Reign of terror

Meanwhile, Gelle said that there have been three murders in north Negros since August this year, and his organization blamed the military for the reign of terror.

Before Clerigo, farmer Rodrigo Siacor, Sitio Macatagal, Barangay Cambayubo, Calatrava was murdered on Aug. 8 allegedly by military elements. On Oct.13, National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) member Antonio Mercado of Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso, was also murdered allegedly by a military death squad.

The ESTOCASA (Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos) areas in northern Negros have been placed since last year under the operational command of the Task Force North under Lt. Col. Felicisimo Budiongan, which supervises the operations of the 12th Infantry Battalion, (known as the handler of the CAFGUs), the 32nd Reconnaisance Company, some units of the 11th Infantry Battalion, and some units of the 2nd Scout Rangers Company.

These areas have been the scenes of fierce encounters between the military troopers and the NPA units in recent months.

Gelle said that the 303rd Infantry Brigade is imposing a “reign of terror” in ESTOCASA. Said Gelle:

“It is victimizing the innocent civilians and ordinary farmers and sugar workers in the name of achieving its target to destroy the NPA’s guerrilla fronts in the said areas,” Gelle said.

“The brutal murder of Clerigo was intended to sow terror” among the residents and nearby communities. Such ‘dirty war tactics’ (are) reflective of the tactics used by Gen. Jovito Palparan in Mindoro, Leyte and in Central Luzon.

“The denials of the Army officials fit well into the word that used by UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston as ‘cynical attempt to displace responsibility.’ Yet, positive identification by the witness points to the Philippine Army as the culprits of the brutal murder.”

Bayan-Negros believes that the series of murders of local members of the NFSW and KMP members in Toboso and Calatrava are among the “dirty tactics” of the Philippine Army in achieving its goal of destroying the so-called guerilla fronts of the NPA. However, it is not the guerilla fronts that are destroyed but the lives of the innocent civilians and innocent families, Bayan-Negros argues.

Bayan-Negros noted that after the series of murders in the Silay-Manapla areas, the killings are now taking place in ESTOCASA, which the Philippine Army marked as a “WIN AREA” of its counter-insurgency program.

Gelle urged immediate action to prosecute the perpetrators of the brutal murder, to give justice to the victims, and to put a stop to the “reign of terror” that could victimize more innocent civilians.

He also urged local government officials not to condone the series of murders and human rights violations.

“They have the particular role of protecting the witnesses to the crimes; extend financial and material assistance to the bereaved families,” Gelle said. “Silence and inaction on the part of the local government officials will only perpetuate these heinous crimes.”

“We seek immediate end to the military operations in the areas and the ‘reign of terror in the countryside,” Gelle said.(Bulatlat.com)

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