Aurora church workers face military harassments 06-01-08

	NORDIS WEEKLY January 8, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Aurora church workers face military harassments
*Building burned on Christmas Day* BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 6) — Elements of the 48th Infantry Battallion-Philippine Army (IBPA) of the Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) under the command of Col. Joselito Kakilala based in Aurora allegedly burned three buildings of the Bataris Foundation Center in Buhangin, Baler, Aurora on Christmas day, December 25. Bataris personnel estimated the total damages close to P1 million. According to the fact sheet e-mailed to Nordis, at around 4:30 a.m., a resident living at the back side of the Bataris center heard sounds like that of rain drops, which turned out to be the early stage of the burning flames inside Che-Che, the female sleeping quarter. At around 5:30 a.m., a loud explosion echoed through the neighborhood. The oil tank of Eddie Pujeda’s motorcycle (Yamaha 250) exploded and so did Joey Estriber’s motorcycle (Yamaha RS 100) which was also parked in the said compound. Pujeda, vice-president of Justice and Peace Action Group of Aurora (JPAG), left his motorcycle in the compound when he went home for the holidays. Estriber is a Bataris staff. Concerned neighbors informed the Philippine National Police (PNP) Baler Station who later informed the Fire Brigade station of Baler. Bataris staff arrived a few minutes and together with neighbors and other concerned citizens tried to douse the flames and kept the nearby buildings wet with buckets of water. PNP Baler personnel came to the site later. A fire truck arrived at around 6:20 a.m. and the fire was under control after 30 minutes. The Che-Che Building, Pujeda and Estriber’s motorcycles were totally destroyed. The other buildings, the session Hall “Obeth” and the male sleeping quarter’s Ben & Pio were also damaged. Ben & Pio’s walls were partially burned. At the crime site, Bataris staff found a partially burned plastic container, a plastic bag and a broken steel bar of the fence, which were turned over to the investigating officer, PO2 Larry Lorente. Fortunately, no Bataris member was hurt during the said incident because everybody went home for the holidays. Bataris members believe that the alleged arson was the handiwork of the 48th IBPA based on previous incidents of harassment against Bataris personnel perpetrated by the said soldiers. The latest harassment incident was that of Alfonso van Zijil, the executive director of Bataris Formation Center, and Manding Colcol, a Bataris member, on December 14 when they removed a streamer tagging Bataris, JPAG and Multi-Sectoral Action Group (MSAG)-Aurora as terrorist organizations from a tree along the highway. According to the same fact sheet, Cocol and van Zijil were aboard a motorcycle on the way to Sitio Hacienda, Brgy. Nonong, San Luis to bring to Brgy. Councilor Morgan Novicio Bataris’ 2006 calendar when a gray, old model Nissan passenger car blocked them. Two men jumped out of the car, one wearing a t-shirt with ARMY printed on it, the other in plain civilian clothes, approached them, while two others remained inside the car. One of the men grabbed the streamer from Colcol and van Zijil, unfolded it and asked them if they understood what was written on it. The man wearing an ARMY t-shirt introduced himself as an army officer based in Sitio Dimayaan, San Luis, and demanded from Colcol his driver’s license, which the latter refused to give. The said army officer further ordered the two to go with them to the military camp of the 48th IB Charlie Coy in Sitio Dimayaan, Brgy. Diteki, San Luis, which they again refused to heed. “We proposed that if they wanted to talk to us, we could talk at the Office of Mayor Mariano Tangson of San Luis, after which we decided to return to the town proper. The car with the military men, most probably armed, turned around and followed us at close distance, which installed great fear to us,” the fact sheet read. Founded in 1987, Bataris served as an alternative learning center for basic sectors and lay people. Bishop Emeritus Julio X. Labayen OCD of the Prelature of Infanta chairs the Board of Trustees. # via NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
Home \| Back to top	Previous \| Next

	NORDIS WEEKLY January 8, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Aurora church workers face military harassments
*Building burned on Christmas Day* BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 6) — Elements of the 48th Infantry Battallion-Philippine Army (IBPA) of the Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) under the command of Col. Joselito Kakilala based in Aurora allegedly burned three buildings of the Bataris Foundation Center in Buhangin, Baler, Aurora on Christmas day, December 25. Bataris personnel estimated the total damages close to P1 million. According to the fact sheet e-mailed to Nordis, at around 4:30 a.m., a resident living at the back side of the Bataris center heard sounds like that of rain drops, which turned out to be the early stage of the burning flames inside Che-Che, the female sleeping quarter. At around 5:30 a.m., a loud explosion echoed through the neighborhood. The oil tank of Eddie Pujeda’s motorcycle (Yamaha 250) exploded and so did Joey Estriber’s motorcycle (Yamaha RS 100) which was also parked in the said compound. Pujeda, vice-president of Justice and Peace Action Group of Aurora (JPAG), left his motorcycle in the compound when he went home for the holidays. Estriber is a Bataris staff. Concerned neighbors informed the Philippine National Police (PNP) Baler Station who later informed the Fire Brigade station of Baler. Bataris staff arrived a few minutes and together with neighbors and other concerned citizens tried to douse the flames and kept the nearby buildings wet with buckets of water. PNP Baler personnel came to the site later. A fire truck arrived at around 6:20 a.m. and the fire was under control after 30 minutes. The Che-Che Building, Pujeda and Estriber’s motorcycles were totally destroyed. The other buildings, the session Hall “Obeth” and the male sleeping quarter’s Ben & Pio were also damaged. Ben & Pio’s walls were partially burned. At the crime site, Bataris staff found a partially burned plastic container, a plastic bag and a broken steel bar of the fence, which were turned over to the investigating officer, PO2 Larry Lorente. Fortunately, no Bataris member was hurt during the said incident because everybody went home for the holidays. Bataris members believe that the alleged arson was the handiwork of the 48th IBPA based on previous incidents of harassment against Bataris personnel perpetrated by the said soldiers. The latest harassment incident was that of Alfonso van Zijil, the executive director of Bataris Formation Center, and Manding Colcol, a Bataris member, on December 14 when they removed a streamer tagging Bataris, JPAG and Multi-Sectoral Action Group (MSAG)-Aurora as terrorist organizations from a tree along the highway. According to the same fact sheet, Cocol and van Zijil were aboard a motorcycle on the way to Sitio Hacienda, Brgy. Nonong, San Luis to bring to Brgy. Councilor Morgan Novicio Bataris’ 2006 calendar when a gray, old model Nissan passenger car blocked them. Two men jumped out of the car, one wearing a t-shirt with ARMY printed on it, the other in plain civilian clothes, approached them, while two others remained inside the car. One of the men grabbed the streamer from Colcol and van Zijil, unfolded it and asked them if they understood what was written on it. The man wearing an ARMY t-shirt introduced himself as an army officer based in Sitio Dimayaan, San Luis, and demanded from Colcol his driver’s license, which the latter refused to give. The said army officer further ordered the two to go with them to the military camp of the 48th IB Charlie Coy in Sitio Dimayaan, Brgy. Diteki, San Luis, which they again refused to heed. “We proposed that if they wanted to talk to us, we could talk at the Office of Mayor Mariano Tangson of San Luis, after which we decided to return to the town proper. The car with the military men, most probably armed, turned around and followed us at close distance, which installed great fear to us,” the fact sheet read. Founded in 1987, Bataris served as an alternative learning center for basic sectors and lay people. Bishop Emeritus Julio X. Labayen OCD of the Prelature of Infanta chairs the Board of Trustees. # via NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
Home \| Back to top	Previous \| Next