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Militarization aggravates human rights situation in Cordillera

Kalinga most militarized

BAGUIO CITY (Dec. 10)—The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) said this week that the political and economic situation of the country reflects the current state of human rights of the nation —globalization-driven, such that people’s democratic rights are “structurally denied and violated”.

On its human rights report in the region under the Arroyo administration, the CHRA told delegates to its 2nd Assemly on Dec. 9-10 that “the subservience of President Gloria Arroyo to globalization and the war on terror has bred mounting incidents of violations of people’s rights”.

The people’s movement in the region especially indigenous peoples’ opposition to local and foreign investors “development projects” has been met with intensive militarization in the countrysides.

“It seems that the (Cordillera) region was born with militarization”, quipped CHRA Secretary General Atty. Randy Kinaud who presented the report.

The CHRA reported that over 590 individuals and 6 urban and rural communities fell victims to human rights violations (HRVs) in the Cordillera under the Arroyo regime. Two infantry brigades of the 5th Infantry Divsision are currently based here, the 501st Valiant Brigae in Tabuk, Kalinga, and the 502nd Liberator Brigade in Bontoc, Mt. Province.

Meanwhile, the 503rd Justice and Peace Brigade which is Ilocos Sur-based extends its operations in Abra and nearby areas of Kalinga through the 41st IB in Lagangilang, Abra.

Kalinga: most militarized

Kalinga remains the most militarized province in the region, according to CHRA.

There are at least 9 Citizen Armed Geographic Unit (CAFGU) companies in 28 patrol areas, 29 Civilian Armed Auxiliary (CAA) patrol bases in the province; one brigade, two battalions with four companies and one Separate Rifle Company of the 21st IB.

Here, military and paramilitary auxiliaries conduct commando-type operations while conducting medical missions coordinated with local government units where people’s organizations are strong, said CHRA.

Similarly, members of the 54th and 77th IB conduct military operations in Ifugao communities where NPA (New People’s Army) presence is perceived to be strong. The Alpha Coy of the 54th IB bases in Lamut while the Bravo Coy of the 77th IB is based in Banaue. The latter IB also maintains detachments in Pinto, Alfonso Lista, Haliap, and Asipulo of the same province.

To quell people’s opposition to militarization, these forces use quite a range of tactics.

“In Abra, they use the soft, civic approach,” the CHRA reported.

Aside from medical missions and literacy programs, military and paramilitary forces here also engage in community work and social gatherings, posing as sponsors or ninong in weddings. The 503rd Brigade operates in the following Abra towns: Lagangilang, Manabo, San Juan, Baay-Licuan, Sallapadan, and Tineg.

The 502nd Brigade which operates in Mt. Province also extends its operations in the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, and Isabela.

Active CAFGU, CAA, CPLA recruitment

The CHRA reported that recruitment in paramilitary groups including the Cordillera Liberation People’s Army (CPLA) is active in the region, especially in the 10 Abra towns. In the same province, warlords such as Molina, Benwaren, Dominic Valera, and Pacuña even employ the CPLA as security personnel.

Despite its history of atrocities to the Cordillera people, including the deaths of Ama Daniel Ngayaan in Kalinga and Romy Gardo in Abra both in 1987, the CPLA has been integrated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) through an executive order by Arroyo in 2001.

The CPLA is reportedly active in “illegal and terrorist activities, such as extortion and kidnap for ransom”, the CHRA said.

The CHRA called for the disarming of these paramilitary groups to prevent them from inflicting harm to peace in the communities. Kinaud said the 6-month military training the CAFGU’s undertook was not enough, and in fact, ill-prepared them to military service.

“They are not prepared to handle wounded combatants and non-combatants. They are not trained to make arrests and how to handle their wards. Neither are they taught to act courteously in front of community folk,” Kinaud said of the CAFGU training. He added that the CAFGUs are more threatening and are more dangerous than the military, adding that there is no command responsibility when a CAFGU commits atrocities.

Trend: summary execution

The CHRO said that documented HRVs record a pattern of summary execution, where farmer-hunters alleged as supporters or are themselves red fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA). Such is the circumstance for the killings of Efren Agsayang in Benguet, Johnny Camareg and Etfew Chadyaas in Mt. Province, Victor Balais in Kalinga, and Gavino Law-agey and Bernabe Banguey in Abra.

The military allege that most of these victims are NPA members or supporters but testimonies from the victims’ families and villages claim otherwise.

Violations to international humanitarian laws were likewise reported, such as in the torture and death of a red fighter last month in Kalinga also in the hands of the military.

CHRA questions the manner with which the military handled these cases citing that they could have just arrested suspected NPA’s if indeed these were not legitimate residents.

Violence against women and children include two incidents of gang rape, 7incidents of rape, 3 cases of attempted rape, 11 cases of sexual harassment, and one case of a woman forced into sex slavery. Identified perpetrators are military and police personnel, the CHRA said.

State terrorism

During the assembly, Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) described the national human rights situation a “state of terror”, with 2,560 cases of HRVs from 2001 to 2004. The figure translates to 198,308 individuals, 18,977 families, 123 communities, and 1,016 households.

The rising death toll among media practitioners and human rights workers is also indicative of the state terrorism measures unleashed by the government to quell the growing people’s movement, Karapatan said.
As of November 2004, the rights group documented 233 political prisoners, most of these are charged with criminal cases to cover the political nature of their detention. # AT Bengwayan for NORDIS

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