about 40,000 of the 53,805 firearms will be due for destruction since they are no longer serviceable.
“Residues or metal scraps (from those destroyed) will be disposed of thru public auction and the proceeds of the residues will form part of the trust fund to support the AFP Modernization Program,” Torres said.
On the other hand, “those found serviceable will be integrated back to the supply line of either the AFP and the PNP, ready for re-issuance after functional test,” he said.
“While all firearms used as evidence in any pending case will be kept by the Forward Service Support Units for appropriate court orders are evidence,” he added.
Among those destroyed by Ebdane, Esperon and Tolentino were an M16, M79, and AK 47.
“The destruction of these firearms signals the destruction of enemy armed components and the shift of focus in creating an environment conducive to national peace and development,” Torres said.
Thursday’s event institutionalized the disposal process that were previously done in different supply units of the AFP all over the country.
Torres said starting this year, the disposal of said firearms will be done every March and December in the different area commands and at Camp Aguinaldo./DMS
Palparan to join Congress
By Ronron
March 22, 2007
Controversial retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan, Jr. will participate in the upcoming elections as a party-list group nominee.
Palparan made the confirmation Thursday during the sidelines of the 110th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonfiacio, Taguig City.
“Yes, we are working that out,” he said when asked if will run for Congress this May 14 elections.
However, he did not identify his party-list organization pending their final decision on it.
“It came out that I was going to represent ANAD (Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy). I am not going to represent ANAD,” Palparan said.
He said the people in areas where he used to serve as a military commander were the ones who prodded him to run for Congress. “They are like orphans. Many of them have risked their lives. In Samar, many were killed. So, I have to also be back to support them. It’s not good if I abandon them,” he said.
Palparan was referring to members of the Barangay Defense System, the Bantay Bayan, barangay tanods and CAFGUs whom he helped organize while still in the active service to counter insurgents.
He admitted it is the same sector that he is going to represent in Congress if the party-list organization wins.
“Yes, the advocacy is national security, all people engaged in security but remain marginalized. These are the communities that are fighting against our enemies,” Palparan said of his organization.
Asked how could CAFGUs be marginalized, he replied: “They are only earning P1,800. Security guards are earning only P8,000.”
Palparan said President Gloria Macpagal-Arroyo, who hailed him in her 2006 State of the Nation Address, is already aware of his political plans, and has given him her go-signal, saying it is his right.
Paplaran is popularly known to militants as the “butcher, executioner and number one human rights violator” for allegedly masterminding the spate of killings and disappearances of activists.
But he was recently cleared by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) due to lack of evidence against said allegations./DMS
March 22, 2007
Controversial retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan, Jr. will participate in the upcoming elections as a party-list group nominee.
Palparan made the confirmation Thursday during the sidelines of the 110th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonfiacio, Taguig City.
“Yes, we are working that out,” he said when asked if will run for Congress this May 14 elections.
However, he did not identify his party-list organization pending their final decision on it.
“It came out that I was going to represent ANAD (Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy). I am not going to represent ANAD,” Palparan said.
He said the people in areas where he used to serve as a military commander were the ones who prodded him to run for Congress. “They are like orphans. Many of them have risked their lives. In Samar, many were killed. So, I have to also be back to support them. It’s not good if I abandon them,” he said.
Palparan was referring to members of the Barangay Defense System, the Bantay Bayan, barangay tanods and CAFGUs whom he helped organize while still in the active service to counter insurgents.
He admitted it is the same sector that he is going to represent in Congress if the party-list organization wins.
“Yes, the advocacy is national security, all people engaged in security but remain marginalized. These are the communities that are fighting against our enemies,” Palparan said of his organization.
Asked how could CAFGUs be marginalized, he replied: “They are only earning P1,800. Security guards are earning only P8,000.”
Palparan said President Gloria Macpagal-Arroyo, who hailed him in her 2006 State of the Nation Address, is already aware of his political plans, and has given him her go-signal, saying it is his right.
Paplaran is popularly known to militants as the “butcher, executioner and number one human rights violator” for allegedly masterminding the spate of killings and disappearances of activists.
But he was recently cleared by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) due to lack of evidence against said allegations./DMS
Palparan elated with CHR findings on him
By Ronron
March 22, 2007
Controversial retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan is elated with the findings on him by a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commissioner as regards as his alleged involvement in human rights abuses.
“I am happy because finally, the CHR has come out with findings that is based on factual and truthful investigation,” Palparan told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of the 110th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Palparan said he has been expecting the “clearance” as he had been confident that he did nothing wrong from the start.
But as to the findings against him by the Melo Commission and United Nations Special Rapporteur Philippine Alston, he explained: “Usually, the investigating body just follow the propaganda lines of the militants, the accusers. That’s why there are no conclusive statements that they can make.”
Palparan said that what sets the CHR probe, particularly that of Commissioner Eligio Mallari, apart from the Melo Commission and Alston’s fact-finding missions is the former’s appreciation of facts.
He shrugged off the continued criticisms against him despite his being cleared by Mallari.
“To my critics, I leave it to them. If they (the general public) are monitoring, then they can properly decide who to believe. They are just critics, they are just basing their opinion on hearsays,” Palparan said.
“If it’s not in their favor, they would always object. But if it’s in their favor, like the Melo Commission and Alston whose findings are not based on facts, they are celebrating,” he continued.
Palparan confided that while his family also expected his vindication, they remain worried about the “continued barrage of propaganda against me.”
He admitted the militant groups are good in putting him down with their propaganda against him. “But we should not surrender, should we? We should not submit ourselves,” he said.
