Gabriela: 3 soldiers accused of raping Lumad girl must be jailed

MANILA, Philippines - Women's group Gabriela on Friday said the three soldiers who were accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old Lumad from Talaingod, Davao del Norte should be jailed.

 

Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador said the Army soldiers in the alleged rape case should not be in the custody of their unit, the 10th Infantry Division, in Davao City.  

 

"If common, poor people were tagged in this, they would have been jailed and beaten up, but since they are members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, they are merely restricted to their camp," Salvador said.  

 

Gabriela members held a picket in front of AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City to demand the pullout of the military in Lumad areas in view of various atrocities, including the killings of tribal leaders, reportedly committed by military and paramilitary troops. 

 

The military are also implicated in the closure of alternative Lumad schools that were accused of being schools of the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. 

 

Reports of at least three cases of sexual abuse of women and girls committed by the military and paramilitary troops were also documented, Salvador said. 

 

"The prolonged presence of soldiers in militarized areas usually result to sexual offenses such as rape and sexual harassment of women and girls. Victims are either afraid or ashamed to expose the crime or silenced after being threatened and pressured into settlement,” Salvador said. 

 

She cited the case of the said 14-year-old girl who is now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development after North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco allegedly forcibly took her and her mother from their sanctuary at the UCCP-Haran in Davao City. 

 

"Rep. Catamco's behavior is at most loathsome and unbecoming of a lawmaker. She is supposed to ensure that justice is served but is instead more concerned with destroying the credibility of the girl's tribe and supporters," she said.

 

Salvador called on other lumad victims of sexual abuse, whether rape or harassment, to come out in the open and file charges against military perpetrators.  

 

"Such moves will be a chance not only to punish these criminals but will also strengthen the resounding call to pull out military and paramilitary troops in their ancestral lands," she said.