Aeta Leader Abducted in Zambales

BY BULATLAT
Posted 4:00 p.m. , Sept. 15, 2006

The reign of terror continues in Central Luzon even with the retirement of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, former commanding officer of the 7^th Infantry Division based in the region.

 At about 1:30 this afternoon, Nelson Mallari, secretary general of the Central Luzon Aeta Association (CLAA) was abducted by the Regional Special Action Force (RSAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in a checkpoint along San Marcelino town, province of Zambales (153 km north of Manila), a report from the regional chapter of Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples' Rights) said.

 Mallari's companions, Leonardo Serrano and Andres Dacanay, were abducted along with the Aeta leader.

Aetas are a group of indigenous peoples who live in the mountain ranges of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales in the Central Luzon region.

The Karapatan report said that the two came from a meeting of the regional chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN or New Patriotic Alliance), the umbrella organization of sectoral groups in the region where CLAA is a member, when they were abducted.

Mallari, Serrano and Dacanay are now detained at Camp Magsaysay in the town of Castillejos, Zambales. There is no confirmation yet as of press time whether the three have been formally charged in court. Bulatlat                                                                

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Media Center

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