Palparan was tagged by militant groups as “butcher and number one violator of human rights” for allegedly masterminding a number of unexplained killings and disappearances of militants.
But he has consistently denied the allegations, saying he is just being targeted by the Left-leaning groups because he is gaining success in his counter-insurgency campaigns wherever he is assigned.
The allegations against Palparan started first when he commanded a brigade of the Philippine Army in Mindoro in 2001. It dragged on until he retired in September last year./DMS
March 22, 2007
Controversial retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan is elated with the findings on him by a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commissioner as regards as his alleged involvement in human rights abuses.
“I am happy because finally, the CHR has come out with findings that is based on factual and truthful investigation,” Palparan told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of the 110th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Palparan said he has been expecting the “clearance” as he had been confident that he did nothing wrong from the start.
But as to the findings against him by the Melo Commission and United Nations Special Rapporteur Philippine Alston, he explained: “Usually, the investigating body just follow the propaganda lines of the militants, the accusers. That’s why there are no conclusive statements that they can make.”
Palparan said that what sets the CHR probe, particularly that of Commissioner Eligio Mallari, apart from the Melo Commission and Alston’s fact-finding missions is the former’s appreciation of facts.
He shrugged off the continued criticisms against him despite his being cleared by Mallari.
“To my critics, I leave it to them. If they (the general public) are monitoring, then they can properly decide who to believe. They are just critics, they are just basing their opinion on hearsays,” Palparan said.
“If it’s not in their favor, they would always object. But if it’s in their favor, like the Melo Commission and Alston whose findings are not based on facts, they are celebrating,” he continued.
Palparan confided that while his family also expected his vindication, they remain worried about the “continued barrage of propaganda against me.”
He admitted the militant groups are good in putting him down with their propaganda against him. “But we should not surrender, should we? We should not submit ourselves,” he said.
Palparan was tagged by militant groups as “butcher and number one violator of human rights” for allegedly masterminding a number of unexplained killings and disappearances of militants.
But he has consistently denied the allegations, saying he is just being targeted by the Left-leaning groups because he is gaining success in his counter-insurgency campaigns wherever he is assigned.
The allegations against Palparan started first when he commanded a brigade of the Philippine Army in Mindoro in 2001. It dragged on until he retired in September last year./DMS
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Canadian government donates anti-nuke equipment to RP
By Ronron
March 21, 2007
The Canadian government on Wednesday donated to the Philippines several pieces of equipment that can be used to counter chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear (CBRN) attacks in the future.
The “contribution” of 247,638 Canadian dollars worth of equipment was formalized by the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by Philippine Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. and Canadian Ambassador to Manila Peter Sutherland.
The MOA signing was held yesterday morning at the Department of National Defense (DND) building inside Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“What we are doing actually is a must for the government agencies so that they will be prepared to react to such situation (CBRN attacks)… And we need this so that the personnel of the first responders will be protected,” Ebdane told reporters after the ceremonial signing.
The donation include 100 pieces of Respirator C4, 1,000 pieces of Respirator Canister, 300 CBRN Suits, 240 boots, 240 gloves, and, 30 kit bags, all for personnel protection; 150 pieces of 3-way-detect paper, 150 pieces of Nav-D, and three pieces of Drager CDS Kits complete with extra tubes, all for detection capability; and, four Dosimeter (Siemens EPD Mk.2.3), four TBM-3s Pancake Meter, four Face Plate (TBM-3S), two Meters FH-40G, one Software PC program, and, one Interface Cable, all four Radiation Detection.
The equipment will be distributed among agencies attached to the Philippine’s National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). These are: the Joint Special Operations Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Bureau of Fire Protection; the Department of Health; the Environment Management Bureau; the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute; the Philippine Coast Guard; the Manila International Airport Authority; the Philippine Ports Authority; the Metro Manila Development Authority; the National Bureau of Investigation; the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police; and the Philippine General Hospital.
Sutherland said he expects that after the distribution of all equipment, the receiving Philippine government agencies will “be able to function more effectively when addressing the threat posed by terrorism and transnational crimes.”
“It’s ironic, we are turning this over to you. But we sincerely hope you never have to use it. It’s like an insurance policy,” the envoy said.
In response, Ebdane said: “It’s better to have one and don’t need it, rather than to need it and don’t have it.”
Ebdane pointed out that there were already CBRN incidents in Japan, Pakistan and London, and threats in the US mainland.
“It’s a wakeup call to all other countries to prepare for such eventuality so that if something happens similar to that, there will be specific personnel from specific agencies that can react,” he said.
But he clarified that at the moment, “there are no indicators” of any CBRN threat in the Philippines./DMS
March 21, 2007
The Canadian government on Wednesday donated to the Philippines several pieces of equipment that can be used to counter chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear (CBRN) attacks in the future.
The “contribution” of 247,638 Canadian dollars worth of equipment was formalized by the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by Philippine Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. and Canadian Ambassador to Manila Peter Sutherland.
The MOA signing was held yesterday morning at the Department of National Defense (DND) building inside Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“What we are doing actually is a must for the government agencies so that they will be prepared to react to such situation (CBRN attacks)… And we need this so that the personnel of the first responders will be protected,” Ebdane told reporters after the ceremonial signing.
The donation include 100 pieces of Respirator C4, 1,000 pieces of Respirator Canister, 300 CBRN Suits, 240 boots, 240 gloves, and, 30 kit bags, all for personnel protection; 150 pieces of 3-way-detect paper, 150 pieces of Nav-D, and three pieces of Drager CDS Kits complete with extra tubes, all for detection capability; and, four Dosimeter (Siemens EPD Mk.2.3), four TBM-3s Pancake Meter, four Face Plate (TBM-3S), two Meters FH-40G, one Software PC program, and, one Interface Cable, all four Radiation Detection.
