CHR has 9 witnesses vs Palparan’s men

ANGELES CITY - Officials of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expressed optimism that they would be able to pin down those behind the "political killings and other human rights violations" committed within the jurisdiction of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division under Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.

Danilo Valdez, CHR legal officer in Central Luzon, said they have nine witnesses who have executed affidavits, naming Palparan’s men whom they accuse of various offenses.

At a press conference here, CHR Commissioner Eligio Mallari said they have invited Palparan as a "resource person" on the second day of their "public inquiry" at City Hall here today.

Based on their count, Mallari said there have been 26 killings and 12 disappearances in Central Luzon.

The witnesses included Virgilio Perido and his two daughters, Beatriz and Aprilyn, of Barangay Canabilata in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, who tagged 1Lt. Elmer Taglinawan and Sgt. Arnel Libandino of the 48th Infantry Battalion as among those who allegedly harassed him and forced to surrender his two daughters whom the military suspected of being New People’s Army (NPA) members last May.

Evangeline Francisco, for her part, implicated Sgt. Rollie Castillo of the 24th Infantry Battalion as one of those who allegedly beat up and abducted Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo from their house in Barangay Pinaod in San Ildefonso, Bulacan last Feb. 14.

Another witness, Rogelio Tangonan, claimed that 2Lt. Edson Abello of the 56th Infantry Battalion allegedly harassed and interrogated him last April 22 on suspicion that he was among those who raided an Army detachment in Barangay Binuangan in Obando, Bulacan.

Another witness, Jocelyn Javier, named a certain Lt. Madrid of the Charlie Company of the 71st Infantry Battalion as one of the suspects in the shooting of her husband while they were watching television inside their home in Barangay Sta. Clara in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija on Oct. 2 last year. She was wounded during the incident.

One 1Lt. Rubilino Cabarliza of the Delta Company of the 71st IB was identified by witness Joan Abellera as one of two armed men who allegedly seized her husband, Rodel, from their house in Barangay Parista in Lupao, Nueva Ecija last July 13.

Fr. Rolando de Leon, on the other hand, identified one Lt. Cordero as the leader of a group of soldiers from the 24th and 56th IBs who allegedly harassed him and his group while they were distributing leaflets as part of a peace caravan in Barangay Binagbag in Angat, Bulacan last May 31.

De Leon claimed that some participants of the peace caravan were also "unlawfully arrested, detained and harassed."

Witness Lydia Capispisan did not mention names, but said that soldiers of the 56th IB fetched her from the hall of Barangay Sto. Nino in Pandi, Bulacan last June 6 and allegedly compelled her to admit that she was a collector of "revolutionary taxes" of the NPA.

Mallari, however, said the CHR would need prima facie evidence to be able to pin down any of the military personnel.

He noted that while left-leaning groups have been accusing soldiers of human rights violations, there are also reports that the NPA is implicated in various offenses in its drive to weed out suspected government infiltrators in its ranks.

"We are here to ascertain truth and justice," he said, adding that their findings could lead to prosecution.

While subpoenas were issued to the nine witnesses to attend the public inquiry yesterday, Mallari said Palparan was merely invited as a "resource person."

Sr. Cecille Ruiz, who chairs the human rights group Karapatan-Gitnang Luzon, expressed hope that the CHR inquiry would "help pressure" the government to put a stop to political killings and other human rights violations.

"The CHR seems to be our last resort because it has come out with a statement implicating the military in the killings," she told The STAR.

She, however, expressed doubts "that something substantial" could result from the inquiry.

Mallari said the CHR cannot provide the witnesses with protection, saying this concern is within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice. — Ding Cervantes