HR group investigates Kalinga HRVs 06-07-09

	NORDIS WEEKLY July 9, 2006
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HR group investigates Kalinga HRVs
BAGUIO CITY (July 7) — The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) dispatched a fact finding mission (FFM) to investigate reported attempted murder of at least three peasants in Pinukpuk, Kalinga. The latest victims are Orlando Awingan, 60 and wife Petrona, 55 who escaped death after a strafing incident on June 30 in Limos, Pinukpuk by unidentified armed forces between 10:00P.M.to 11:00P.M. Orlando said he and his wife were awakened by the sound of an approaching vehicle. A few minutes later, someone stoned their roof twice. After the second stoning he shouted and seconds after, a volley of gunfire hit their house. Orlando and his wife took cover instinctively. “We dropped to the ground and crawled towards the window and headed to the backyard. Heavy gunfire continued but we got out of the house and maneuvered to the nearby forest. It was very dark. We sustained bruises and abrasions but we went on,” Orlando narrated in Iloko. Earlier Nordis report said Orlando was missing and feared abducted but the recently concluded FFM found him safe. Orlando and his wife sought refuge in the woods until he was sure it was safe to return to the community. According to CHRA reports, the strafing is part of the anti-insurgency campaign of the military operating in the area particularly the 21st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army since his children are involved in progressive groups labeled as communist fronts. The group also reported suspected conspiracy between the military and Barangay Captain Diohenes Gopa-al in the said incident due to personal motives. Gopa-al reportedly filed a civil case against Orlando. Orlando said prior to the strafing incident, sometime last August, soldiers issued a warrant of arrest and invited him to the nearby military detachment for allegedly keeping arms in his house but Petrona insisted to go to Gopa-al’s house, instead. They stayed there until 3:00A.M. Authorities did not find any firearm in Orlando’s house. The Lejo Cawilan Command (LCC)-New People’s Army (NPA)-Kalinga in a statement denounced the said strafing saying that the armed men are suspected vindictive elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) who wanted to kill the couple because they are parents of another NPA guerilla. The same statement said a soldier of the 21st IB was killed and two others were wounded in a tactical offensive launched by NPA-Kalinga last June 29 in the boundary of Tanglag, Lubuagan and Lower Taloctoc, Tanudan. Another victim Nicolas Dammay, farmer is now out of danger after being shot in the left arm by still unidentified armed forces at around 10:00P.M on June 28 in his house in Malagnat, Pinukpuk. According to Dammay, he just finished watching television that night and went out for a necessity. Before he could return, he was shot at his left arm. Initial investigations showed that the assassin used a gauge 12 shotgun. “I don’t know (who would want to kill me) because I have no enemy. It was too dark. I did not see my assailant. Police reports say I was a victim of wrong identity,” Dammay said. He added that unconfirmed reports reached him that the real target might be his brother Tomas, a member of the regional council of Alyansa dagiti Pesante iti Taeng Kordilyera (Apit Tako). Moreover, Pinukpuk Mayor Erving B. Dasayon added that since the deployment of Provincial Director Pedro Geronimo Ramos, around 30 persons have been killed in Kalinga. He said Ramos was formerly assigned in Bulacan where he also had a long list of human rights violations and killings. Dasayon further said police investigation hardly prospers because witnesses are afraid to come out. PO3 Geofrey Bawla, the investigating officer of Pinukpuk admitted that the said incidents were already reported to the police but remain unresolved. He explained that aside from lack of witnesses, there are only 32 policemen covering the 23 barangays of Pinukpuk, with 35,000 people. Apit Tako, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and the Northern Media and Information Network (NMIN) joined the FFM. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY July 9, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
HR group investigates Kalinga HRVs
BAGUIO CITY (July 7) — The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) dispatched a fact finding mission (FFM) to investigate reported attempted murder of at least three peasants in Pinukpuk, Kalinga. The latest victims are Orlando Awingan, 60 and wife Petrona, 55 who escaped death after a strafing incident on June 30 in Limos, Pinukpuk by unidentified armed forces between 10:00P.M.to 11:00P.M. Orlando said he and his wife were awakened by the sound of an approaching vehicle. A few minutes later, someone stoned their roof twice. After the second stoning he shouted and seconds after, a volley of gunfire hit their house. Orlando and his wife took cover instinctively. “We dropped to the ground and crawled towards the window and headed to the backyard. Heavy gunfire continued but we got out of the house and maneuvered to the nearby forest. It was very dark. We sustained bruises and abrasions but we went on,” Orlando narrated in Iloko. Earlier Nordis report said Orlando was missing and feared abducted but the recently concluded FFM found him safe. Orlando and his wife sought refuge in the woods until he was sure it was safe to return to the community. According to CHRA reports, the strafing is part of the anti-insurgency campaign of the military operating in the area particularly the 21st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army since his children are involved in progressive groups labeled as communist fronts. The group also reported suspected conspiracy between the military and Barangay Captain Diohenes Gopa-al in the said incident due to personal motives. Gopa-al reportedly filed a civil case against Orlando. Orlando said prior to the strafing incident, sometime last August, soldiers issued a warrant of arrest and invited him to the nearby military detachment for allegedly keeping arms in his house but Petrona insisted to go to Gopa-al’s house, instead. They stayed there until 3:00A.M. Authorities did not find any firearm in Orlando’s house. The Lejo Cawilan Command (LCC)-New People’s Army (NPA)-Kalinga in a statement denounced the said strafing saying that the armed men are suspected vindictive elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) who wanted to kill the couple because they are parents of another NPA guerilla. The same statement said a soldier of the 21st IB was killed and two others were wounded in a tactical offensive launched by NPA-Kalinga last June 29 in the boundary of Tanglag, Lubuagan and Lower Taloctoc, Tanudan. Another victim Nicolas Dammay, farmer is now out of danger after being shot in the left arm by still unidentified armed forces at around 10:00P.M on June 28 in his house in Malagnat, Pinukpuk. According to Dammay, he just finished watching television that night and went out for a necessity. Before he could return, he was shot at his left arm. Initial investigations showed that the assassin used a gauge 12 shotgun. “I don’t know (who would want to kill me) because I have no enemy. It was too dark. I did not see my assailant. Police reports say I was a victim of wrong identity,” Dammay said. He added that unconfirmed reports reached him that the real target might be his brother Tomas, a member of the regional council of Alyansa dagiti Pesante iti Taeng Kordilyera (Apit Tako). Moreover, Pinukpuk Mayor Erving B. Dasayon added that since the deployment of Provincial Director Pedro Geronimo Ramos, around 30 persons have been killed in Kalinga. He said Ramos was formerly assigned in Bulacan where he also had a long list of human rights violations and killings. Dasayon further said police investigation hardly prospers because witnesses are afraid to come out. PO3 Geofrey Bawla, the investigating officer of Pinukpuk admitted that the said incidents were already reported to the police but remain unresolved. He explained that aside from lack of witnesses, there are only 32 policemen covering the 23 barangays of Pinukpuk, with 35,000 people. Apit Tako, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and the Northern Media and Information Network (NMIN) joined the FFM. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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