The equipment will be distributed among agencies attached to the Philippine’s National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). These are: the Joint Special Operations Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Bureau of Fire Protection; the Department of Health; the Environment Management Bureau; the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute; the Philippine Coast Guard; the Manila International Airport Authority; the Philippine Ports Authority; the Metro Manila Development Authority; the National Bureau of Investigation; the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police; and the Philippine General Hospital.
Sutherland said he expects that after the distribution of all equipment, the receiving Philippine government agencies will “be able to function more effectively when addressing the threat posed by terrorism and transnational crimes.”
“It’s ironic, we are turning this over to you. But we sincerely hope you never have to use it. It’s like an insurance policy,” the envoy said.
In response, Ebdane said: “It’s better to have one and don’t need it, rather than to need it and don’t have it.”
Ebdane pointed out that there were already CBRN incidents in Japan, Pakistan and London, and threats in the US mainland.
“It’s a wakeup call to all other countries to prepare for such eventuality so that if something happens similar to that, there will be specific personnel from specific agencies that can react,” he said.
But he clarified that at the moment, “there are no indicators” of any CBRN threat in the Philippines./DMS
Court arraigns Leviste despite opposition
By Ronron
March 21, 2007
A Makati City court proceeded on Wednesday with the arraignment of former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste for his murder case despite his opposition.
Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 entered a plea of “not guilty” for Leviste after the latter refused to cite one.
Leviste, the estranged husband of opposition senatorial candidate Loren Legarda, was charged with murder over the death of his long-time associate Rafael delas Alas last January 12 inside his office in Makati City.
Leviste’s lawyers opposed at the start of yesterday’s proceedings the arraignment, saying the Court of Appeals has yet to rule on the petition for certiorari they filed for the quashing of the case.
The defense lawyers are questioning the elevation of the case from homicide to murder by the Department of Justice (DOJ). They maintain that the case should only be homicide, which is bailable and carries a much lesser penalty of imprisonment for 12 years up to 20 years, compared with murder, which is non-bailable and is punishable by lifetime imprisonment.
Leviste had admitted to the committing the crime but said it was in self-defense.
But Alameda said the arraignment can proceed since it will not in any way prejudice the pending petition of the defense before the CA.
Thus, after his arraignment, the court proceeded with hearing the petition for bail of the defense.
The prosecution, headed by DOJ Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, started presenting their evidence to refute said petition by bring to the witness stand Supt. Elizalde Odi of the Southern Police District Scene of the Crime Operatives.
The proceedings started at 9am and ended 12:45 pm.
Alameda set the next hearing on March 28, and on April 18 and 25.
Leviste is currently detained at the Makati City Jail./DMS
March 21, 2007
A Makati City court proceeded on Wednesday with the arraignment of former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste for his murder case despite his opposition.
Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150 entered a plea of “not guilty” for Leviste after the latter refused to cite one.
Leviste, the estranged husband of opposition senatorial candidate Loren Legarda, was charged with murder over the death of his long-time associate Rafael delas Alas last January 12 inside his office in Makati City.
Leviste’s lawyers opposed at the start of yesterday’s proceedings the arraignment, saying the Court of Appeals has yet to rule on the petition for certiorari they filed for the quashing of the case.
The defense lawyers are questioning the elevation of the case from homicide to murder by the Department of Justice (DOJ). They maintain that the case should only be homicide, which is bailable and carries a much lesser penalty of imprisonment for 12 years up to 20 years, compared with murder, which is non-bailable and is punishable by lifetime imprisonment.
Leviste had admitted to the committing the crime but said it was in self-defense.
But Alameda said the arraignment can proceed since it will not in any way prejudice the pending petition of the defense before the CA.
Thus, after his arraignment, the court proceeded with hearing the petition for bail of the defense.
The prosecution, headed by DOJ Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, started presenting their evidence to refute said petition by bring to the witness stand Supt. Elizalde Odi of the Southern Police District Scene of the Crime Operatives.
The proceedings started at 9am and ended 12:45 pm.
Alameda set the next hearing on March 28, and on April 18 and 25.
Leviste is currently detained at the Makati City Jail./DMS
Southern Tagalog supporters of Satur storm AFP headquarters
By Ronron
March 21, 2007
At least 200 supporters of Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo from Southern Tagalog stormed the Armed Forces headquarters in Quezon City on Wednesday morning to protest the arrest of their leader and what they call as the ongoing “urban and rural militarization” sanctioned by the government.
Coming from Calamba, Laguna, the group arrived at Gate 2 of Camp Aguinaldo along EDSA aboard 15 jeepneys at around 10:30 am. The participants come from Quezon, Rizal, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna, said Oscar Lapida, Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog spokesman.
“We are letting the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) realize that despite their continuing repression against us, we continue to protest against them,” Lapida said in Filipino.
Shouting in Filipino, the group called for the release of Ocampo who was arrested Friday last week over his multiple murder case at a Leyte court.
“This rally is also to call for the release of Ka Satur, Ka Bel (Crispin Beltran, Anakpawis Representative), and all political officers. We condemn the Red-beating of the AFP and the PNP (Philippine National Police),” Lapida said.
From Camp Aguinaldo, the group proceeded to the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters where they will hold a vigil there until the 23rd, said Lapida. The protesters began marching at around 1 pm.
As a precautionary move, the camp closed Gate 2 and fielded at least 20 civil disturbance management personnel. A barbed wire fence was also placed in front of the protesters.
