Soldiers shoot, arrest 2 farmers in San Narciso, Quezon – rights group

By JUSTIN UMALI
Bulatlat.com

CABUYAO CITY, Laguna – Claiming that an armed encounter took place between the military and the New People’s Army (NPA), elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shot at and arrested two farmers in barangay Guinhalinan, San Narciso, Quezon province, December 12, according to rights group Tanggol Quezon.

Ronilo Villanueva is a coconut farmer who was found by elements of the 85th Infantry Battalion while out processing copra. Tanggol Quezon said Villanueva was shot on the knee and stomach before he was arrested on unknown charges. Another farmer named Genero was also arrested, according to eyewitness accounts.

This is contrary to the Philippine Army’s claims that an armed encounter between them and the New People’s Army took place in the area, and that Villanueva and Genero are NPA supporters who were “caught in the crossfire.” The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also released statements stating that Tanggol Quezon is an “NPA front organization” conducting a “fake” fact-finding mission.

Tanggol Quezon called this a “cover-up” of the actual events meant to “prevent the truth from coming out.”
“Although the AFP annually boasts about its allegedly clean human rights record,” Tanggol Quezon said in its statement, “[this record is] continuously marked by incidents of harassment, intimidation, illegal arrests, and even killing.”

Relaying the results of their fact-finding mission, the group stated that Villanueva is “detained by the [AFP’s] Southern Luzon Command in Camp Guillermo Nakar, Lucena City.” He was operated on in Quezon Medical Center owing to his injuries and brought to the camp on December 16, four days after the incident.

However, Tanggol Quezon states that they have no information on Genero, whom they fear is “still facing torture or is being hidden by the military.”

Ignoring civilian authority

Tanggol Quezon also accused the military of “imposing on civilian authority” in barangays Guinhalinan and nearby San Isidro.

According to the group, the military “forced” local barangay officials in Guinhalinan and San Isidro to release a “certificate of legitimate encounter” in their barangays. Tanggol Quezon also noted that the 85th IBPA “actively tried to hinder” the humanitarian team throughout their fact-finding mission, ranging from checkpoints and surveillance to “strong-arming” barangay officials into declaring their organization as persona-non-grata.

In one instance, a vehicle carrying uniformed soldiers forced its way inside the compound where the fact-finding team was staying, while intelligence agents were spotted conducting surveillance.

Tanggol Quezon also reported that since the incident, the situation in Brgy. Guinhalinan was reminiscent of “de facto martial law,” with checkpoints set up by the 85th IBPA and soldiers using the barangay hall as their encampment site. The military also imposed a “lockdown” in the barangay and prevented local wedding celebrations and Christmas parties.

“The AFP is ignoring the civilian authority of local officials and the people of San Narcisco in imposing their extortionate policies,” the group said. “This is no different from their old tactics meant to cover-up the truth and propagate false information that implicates anyone daring to know the true state of human rights in the countryside [as communists].”

The International Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) described the 85th IBPA’s actions in San Narciso as violating International Humanitarian Law, citing in particular the Geneva Conventions and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

ICHRP noted that Villanueva’s and Genero’s rights as civilians were violated following their “shooting and arbitrary arrest.” The group also denounced the militarization in Brgy. Guinhalinan, citing this as violation of the principles of international humanitarian law.

“These incidents also add to the 85th IBPA’s long list of human rights and IHL violations against the people of Quezon,” the organization said in its statement. ICHRP cited incidents such as the arrest of farmer Roberto Mendoza, the filing of “trumped-up cases of financing terrorism and the use of the Anti-Terror Act” against Yulesita Ibañez, Lieshel Mendoza, and Liezel Merchales; and paralegals Paul Tagle and Fritz Labiano, and the arrests of Rowena Dasig and Miguela Peniero.

Human rights group Karapatan Southern Tagalog also noted that the 85th IBPA’s tactics were “not far” from the 2022 killing of nine-year old Kyllene Casao in Taysan, Batangas. “The military tried to make it out like [Casao was] a casualty from an encounter between the AFP and the NPA, but according to the residents, no encounter took place when Kyllene was killed,” said the group. “Not only that, but the 59th IB continued to harass the Casao family and the humanitarian team in an effort to cover up their thirst for using heads as trophies.”

Tanggol Quezon is calling for the immediate release of both Villanueva and Genero. The group is also urging the local government of San Narcisco to “not allow the intimidation and prevention civilian authority” at the hands of the 85th IBPA. (RVO)