Hundreds join Mass for peace, justice in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY — Hundreds of Bulakenyos joined the Mass for justice peace and truth held at the capitol gymnasium here yesterday while the military denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing member of a militant transport organization.

Fr. Rey San Juan, in a homily delivered to hundreds of capitol employees and students who participated in the weekly flag-raising ceremony, said the military is trying to eradicate insurgency in the province but their actions somehow ‘terrorizes’ the residents.

Military detachments have been established in different barangays of the coastal towns or the western side of Bulacan, Obando, Paombong, Hagonoy, Calumpit and the City of Malolos.

The military explained that this was part of their campaign to eradicate insurgency in the province after their successful campaign in Norzagaray, San Ildefonso, San Miguel, and San Rafael, all in the eastern side of the province, last summer.

Recently, three student activists were reported missing from the coastal town of Hagonoy, while a member of the militant Pinagisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) from Bulacan was reportedly arrested in Angeles City last July 3.

Col. Noel Clement, commanding officer of the 56th Infantry Battalion based in Norzagaray, told The STAR  in a telephone interview yesterday that his group initiated the operations against seven Piston members, but they don’t have in their custody the missing Emerlito Lipio from Bulacan.

"We  initiated the operations because our informants told us that there is  a meeting or some kind of plenum that will be held in Angeles," Clement said in the vernacular.

Police authorities in Pampanga also denied reports that Lipio was missing.

On July 3, Army troops in coordination with the Angeles City police arrested Lipio and six of his companions identified as Jose Ramos, William Aguilar, Jose Bernardino, Fernando Poblacion Jr., Jay Francis Aquino and Archie de Jesus in Barangay Malabanias, Angeles City.

After tactical interrogation, Aguilar, De Jesus and Lipio were ordered released by police authorities while four of their companions were charged in court for illegal possession of explosives, the police report said. — Dino Balabo, Ric Sapnu