To distract the rally, a loud disco music was played from the gate, eating up the chants and speeches delivered by the protesters.
Ocampo is being charged for the alleged purging of communist rebels in the mid-1980’s in Leyte when he was still a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines./DMS
March 21, 2007
At least 200 supporters of Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo from Southern Tagalog stormed the Armed Forces headquarters in Quezon City on Wednesday morning to protest the arrest of their leader and what they call as the ongoing “urban and rural militarization” sanctioned by the government.
Coming from Calamba, Laguna, the group arrived at Gate 2 of Camp Aguinaldo along EDSA aboard 15 jeepneys at around 10:30 am. The participants come from Quezon, Rizal, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna, said Oscar Lapida, Bayan Muna-Southern Tagalog spokesman.
“We are letting the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) realize that despite their continuing repression against us, we continue to protest against them,” Lapida said in Filipino.
Shouting in Filipino, the group called for the release of Ocampo who was arrested Friday last week over his multiple murder case at a Leyte court.
“This rally is also to call for the release of Ka Satur, Ka Bel (Crispin Beltran, Anakpawis Representative), and all political officers. We condemn the Red-beating of the AFP and the PNP (Philippine National Police),” Lapida said.
From Camp Aguinaldo, the group proceeded to the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters where they will hold a vigil there until the 23rd, said Lapida. The protesters began marching at around 1 pm.
As a precautionary move, the camp closed Gate 2 and fielded at least 20 civil disturbance management personnel. A barbed wire fence was also placed in front of the protesters.
To distract the rally, a loud disco music was played from the gate, eating up the chants and speeches delivered by the protesters.
Ocampo is being charged for the alleged purging of communist rebels in the mid-1980’s in Leyte when he was still a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines./DMS
CHR clears Palparan from allegations of human rights abuses
By Ronron
March 21, 2007
An officer of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has cleared retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. from allegations that he abused his power as commander of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division by allegedly sanctioning human rights violations in his area of responsibility.
In a 20-page resolution, CHR Commissioner Eligio Mallari said complainants from Karapatan-Gitnang Luzon (Central Luzon), and Mothers and Relatives Against Tyranny (MARTYR) failed to cite specific allegations against Palparan.
“A careful scrutiny of the complaint shows that there is no specific allegation made against the NOLCOM (Northern Luzon Command) Commander (Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos), and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan. They were impleaded in the charge in their official capacity as the NOLCOM and 7th Infantry Division commanders, respectively,” Mallari wrote.
Karapatan-GL and Martyr brought up alleged human rights violation cases against Ramos, Palparan and several other military officers that allegedly happened from 2004 until last year.
But Mallari said the complainants merely tagged Tolentino and Palparan as “key implementers of the Government’s counter-insurgency program called Operational Plan (OPLAN) Bantay Laya.”
Palparan has been called by militant groups as “No. 1 violator of human rights” and “butcher,” among others, as he allegedly masterminded several harassments and killings of activists starting his stint as brigade commander in Mindoro in 2001 until he retired in September last year.
He has consistently denied the allegation, and challenged his accusers to bring out evidence and charge him before any court.
In earlier interviews, Palparan said he surmised that the title attached to his name is part is a major propaganda effort of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its sympathizers in the legal front as he claimed he is winning in his counter-insurgency campaigns wherever he is assigned.
“Well-settled is the rule that bare allegations, unsubstantiated by evidence, are not equivalent to proof. It is a basic rule on evidence that he who alleges a fact has the burden to prove the same,” Mallari said.
“With the aforecited reasons, the complaint against Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan must necessarily fail,” he added.
The same resolution also cleared from the same allegations Col. Ricardo Visaya, then commander of the 69th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Noel Clement, then commander of the 56th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Joselito Kakilala, then commander of the 48th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano, then commander of the 71st Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, then commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion; 1Lt. Roselio Cabarliza and 1Lt. Romeo Publico of the 24th IB.
Similar complaints against Supt. Rizalino Andaya, chief of police of Ubando, Bulacan, and Lt. Col. Edito Nisnisan of the 70th IB were also dismissed by Mallari for lack of merit.
“It is lamentable that these human rights violations averred in the complaint by Karapatan and Martyr cannot be proven with sufficiency,” Mallari said.
But Mallari found “prima facie evidence” against Lt. Elmer Taglinawan, who was accused of harassing a pastor and his two daughters in Nueva Ecija middle of last year on suspicion that they were members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Mallari recommended the filing of case against Taglinawan, who belongs to the 48th IB, before the proper forum.
He also directed the CHR III to strictly monitor the cases against two enlisted personnel.
Sought for comment on the CHR’s findings on Palparan, Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said the allegations against Palparan should now become a “close story.”
“The CHR is an independent body. So, if (he was) cleared by the CHR, the CHR must have studied the case properly, all the facts… That vindicates him,” said Carolina, himself a retired general.
“Now that his name has been cleared by the CHR, that should close the whole story. We should be fair to Gen. Palparan,” he added.
Carolina admitted that from the start, the defense department has “never doubted” Palparan.
He said it was unfortunate that Palparan “was tried by publicity,” which, he said, was unfair.
“In other words, their (Palparan’s critics) propaganda did not pay off,” Carolina said.
Mallari’s report was dated January 31, 2007, but its disclosure was purposely withheld until after United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alson completed his investigation last February to avoid a “messing up of the situation.”
Until after it is adapted by the CHR en banc, the report will remain as Mallari’s and not of the entire body, explained Marie Cruz of the CHR Public Information Office./DMS
March 21, 2007
An officer of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has cleared retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. from allegations that he abused his power as commander of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division by allegedly sanctioning human rights violations in his area of responsibility.
