HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
‘3 Davao-based
Backpackers Have No Links with NPA’
The military, police,
barangay officials from Davao all agree: They are not members of the New
People’s Army (NPA).
BY ACE ALEGRE
Bulatlat
La Trinidad, Benguet – The
Davao City-based military command, local police and barangay officials
cleared the three backpackers who live in Davao from any link with the NPA.
The Regional Trial Court in Benguet declared two weeks ago the arrest by
Benguet police officers of 11 Sagada-bound backpackers as illegal. Two of
the 11 were released on recognizance immediately after.
The 73rd Infantry “Neutralizer” Battalion, 4th Infantry
“Diamond” Division of the Philippine Army based in Malagos, Baguio
District in Davao City cleared 24-year-old Rundren Berloize Lao,
25-year-old Jethro B. Villagracia and 18-year-old Anderson Alonzo of any
involvement in the communist movement.
In a written certification obtained by the families of the three Davaoeños,
the said military command said the three “have no derogatory record as far
as this office is concerned as of this date.”
The certification issued by Army Private First Class Giovanne Baltar, 73rd
IB Command Intelligence Branch officer on May 15, this year also said that
Lao, Villagracia and Alonzo are ‘not members of the local communist
terrorist movement operating in the Southern Mindanao Region.”
Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) national chairperson Pablito Sanidad
said that this should be a cause for alarm for Benguet police officers
facing numerous criminal and administrative charges before the Benguet
prosecutor’s office and the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).
Davao Police,
Barangay Officials Clearance
Even the local Davao police cleared the three punks from any derogatory
record.
A certification on April 17, 2006 by Police Chief Inspector Dionisio Abude,
commander of Precinct 10 in Calinan, in Davao
City where the Lao family resides,
stated that there is no derogatory record of the backpacker.
In addition, Precinct
11 Baguio district police commander Sr. Inspector Adriano Agonia certified
that both 25 year old Villagracia and 18 year old Alonzo have no criminal
record.
Upon their arrest more than three months ago, which was later on declared
illegal by the Regional Trial Court branch 62, Lao was tagged by the
Benguet police as the head of the 11-person NPA team supposedly regrouping
at the Burnham Park in Baguio City for another test mission in Mountain
Province after the February 10 attack in Mankayan town, Benguet.
The three backpackers from Davao
were also certified by their respective barangay leaders as “of good moral
character and has not been charged with any case before this barangay,
whether civil or criminal”. Barangay Chairperson Pedrito Angco of Calinan,
Davao cleared Lao while Malagos Barangay Chairperson Arnel A. Liong both
cleared Villagracia and Alonzo. Bulatlat
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