HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Manobo Villages Looted by Soldiers, Persons Missing – Rights Group

More than 2,000 Manobo indigenous peoples were forced out of their village in the wake of military operations. Upon returning to their homes, they were shocked to see most of their properties either stolen or destroyed. Though uncertain of what the future holds for them, the Manobos are demanding justice for what the military did to them.

By TYRONE VELEZ
Bulatlat

(Left) Displaced Manobo families; (Right) A Manobo child is treated after getting sick at the evacuation center

ANDAP VALLEY, Surigao del Sur – Home at last. Or are they?

Some 2,200 Manobo evacuees finally returned to their homes early last week, after an emergency provincial Peace and Order Council ordered the military to stop the latter’s harassment and occupation of Manobo villages. (The Manobos are an indigenous peoples group in Mindanao.)

Despite their much-awaited return, however, the Manobos still do not have peace of mind.

Based on reports from the human rights alliance Karapatan in Surigao del Sur, 75 cases of human rights violations were committed by the 58th Infantry Battalion and the 6th Scout Ranger group under the 402nd Infantry Division in military operations from April 28 to May 14. An average of four military atrocities were committed everyday during this time.

A village looted

One such case is in the village in Km. 9 Emerald, Lianga where livelihood projects under the Tribal Filipino People of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) were looted and destroyed by the military, Karapatan reported.

On May 18, 33 families or 280 people from Emerald were the first batch of evacuees to return home following the local government's order. Initially relieved at seeing their homes still standing, the residents were later incensed when they found out that their village was looted.

Finding the roof forced open, the cooperative store was near empty as soft drinks, cigarettes, shampoo, canned goods and noodles were stolen. According to the cooperative management, P8,000 ($147.06, based on an exchange rate of P54.40 per US dollar) worth of goods were stolen.

Outside, they found empty cans of sardines and softdrinks scattered around houses where freshly dug foxholes were made by the soldiers.

In the grinding shop, electrical wires were cut off. A chainsaw was damaged as well. The water hose was also damaged, temporarily cutting the village's water supply.  At the moment, the residents had to fetch water from a nearby river.

To the relief of parents and school teachers, the school was left unharmed.

Four still missing

The Casil brothers Junrey, 17, and Ranly, 13, who themselves survived a three-day ordeal under the military, are still waiting for their father Arnulfo and three other relatives who have remained missing. The three other relatives include uncles Lolong Casil and Lowi Casil, and Joel Amahan.

The four were held by their captors in exchange for their release.

Karapatan lawyer Antonio Azarcon has filed a demand in the court for the 58th IB to reveal the wherabouts of the four missing persons. The commanding officer, Lt. Col. James Jacob, however, denied having detained the four persons.

The Manigaonons (Manobo tribal leaders) have earlier demanded the release of the four.

A slow death

Jessica Bacasmas, a young mother at the age of 21, returned to Emerald without her husband, Jessie, who was shot reportedly by soldiers and made to bleed to death without medical attention during the evacuation last May 12.

Jessica, along with her mother-in-law Rosita, remembers the ordeal of trying to bring her husband to the nearest hospital. A one-hour ride to the town center turned into a four-hour torment as their truck was stopped by three checkpoints going down from their village. Soldiers frisked through every evacuees belonging, ignoring the condition of Jessie.

Bacasmas' burial

In one of the checkpoints, soldiers held Jessie's family for questioning. Rosita said the soldiers were pressing that the wounded Jessie might be a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel. They were only made to pass after half an hour. Jessie eventually died when they arrived at the barangay health center in Diatagon. In tears, Jessica said, "My husband is not an NPA. Just look at his hands and you will see his hands hardened by threshing abaca. His death was senseless, and I want justice for the killing of my husband."

As if adding insult to injury, the military held a concert in the Diatagon Gym where most of the evacuees were staying on May 17, the day after Bacasmas was buried. The military insisted on holding a concert as their way of “winning back” the Manobos' trust.

More cases documented

Other cases documented by Karapatan include aerial bombings and strafing in five communities, coercion of farmers to act as military guides in their search for NPA camps, forcible reconcentration and food blockade, and placing of CDX bombs near civilian villages.

The towns affected by military operations included San Agustin, Lianga, San Miguel, Marihatag and Cagwait.

Karapatan said they would prepare cases against the military for abuses committed against civilians in violation of the International Humanitarian Law and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

For now, the Manobo villages are relatively peaceful as soldiers keep their distance. Their future, however, remains uncertain. Bulatlat