In a 20-page resolution, CHR Commissioner Eligio Mallari said complainants from Karapatan-Gitnang Luzon (Central Luzon), and Mothers and Relatives Against Tyranny (MARTYR) failed to cite specific allegations against Palparan.
“A careful scrutiny of the complaint shows that there is no specific allegation made against the NOLCOM (Northern Luzon Command) Commander (Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos), and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan. They were impleaded in the charge in their official capacity as the NOLCOM and 7th Infantry Division commanders, respectively,” Mallari wrote.
Karapatan-GL and Martyr brought up alleged human rights violation cases against Ramos, Palparan and several other military officers that allegedly happened from 2004 until last year.
But Mallari said the complainants merely tagged Tolentino and Palparan as “key implementers of the Government’s counter-insurgency program called Operational Plan (OPLAN) Bantay Laya.”
Palparan has been called by militant groups as “No. 1 violator of human rights” and “butcher,” among others, as he allegedly masterminded several harassments and killings of activists starting his stint as brigade commander in Mindoro in 2001 until he retired in September last year.
He has consistently denied the allegation, and challenged his accusers to bring out evidence and charge him before any court.
In earlier interviews, Palparan said he surmised that the title attached to his name is part is a major propaganda effort of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its sympathizers in the legal front as he claimed he is winning in his counter-insurgency campaigns wherever he is assigned.
“Well-settled is the rule that bare allegations, unsubstantiated by evidence, are not equivalent to proof. It is a basic rule on evidence that he who alleges a fact has the burden to prove the same,” Mallari said.
“With the aforecited reasons, the complaint against Lt. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan must necessarily fail,” he added.
The same resolution also cleared from the same allegations Col. Ricardo Visaya, then commander of the 69th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Noel Clement, then commander of the 56th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Joselito Kakilala, then commander of the 48th Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano, then commander of the 71st Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, then commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion; 1Lt. Roselio Cabarliza and 1Lt. Romeo Publico of the 24th IB.
Similar complaints against Supt. Rizalino Andaya, chief of police of Ubando, Bulacan, and Lt. Col. Edito Nisnisan of the 70th IB were also dismissed by Mallari for lack of merit.
“It is lamentable that these human rights violations averred in the complaint by Karapatan and Martyr cannot be proven with sufficiency,” Mallari said.
But Mallari found “prima facie evidence” against Lt. Elmer Taglinawan, who was accused of harassing a pastor and his two daughters in Nueva Ecija middle of last year on suspicion that they were members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Mallari recommended the filing of case against Taglinawan, who belongs to the 48th IB, before the proper forum.
He also directed the CHR III to strictly monitor the cases against two enlisted personnel.
Sought for comment on the CHR’s findings on Palparan, Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said the allegations against Palparan should now become a “close story.”
“The CHR is an independent body. So, if (he was) cleared by the CHR, the CHR must have studied the case properly, all the facts… That vindicates him,” said Carolina, himself a retired general.
“Now that his name has been cleared by the CHR, that should close the whole story. We should be fair to Gen. Palparan,” he added.
Carolina admitted that from the start, the defense department has “never doubted” Palparan.
He said it was unfortunate that Palparan “was tried by publicity,” which, he said, was unfair.
“In other words, their (Palparan’s critics) propaganda did not pay off,” Carolina said.
Mallari’s report was dated January 31, 2007, but its disclosure was purposely withheld until after United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alson completed his investigation last February to avoid a “messing up of the situation.”
Until after it is adapted by the CHR en banc, the report will remain as Mallari’s and not of the entire body, explained Marie Cruz of the CHR Public Information Office./DMS
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
New PNPA graduates molded to fight insurgents too
By Ronron
March 20, 2007
Aside from dealing with criminal cases, the new graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) for this year are also prepared to deal with the problem of communist insurgency, which was recently delegated as well to the PNP.
PNPA Director Sr. Supt. Balligi Agnanayon Tira said during Tuesday’s media forum at Camp Crame that the 238 members of the PNPA Class of 2007 underwent seminars on the insurgency problem in the country following the authorization given to the PNP to take active role in the internal security operations (ISO) handled traditionally only by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“We have given them seminars on how to approach insurgents. They have to be humane enough to understand the causes of insurgency,” Tira said of the upcoming graduates.
On June 14, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order 546 that allowed the PNP to fight actively against the New People’s Army (NPA) upon proper coordination with the AFP.
This came days after she ordered the AFP and the PNP to crush the insurgency movement, which has prevailed in the country for almost four decades now, before she ends her term in 2010.
Tira said the PNPA Class of 2007 will hold their graduation rites this coming Thursday at the PNPA headquarters in Silang, Cavite.
Of the batch, 197 will join the PNP, 19 will go to the jail bureau, and the remaining 22 will join the fire protection bureau, said Tira.
A PNPA graduate immediately gets the rank of an Inspector.
This year’s graduates include 26 female cadets, two of whom made it to the Top 10 of the class.
The 7,100 strong NPA has being waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years./DMS
March 20, 2007
Aside from dealing with criminal cases, the new graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) for this year are also prepared to deal with the problem of communist insurgency, which was recently delegated as well to the PNP.
PNPA Director Sr. Supt. Balligi Agnanayon Tira said during Tuesday’s media forum at Camp Crame that the 238 members of the PNPA Class of 2007 underwent seminars on the insurgency problem in the country following the authorization given to the PNP to take active role in the internal security operations (ISO) handled traditionally only by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“We have given them seminars on how to approach insurgents. They have to be humane enough to understand the causes of insurgency,” Tira said of the upcoming graduates.
