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Army, PNP out of Lepanto now — CHRA

Increase in human rights violations seen

BAGUIO CITY (Aug. 12) — The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) this week called for the immediate pullout of the Army unit recently deployed in Mankayan, Benguet to prevent more human rights violations (HRVs) already perpetrated by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in strike-ridden Lepanto. The troop deployment was reportedly due to increasing instances of New People’s Army (NPA) sightings in the municipality.

The PNP was deployed in Lepanto following the Assumption of Jurisdiction order by Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Sec. Patricia Sto. Tomas on May 10. In a statement, the CHRA also called for the PNP pullout.

The PNP has committed cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, harassment, grave coercion and physical injuries to the workers and their families, said the CHRA.

Meanwhile, the Lepanto Employees Union (LEU), already on its third month of strike reported that 14 dispersals took place since June 17 in their picket lines, injuring hundreds of workers, including women. Most of the dispersals took place from 2:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Twenty-three workers were arbitrarily arrested on two instances on July 7 . These workers were released with the assistance of the CHRA and other human rights lawyers from Baguio City.

Senior. Supt. Villamor Bumanglag however said the PNP is not accountable for these HRVs.

The CHRA also noted that the PNP has violated civilian authority when it did not heed the Benguet Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Resolution No. 05-213 signed on June 26 instructing the PNP to maintain itself 50 meters away form the picket line.

“NPA sightings”

Armed Forces of the Philippines-Civil Relations Group (AFP-CRG)’s Major Vicente Basilan and Bumanglag confirmed the presence of the military in Mankayan. The Army’s intelligence reports showed that at least 40 red fighters were seen in Brgy. Bedbed recently. Another 140 were reportedly seen in the Benguet (Mankayan) and Ilocos Sur (Cervantes) boundary.

A local television interview with Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) Spokesperson Preme Monta last June however confirmed that the PNP and military deployment is meant to protect expansion operations of Lepanto in Cervantes and to aid in the entry of foreign mining companies.

In an interview with Resident Manager Augusto Villaluna on May 31, he said that the military deployment in the area was also due to these “sightings”.

The CHRA said that the AFP is putting up a farce on the alleged NPA presence in Lepanto and among the workers’ ranks to cover up the “real issues, which is the just and rightful demands of the workers.”

“The CHRA stands by its principle to pursue and defend people’s rights. In this case, we assert that it is the basic right of the LEU to press for just wages and benefits, which are legal and legitimate under the Philippine Constitution and other international labor laws”, the human rights advocates said in their statement.

Meanwhile, Baguio-based human rights group Dinteg Indigenous Law Center expressed concern over the “mounting violence over the handling of the workers on-strike versus the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. (LCMC)” in a letter to DoLE Sec. Sto. Tomas.

“Several of our advocates and lawyers were witnesses to the violent engagement in the recent march-rally in July 23 where several workers and police elements suffered from physical injuries in the aftermath of stone throwing and gun shooting. It has also come to our attention that a kid was locked crying inside a bunkhouse as PNP elements forcibly padlocked the bunkhouses of so-called dismissed workers,” Dinteg claimed in its letter signed by its Board of Directors Chair and City Councilor Atty. Jose M. Molintas.

Dinteg also called for the immediate pullout of the PNP’s Task Force Lepanto and to refrain from deploying further armed personnel in the picketlines. Dinteg stated that the presence of armed elements, has triggered unnecessary violence and has violated the workers’ right to strike.

Reinstate the workers

Dinteg further claimed that the solution to the labor dispute is for Lepanto management to reinstate the 19 union officers and members, stressing that management’s union busting also infringes the workers’ right to strike.

“Thus, on the issue of dismissal of Union leaders, we are taking a strong stand in favor of the workers”, the organization claimed.

Lastly, the human rights group called on Lepanto management to “be sensitive of the communal ethos and Igorot beliefs that is keeping the fighting spirit of the miners ever burning. To the Igorot miners, going back to work while leaving their leaders out-of-job is self-serving, dishonorable and a betrayal, consequences of which will be endured by their children and grandchildren, and therefore, unacceptable”. # Abigail T. Bengwayan for NORDIS

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