Activists fear for safety of seized Piston leader

ANGELES CITY — A human rights group expressed fears yesterday for the safety of a Bulacan leader of the militant Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), who has reportedly gone missing after he and six other men were forcibly taken by Army soldiers from a house here last Monday.

"It seems that Emerito Lipio, a leader of PISTON, has vanished (while) in the hands of his captors," said Sr. Cecille Ruiz, chairwoman of the human rights group Karapatan-Gitnang Luson (Karapatan-Central Luzon).

Senior Superintendent Policarpio Segubre, Angeles City police chief, identified the five others rounded up by men of the Army’s 69th and 56th Infantry Battalions as William Aguilar, Jose Ramos, Fernando Poblacio Jr., Jay Francis Aquino, Jose Bernardino, and Archie de Jesus.

The soldiers "arrested" Lipio and his companions at about noon last Monday as they gathered in the house of De la Cruz in Barangay Malabanias. A grenade was allegedly found in their possession.

Segubre said the city police was informed about the Army operation and its men were present during the raid on De la Cruz’s house.

"We went there for the protection of the suspects so none of them could be harmed," he said.

Segubre said the soldiers had monitored the movements of Lipio and tailed him when he went to Angeles to attend a meeting at De la Cruz’s house.

Ruiz cited reports that the seven were supposed to discuss problems on the rising cost of fuel.

Except for De la Cruz whose house was the meeting’s venue, the others are reportedly all active PISTON officers.

Segubre, however, said the military cited intelligence reports that Lipio was a suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA).

"According to the military, Lipio was in the military’s order of battle as he is with the NPA’s party committee in Bulacan," he said.

Ruiz said De la Cruz and Aguilar were released the other day, but the others, except for Lipio who has reportedly gone missing, were charged with illegal possession of an explosive device and are detained at the district jail here.

Earlier, Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan vowed to wipe out the NPA in Central Luzon. He recently re-deployed military battalions in urban areas, including this city, as part of this plan.

Men of the 69th and 56th IBs who arrested Lipio’s group are under Palparan’s 7th Infantry Division.

Militant groups have blamed Palparan for summary killings and abductions of members of militant groups in Central Luzon. He has repeatedly denied the accusations. — With Sandy Araneta and Artemio Dumlao