On June 14, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order 546 that allowed the PNP to fight actively against the New People’s Army (NPA) upon proper coordination with the AFP.
This came days after she ordered the AFP and the PNP to crush the insurgency movement, which has prevailed in the country for almost four decades now, before she ends her term in 2010.
Tira said the PNPA Class of 2007 will hold their graduation rites this coming Thursday at the PNPA headquarters in Silang, Cavite.
Of the batch, 197 will join the PNP, 19 will go to the jail bureau, and the remaining 22 will join the fire protection bureau, said Tira.
A PNPA graduate immediately gets the rank of an Inspector.
This year’s graduates include 26 female cadets, two of whom made it to the Top 10 of the class.
The 7,100 strong NPA has being waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years./DMS
Police presents two alleged victims of extrajudicial killings from Karapatan records
By Ronron
March 20, 2007
Police presented on Tuesday two alleged victims of extrajudicial killings reported by the human rights advocate group Karapatan, but who turned out to be “well and alive.”
During the weekly media forum at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Task Force USIG Commander Chief Supt. Geary Barias identified the two as Danilo Fajardo, 43, a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU); and Hilario Paraon, a farmer.
Fajardo comes from Barangay Tibagan, while Paraon hails from Barangay Buliran, both of San Miguel, Bulacan.
“These two gentlemen, Mr. Paraon and Mr. Fajardo, are listed in the Karapatan list of the 800 plus (victims of extrajudicial killings). And they are found to be alive. They are here with us,” Barias said.
Sr. Supt. Buenaventura Viray, Jr., deputy police provincial director of Bulacan, said in an ambush interview after the forum that Fajardo was reported by Karapatan to have been killed last February 18, 2005, while Paraon was reportedly slain last February 21, 2006.
Fajardo is listed by Karapatan as a victim of case No. 650, while Paraon is a victim of case No. 652, Barias said.
Viray said the two were discovered “well and alive” at their respective residences during a visit by policemen last March 7 to verify the Karapatan report.
Barias disclosed that the task force is verifying 207 cases out of those presented by Karapatan, which include those of Fajardo’s and Paraon’s.
“That is only to show that Task Forces USIG is continuing its validation of the list… This brings to five already those from the list of Karapatan (that we found out to be not true),” Barias said.
“Task Force USIG is determined really to pursues these cases under the task force,” he added.
Barias identified the three other false victims as Edwin Mascariñas of Mindoro; Renato Bugtong of Batangas; and, Marites dela Cruz of Isabela. Mascariñas and Bugtong were already presented by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. in an earlier press conference.
Both the task force and the military accuse the Karapatan figure as “padded and inaccurate” as it supposedly includes those perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) and cases of legitimate encounters./DMS
March 20, 2007
Police presented on Tuesday two alleged victims of extrajudicial killings reported by the human rights advocate group Karapatan, but who turned out to be “well and alive.”
During the weekly media forum at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Task Force USIG Commander Chief Supt. Geary Barias identified the two as Danilo Fajardo, 43, a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU); and Hilario Paraon, a farmer.
Fajardo comes from Barangay Tibagan, while Paraon hails from Barangay Buliran, both of San Miguel, Bulacan.
“These two gentlemen, Mr. Paraon and Mr. Fajardo, are listed in the Karapatan list of the 800 plus (victims of extrajudicial killings). And they are found to be alive. They are here with us,” Barias said.
Sr. Supt. Buenaventura Viray, Jr., deputy police provincial director of Bulacan, said in an ambush interview after the forum that Fajardo was reported by Karapatan to have been killed last February 18, 2005, while Paraon was reportedly slain last February 21, 2006.
Fajardo is listed by Karapatan as a victim of case No. 650, while Paraon is a victim of case No. 652, Barias said.
Viray said the two were discovered “well and alive” at their respective residences during a visit by policemen last March 7 to verify the Karapatan report.
Barias disclosed that the task force is verifying 207 cases out of those presented by Karapatan, which include those of Fajardo’s and Paraon’s.
“That is only to show that Task Forces USIG is continuing its validation of the list… This brings to five already those from the list of Karapatan (that we found out to be not true),” Barias said.
“Task Force USIG is determined really to pursues these cases under the task force,” he added.
Barias identified the three other false victims as Edwin Mascariñas of Mindoro; Renato Bugtong of Batangas; and, Marites dela Cruz of Isabela. Mascariñas and Bugtong were already presented by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. in an earlier press conference.
Both the task force and the military accuse the Karapatan figure as “padded and inaccurate” as it supposedly includes those perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) and cases of legitimate encounters./DMS
Police files administrative charges against CAFGU men in Salay over Gandinao killing
By Ronron
March 20, 2007
Police on Tuesday filed an administrative charge against members of a Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) detachment in Salay, Misamis Oriental over the killing of Sichi Gandinao last March 10.
Task Force USIG Commander Chief Supt. Geary Barias said during the weekly media forum at Camp Crame, Quezon City that the TF Force USIG - Region 10 filed the case before the Office of the Ombudsman – Region 10 in Cagayan de Oro City.
Charged for alleged violation of Section 3-F of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act are Corporal Apang Abdul Muner, assistant detachment commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion in Salay, and his two personnel.
“The case that will be filed today… is because of their inaction to the request of the daughter and husband of Sichi Gandinao … for help,” Barias said.
Barias disclosed that the CAFGU detachment was located only about a hundred meters away from the place where Gandinao was shot dead.
Gandinao, 56, was walking with her daughter, Elda, and husband, Ancilmito, along the barangay road of Guinalaban village in Salay at around 3pm of March 10 when an unidentified gunman approached her and opened fire.
