Witness to Murder Case vs. Ocampo was a Desaparecido
She bore him for nine
months in her womb. But Casimira Roluna, 78 years old, a resident of Brgy.
Cabungaan, Baybay, Leyte, has not seen her son for nine months now. Her
only proof of life was the news she heard over the radio last March 7,
2006 that her son, Glecerio Roluna, 48, is one of the witnesses being
prepared by the military for the multiple murder case filed against Bayan
Muna Party (People First) Representative Satur Ocampo, Jose Ma. Sison, and
several others.
BY KAREN PAPELLERO
Bulatlat
PHOTO
BY KAREN PAPELLERO |
CEBU CITY- She bore him for nine months in her womb. But Casimira Roluna,
78 years old, a resident of Brgy. Cabungaan, Baybay, Leyte, has not seen
her son for nine months now.
Her only proof of life, Casimira said in an interview with Bulatlat,
was the news she heard over the radio last March 7, 2006. Casimira
said that according to the news report, her son Glecerio Roluna is one of
the witnesses being prepared by the military for the multiple murder case
filed against Bayan Muna Party (People First) Representative Satur Ocampo,
Jose Ma. Sison, and several others.
Casimira Roluna,
mother of missing peasant Glecerio Roluna who was surfaced as a
witness in the murder charge against Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo |
The multiple murder
case is in relation to the alleged mass grave found in Inopacan, Southern
Leyte. Ocampo and Sison, allegedly ordered the killings in 1985 as part of
an alleged “purge” within the ranks of the New People’s Army in the
1980’s.
Enforced
disappearance
Records from
Karapatan-Central Visayas revealed that on June 4, 2006, Glecerio Roluna,
together with two others, was physically assaulted and illegally arrested
by seven armed men on suspicion that they were NPA guerillas. The armed
men were believed to be soldiers from the 43rd IB of the
Philippine Army based in Brgy. Hibod-hibod, Sogod, Southern Leyte.
Roluna, Marcelo
Narisma Jr., College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Southwest
Leyte coordinator and Junrie Escabal, a high school teacher and finance
officer of ANAKBAYAN-Southern Leyte, were forcibly taken at gunpoint after
they were assaulted in the house of Lourdes Narisma, Marcelo’s mother.
While being brought to Sogod in a truck, the victims were interrogated
about their involvement with the NPA, threatened to be shot, and coerced
into admitting that Bayan Muna and the NPA are the same organization.
After they reached
the remote area of Brgy. Calayugan, Tomas Oppus, So. Leyte, the
perpetrators ordered Narisma, Jr. and Escabal to get off and run. After
the two alighted, the truck drove away with Roluna still inside.
The military admitted
to having Roluna in their custody only after two weeks when KARAPATAN
filed a habeas corpus case against the military before the Regional Trial
Court (RTC) of Sogod, So. Leyte.
Only a representative
of the 43rd IB, PA appeared before the RTC and admitted that
they are detaining Roluna and that a multiple murder case is being filed
against him in Baybay, So. Leyte. Roluna was not presented in court.
The judge then
ordered that the mother, Casimira Roluna and their lawyer, Alfonso Cinco
IV, be permitted to visit him in the military camp.
The soldiers did not
allow Cinco to speak with his client. The mother was able to enter but was
afraid to ask her son about his situation because soldiers were present in
the room.
“Giingnan ra ko sa
akong anak nga bisitahon nako siya kada bulan. Pero, niingon ko nga
kinahanglan adto siya sa Baybay i-tanggong kay didto man iyang kaso. Ug
kung diri siya sa Sogod, wa man koy kwarta para ika-plite,” the mother
narrated. (My son just told me to visit him every month. But, I told him
that he should be in Baybay because that’s where they filed the murder
case. Besides, if he is detained here in Sogod, I won’t be able to visit
him because I don’t have the money to pay for the fare.)
That was the last
time she saw her son.
Hatched plans?
During a hearing last
November 2006, Casimira Roluna and Cinco were surprised when Glecerio told
the court that he has a new lawyer, a certain Tabao. Casimira and Cinco
did not have a chance to talk with him in private to settle the matter.
During the scheduled
pre-trial of the murder case in Baybay on March 8, Glecerio was again
absent. It was later found out that he was in Manila. The military did not
seek the court’s permission for his transfer.
It was also during
this time that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the
Department of Justice (DoJ) presented the multiple murder case filed
against Satur Ocampo and several others. Glecerio Roluna is one of the
witnesses, claiming to be a former member of the NPA who is knowledgeable
about the killings.
Seeking the help of
KARAPATAN, the mother expressed her concern that her son is just being
forced to cooperate with the military.
“Gidala-dala ra
siya sa Army. Usa ni nga akong gi-tuohan nga gigamit ug napugos ra jud ni
siya sa militar,” she
explained. (He (Glecerio) is only being dragged by the Army. This is one
of the reasons why I believe that that he is just being forced and used by
the military.)
Dennis Abarientos,
Secretary General of KARAPATAN-Central Visayas, said they will seek a
court order to allow Gelecerio to be visited without the presence of
soldiers and to have him transferred from the military camp to an ordinary
prison cell. Meanwhile, the RTC of Baybay ordered the AFP to explain why
they brought Glecerio to Manila without seeking the permission of the
court.
“It is not a mere
coincidence that Roluna is being used by the military in the case against
Satur Ocampo and others. This is a plan hatched by the AFP and the Arroyo
administration to discredit and malign Bayan Muna and other progressive
organizations,” Abarientos said.
“Instead of being
held responsible for forcibly abducting Roluna and violating his rights,
the military is being given a free hand by the government to further
violate his rights and force him to be a false witness against Satur
Ocampo and others,” Abarientos said.
A mother’s plea
“Gusto ra nako
makapaminaw akong anak nako. Ug nga ako siyang makit-an ug maka-istorya
kung nganong gi-hawiran siya. Ug kung napugos ba siya…Ug kung na-unsa na
siya karon,” Glecerio’s mother
said. (I just want my son to hear me. And that I will be able to see and
talk to him and ask him why he is being detained. and if he is being
forced…and basically, how he is right now.)
“Ganahan ra jud ko
nga maka-istorya mi. Inahan gud ko,” she pleaded. (I just want to see
him and talk to him. After all, I am his mother.) Bulatlat
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