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Abrenios used as shield vs. NPA, denounce 41st IB

BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 7) — Residents of Lenneng, Baay-Licuan, Abra denounced the elements of the 41st Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the death of one farmer and injury of two others on August 14 in the said area in a press conference here.

Lenneng Kagawad Diony Brillantes, who was in te press conference disclosed that he and one Noriel Tuanquin suffered serious physical injuries. Francisco Tangbawan, his father-in-law, died when they were forced by elements of the 41st IB headed by 2nd Lt. Victor Leopoldo to accompany them during a pursuit operations against suspected elements of the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the said area.

Dr. Ana Marie Leung of the Community Health Education Services and Training in the Cordillera Region (CHESTCORE) said that Tangbawan’s autopsy registered that internal hemorrhage caused his death.

Brillantes told the press that earlier that day, six men suspected to be NPA guerrillas came to his house and asked if they could rest, cook and eat there, which he allowed because they seemed nice and harmless. He added that the suspected NPAs even bought one of his goats for their food.

A few minutes later, the NPAs left when they saw elements of the 41st IB approaching.

“Instead of chasing the NPA, the soldiers came to my house and interrogated me with their guns pointed at me and Noriel. Later, they forced us to accompany them,” Brillantes said in Ilokano.

Brillantes said he pleaded with the soldiers to leave them behind since they are civilians but to no avail. He added that Leopoldo knows that he is a barangay kagawad.

He further said that around 30 soldiers were with them. On the way up the mountain opposite the direction that the NPA elements fled to, he saw his father-in-law (Tangbawan) tending cows and the soldiers forced him to go with them.

According to Brillantes, while they were resting on top of the mountain, they heard an explosion and they were thrown into the aire. The next thing he knew he was lying on the ground. He saw Tuanquin a few inches near him, while his father-in-law was a few meters away. He tried to get up to check on Tangbawen but failed. He heard one of the soldiers say that his father-in-law was already dead.

Brillantes added that the soldiers even denied them medical assistance when they were wounded from the explosion and that even when they begged that they be released to seek medical help, the soldiers refused. He said the soldiers just watched them while they were in pain.

“They did not do anything. In fact, we would not have been hurt had they (soldiers) not brought us along with them. We are civilians and had nothing to do with the operations,” Brillantes stressed. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS

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