The suspect escaped on foot.
The Left-leaning party-list group Bayan Muna claims that Gandinao is their member, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said she is an asset of the military.
Gandinao’s sister, Divina, told police, however, during the initial investigation that as far she knows, Sichi is a member only of the Misamis Oriental Farmers Association.
Since Gandinao is not a member of the militant group, Barias clarified that the killing of Gandinao is not really under the TF USIG’s scope of investigation. But he is pursuing the case, nonetheless, as chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM).
“Apparently, the CAFGUs failed to respond. We call that under our law as nonfeasance. Failure to take action is equally a criminal offense,” Barias explained the filing of case against the para-militarymen.
Violation of Section 3-F of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act carries a penalty of imprisonment for six years and one day, up to 15 years, and perpetual disqualification from holding any government position, he said.
Barias admitted, though, that there is no suspect yet pinpointed in the ongoing investigation. “At this time, Task Force USIG is still gathering evidence to pinpoint the suspects in the killing of Sichi,” he said.
TF USIG is currenlty investigating 118 cases of extrajudicial killings of militants and 26 cases of journalist killings./DMS
March 20, 2007
Police on Tuesday filed an administrative charge against members of a Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) detachment in Salay, Misamis Oriental over the killing of Sichi Gandinao last March 10.
Task Force USIG Commander Chief Supt. Geary Barias said during the weekly media forum at Camp Crame, Quezon City that the TF Force USIG - Region 10 filed the case before the Office of the Ombudsman – Region 10 in Cagayan de Oro City.
Charged for alleged violation of Section 3-F of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act are Corporal Apang Abdul Muner, assistant detachment commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion in Salay, and his two personnel.
“The case that will be filed today… is because of their inaction to the request of the daughter and husband of Sichi Gandinao … for help,” Barias said.
Barias disclosed that the CAFGU detachment was located only about a hundred meters away from the place where Gandinao was shot dead.
Gandinao, 56, was walking with her daughter, Elda, and husband, Ancilmito, along the barangay road of Guinalaban village in Salay at around 3pm of March 10 when an unidentified gunman approached her and opened fire.
The suspect escaped on foot.
The Left-leaning party-list group Bayan Muna claims that Gandinao is their member, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said she is an asset of the military.
Gandinao’s sister, Divina, told police, however, during the initial investigation that as far she knows, Sichi is a member only of the Misamis Oriental Farmers Association.
Since Gandinao is not a member of the militant group, Barias clarified that the killing of Gandinao is not really under the TF USIG’s scope of investigation. But he is pursuing the case, nonetheless, as chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM).
“Apparently, the CAFGUs failed to respond. We call that under our law as nonfeasance. Failure to take action is equally a criminal offense,” Barias explained the filing of case against the para-militarymen.
Violation of Section 3-F of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act carries a penalty of imprisonment for six years and one day, up to 15 years, and perpetual disqualification from holding any government position, he said.
Barias admitted, though, that there is no suspect yet pinpointed in the ongoing investigation. “At this time, Task Force USIG is still gathering evidence to pinpoint the suspects in the killing of Sichi,” he said.
TF USIG is currenlty investigating 118 cases of extrajudicial killings of militants and 26 cases of journalist killings./DMS
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
AFP looking for another alleged mass grave in Leyte
By Ronron
March 19, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday said its troops in Leyte province are looking for another mass grave in Inopacan town where a similar site was discovered in August last year that led to the filing of multiple murder case against Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, and over 50 other personalities from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the witnesses who led to the “Garden” mass grave site at Sitio Sapang Dako, Barangay Kaulisihan in August last year have confided to local authorities in Inopacan about the existence of another site.
“There are still some areas that were mentioned by the witnesses that are also mass graves. So these are being traced now. There is an effort to locate these other areas which they say have mass graves almost the same size as the first one,” Bacarro told Camp Aguinaldo reporters in Filipino by phone.
And, he said, the witnesses claimed that Ocampo also ordered the purging of the victims who were buried in these alleged new sites.
But until the remains from these alleged new grave sites are found, the military can not definitely say if Ocampo is liable for another set of murder charges.
“We will check later, if, for example, the witnesses who came out today will be able to identify the new remains, and then say that their killing was ordered by Rep. Satur Ocampo. It is only then we can file another case,” Bacarro said.
At least 67 skeletal remains were found at the “Garden” on August 26, 2007 by the military, local government officials, and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The military estimates that between 100 to 400 bodies were buried in the area, as claimed by witnesses.
The identification of 15 of the exhumed remains resulted in the filing of case against Ocampo, CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, and other CPP personalities.
On Friday, Ocampo was arrested in Manila City after filing a petition at the Supreme Court for the nullification of the arrest warrant issued against him by a Leyte court in relation to said case.
Ocampo claims the case was just a rehash and is meant to persecute him and all Left-leaning organizations. He said the military and the government, particularly National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, is using the case against him to cover up for the political killings being blamed to the AFP and Malacañang.
But Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, the commander of the 8th Infantry Division based in Samar at the time the “Garden” was discovered, said the location of the grave site is enough proof that the exhumed skeletons could not have been planted.
“It’s about 1,000 feet above sea level and the reporters who joined CS AFP (Esperon) saw for themselves how difficult the terrain was. So my response to Satur: Get Real! He should face the relatives of the victims of the NPA’s barbarism,” Maclang said in a text message./DMS
March 19, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday said its troops in Leyte province are looking for another mass grave in Inopacan town where a similar site was discovered in August last year that led to the filing of multiple murder case against Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, and over 50 other personalities from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the witnesses who led to the “Garden” mass grave site at Sitio Sapang Dako, Barangay Kaulisihan in August last year have confided to local authorities in Inopacan about the existence of another site.
