IN FOCUS

Quest. Victims of militarization in the countrysides continue search for justice.

City of San Fernando – “Lighted candles, prayers and an unrelenting quest for justice for the martyrs of Lupao massacre as the 21st anniversary of the grievous incident last February 10 went past as silent as a whisper.”

This is what Sister Cecil Ruiz Chairperson of the human rights group Karapatan appealed to the masses of Central Luzon (a central region in the upper north rim of Manila).

The heinous episode occurred in the in Sitio Padlao, Barangay Namulandayan in the town of Lupao in the province of Nueva Ecija (130 kilometers north of Manila) in 1987. It was barely a month after the equally infamous Mendiola massacre occurred in January 21, 1987 at the foot of Don Chino Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola Bridge) leading to the Malacanang Palace.

“Both carnages were committed under the watch of former President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino about the time when she herself said -- ‘it is time to unsheath the sword of war’ against all those who intend to put her reign down’ -- even if the peasants were simply asking something so basic, a land to till” Sister Ruiz averred.

While 13 peasants were killed and more than a hundred supporters were wounded at Mendiola Bridge; 17 men, women and children – all poor peasants too, were killed and several more were wounded at Sitio Padlao. All the huts were the peasants live were burned to the ground.

Stopping Militarization. Farmers line up against militarization in the countrysides.

Subsequent investigation pointed to a company of the 14th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army as the culprit. They did it in retaliation to the death of one of their officers killed in an earlier encounter with the New People’s Army some hours earlier.

“The unit was simply deactivated from the Armed Forces roster but the guilty elements were transferred to other units of the AFP and the officer that led the massacre we believe have even been promoted. None were made answerable to their blood debts” Sister Ruiz stressed.

Carnage

Karapatan Central Luzon had documented more than 120 cases of murder and 80 cases of disappearances in Central Luzon starting January 2001 when Ms Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went to power. This peaked during the 13 months’ stint of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. as 7th Infantry Division commander from September 2005 to September 2006.

Among the more known cases was that of Jonas Burgos, a farm technologist and a son of the late press freedom champion Jose Burgos. He was abducted in a mall in Quezon City by a group of armed civilians who the family believes are military elements.

Another known case is the abduction of Sheryl Cadapan, fellow student activist Karen Empeno and farmer Manuel Merino, who were doing field research among peasants in Hagonoy, Bulacan, (bounding the northern limits of the Manila) have been missing since they were abducted that in June 26, 2006 and was brought to the headquarters of the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

“But it will still be a long struggle for the masses quest for justice and ours will be unrelenting,” Sister Ruiz closed.

Abductions continue

In a related development, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Philippine Peasant Movement) expressed alarm over recent abductions by the military of local activist leaders in central Luzon.

On February 8, Nardo Serrano, a local leader of the Central Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA) based on Barangay Nabuklod Floridablanca town in Pampanga was abducted by soldiers belonging to the 70th Infantry Battalion and the Special Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAA).

According to Joseph Canlas, Regional Chairperson of the Alyansa ng mga Magsasaka sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL, Farmers' Alliance in Central Luzon), Serrano was taken to the soldier's detachment in the adjacent village of San Ramon where he was allegedly tortured and enticed to surrender for P40,000 and a sack of rice.

Serrano reportedly refused to surrender, saying he has never joined the New People's Army (NPA) in the first place.

At around 2 a.m. also on February 8, Franco Corpuz, 41, the vice chairman of local farmer's organization AMGL-Nueva Ecija was abducted by armed men inside his home in Bgy. Fandalla Muñoz Science City, Nueva Ecija.

The four armed men introduced themselves as NPA rebels but the relatives believed Corpuz was abducted by soldiers belonging to the 71st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA).

He was released the next day, bearing "signs of torture," AMGL Regional Chairperson Joseph Canlas said in the same statement.

CLAA and AMGL are affiliated with national farmers group, KMP.