BY GITNANG LUZON NEWS SERVICE
Bulatlat.com
The Philippine Army issued on Saturday, November 4, shoot-to-kill order on Maximo Ayunga, village council member in Barangay Culong, Guimba, Nueva Ecija and chairperson of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon-Nueva Ecija chapter (AMGL-NE or Alliance of Peasants in Central Luzon).
In a statement released to media, Pastora Betty Perido, secretary-general of Karapatan-NE (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights-Nueva Ecija chapter), said that the order was issued by 2nd Lt. Reynaldo Sabangan during a meeting with residents in the morning of November 4 at the village hall of Culong. Sabangan is the commanding officer of the army unit stationed in Barangay (village) Culong.
Aside from Maximo, Alfredo, his father, and Hilario, his brother, are also included in the shoot-to-kill order being in a list of 15 personswhom the military claims were involved in a plan to attack the barracks in the village.
Ayunga and members of his family as well as other residents of Barangay Culong have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere for fear of military attack, Karapatan-NE said.
Ayunga, 41, is active in protests against the extra-judicial killing of civilians and other gross human rights violations allegedly committed by the military in Nueva Ecija and the rest of Central Luzon, Karapatan-NE said
Last September, his house was set on fire allegedly by military agents.
“The military is blatantly using the counter-insurgency campaign as a pretext to harass and kill civilians, including elected government officials,” Perido said.
“Without basis whatsoever, the military came out with a list of 15 persons and have now arrogated unto themselves absolute power over the lives of their supposed suspects who are legitimate residents,” Perido said. Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
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