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Philippine Army 21st IB soldiers harass farmers in Kalinga

TABUK, Kalinga (Feb. 18) – The 21st Infantry Battalion is becoming more notorious for its repeated harassment of farming folk here in the province, as a local human rights desk filed two recent human rights incidents involving the Army unit.

On Feb. 5 at about 10 a.m., 21st IB troops based at Tappo, Pinukpuk town, seized Delfin Maling, 36, single, and a farmer of sitio Penepek, Baay, also in Pinukpuk, on suspicion that he is a supporter of the New People’s Army.

According to a report by the Kalinga human rights desk of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), Maling was returning home from his fields when soldiers on combat operation in the vicinity accosted him for carrying an airgun and an ICOM handset radio with an improvised battery charger.

The CPA-Kalinga HR desk said the soldiers pummelled Maling with punches and rifle butts even as he denied being an NPA supporter.

The troops belonged to the battalion’s Bravo Company commanded by Capt. Leandro Adena.

Maling claimed that the ICOM hand set was owned by Pinukpuk Mayor Irving Dasayon and had lent it to him during the May 2004 election campaign. He explained that he did not return it since the mayor has not yet paid him for his campaign services.

The next day, the soldiers brought Maling to the Kalinga Provincial Police Office at Camp Juan Duyan, here in Bulanao, Tabuk. He was released on Feb. 7 after signing a sworn statement.

Earlier, on Jan. 31 at about 8 a.m., 21st IB troops led by Lt. Joeden Ornegan based at Cagaluan Gate, Pasil town manhandled Gilbert Aposta, 23, single, and a farmer of sitio Liglig, Tanglag, Lubuagan town.

According to another report by the CPA-Kalinga HR desk, Aposta was on his way to pick up some freight in Cagaluan Gate when the soldiers stopped him at sitio Calad and asked where the local NPA camp was.

Since he couldn’t give them the information they wanted, the soldiers allegedly force-fed Aposta with pandesal while threatening him with a knife.

Harassed, the young farmer returned to Tanglag without his cargo and reported the incident to the barangay officials.

The next day, the barangay officials went to the Army detachment to try to resolve Aposta’s complaint. According to the report, they were frustrated since the soldiers merely wanted to schedule a meeting with the Tanglag community for the purpose of setting up a permanent detachment. # Jimmy Suwagon for NORDIS

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