“There are still some areas that were mentioned by the witnesses that are also mass graves. So these are being traced now. There is an effort to locate these other areas which they say have mass graves almost the same size as the first one,” Bacarro told Camp Aguinaldo reporters in Filipino by phone.
And, he said, the witnesses claimed that Ocampo also ordered the purging of the victims who were buried in these alleged new sites.
But until the remains from these alleged new grave sites are found, the military can not definitely say if Ocampo is liable for another set of murder charges.
“We will check later, if, for example, the witnesses who came out today will be able to identify the new remains, and then say that their killing was ordered by Rep. Satur Ocampo. It is only then we can file another case,” Bacarro said.
At least 67 skeletal remains were found at the “Garden” on August 26, 2007 by the military, local government officials, and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The military estimates that between 100 to 400 bodies were buried in the area, as claimed by witnesses.
The identification of 15 of the exhumed remains resulted in the filing of case against Ocampo, CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, and other CPP personalities.
On Friday, Ocampo was arrested in Manila City after filing a petition at the Supreme Court for the nullification of the arrest warrant issued against him by a Leyte court in relation to said case.
Ocampo claims the case was just a rehash and is meant to persecute him and all Left-leaning organizations. He said the military and the government, particularly National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, is using the case against him to cover up for the political killings being blamed to the AFP and Malacañang.
But Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, the commander of the 8th Infantry Division based in Samar at the time the “Garden” was discovered, said the location of the grave site is enough proof that the exhumed skeletons could not have been planted.
“It’s about 1,000 feet above sea level and the reporters who joined CS AFP (Esperon) saw for themselves how difficult the terrain was. So my response to Satur: Get Real! He should face the relatives of the victims of the NPA’s barbarism,” Maclang said in a text message./DMS
AFP denies Esperon ordered hasty attempted transfer of Ocampo to Leyte court Monday
By Ronron
March 19, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied allegations that its Chief of Staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., ordered the attempted transfer of Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo on Monday to the court in Leyte.
AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the attempted transfer of Ocampo was purely a Philippine National Police (PNP) business, noting that the solon was under the custody of the Manila Police District (MPD) and not the military.
“General Esperon has nothing to do with that because it is already with the Philippine National Police and of course, the Philippine National Police is just following the process as to where Satur Ocampo should be placed,” Bacarro said.
Supporters of Ocampo blamed Esperon and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales for the attempted transfer of Ocampo yesterday to the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 of Hilongos, Leyte where the arrest warrant against him originated.
Roberto de Castro, deputy Secretary General of Bayan Muna, said during the group’s rally yesterday morning at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City that Esperon and Malacañang are hell-bent on putting Ocampo to jail as part of its pressure against their party-list organization.
De Castro led at least 60 Bayan Muna supporters who gathered yesterday at Camp Crame to denounce what they say as “persecution” and “inhumane treatment” of Ocampo.
Ocampo was arrested last Friday after he filed at the Supreme Court his petition to nullify the arrest warrant issued against him by Judge Ephrem Abando of Hilongos, Leyte RTC Branch 18 in relation to allegations he masterminded the purging of communist rebels in the mid-1980’s.
In an interview later in the day after his return at the MPD, Ocampo reiterated that the case of multiple murder against him and more than 50 others was fabricated by the Arroyo government, particularly by Gonzales, to cover up for the political killings it has allegedly sanctioned.
Ocampo was flown back to Manila even before reaching Leyte after the Department of Interior and Local Government received a faxed copy of Abando’s order, ordering the MPD to continue taking Ocampo under its custody until afte r the March 23 oral argument at the Supreme Court.
Ocampo was back at the MPD past 3pm./DMS
March 19, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied allegations that its Chief of Staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., ordered the attempted transfer of Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo on Monday to the court in Leyte.
AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the attempted transfer of Ocampo was purely a Philippine National Police (PNP) business, noting that the solon was under the custody of the Manila Police District (MPD) and not the military.
“General Esperon has nothing to do with that because it is already with the Philippine National Police and of course, the Philippine National Police is just following the process as to where Satur Ocampo should be placed,” Bacarro said.
Supporters of Ocampo blamed Esperon and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales for the attempted transfer of Ocampo yesterday to the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 of Hilongos, Leyte where the arrest warrant against him originated.
Roberto de Castro, deputy Secretary General of Bayan Muna, said during the group’s rally yesterday morning at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City that Esperon and Malacañang are hell-bent on putting Ocampo to jail as part of its pressure against their party-list organization.
De Castro led at least 60 Bayan Muna supporters who gathered yesterday at Camp Crame to denounce what they say as “persecution” and “inhumane treatment” of Ocampo.
Ocampo was arrested last Friday after he filed at the Supreme Court his petition to nullify the arrest warrant issued against him by Judge Ephrem Abando of Hilongos, Leyte RTC Branch 18 in relation to allegations he masterminded the purging of communist rebels in the mid-1980’s.
In an interview later in the day after his return at the MPD, Ocampo reiterated that the case of multiple murder against him and more than 50 others was fabricated by the Arroyo government, particularly by Gonzales, to cover up for the political killings it has allegedly sanctioned.
Ocampo was flown back to Manila even before reaching Leyte after the Department of Interior and Local Government received a faxed copy of Abando’s order, ordering the MPD to continue taking Ocampo under its custody until afte r the March 23 oral argument at the Supreme Court.
Ocampo was back at the MPD past 3pm./DMS
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