BY KAREN PAPELLERO
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 41, November 18-24, 2007

Tuburan, Cebu – An 8-year old girl was allegedly interrogated in school before being abducted by elements of the 78th IB, PA based in Brgy. Gaang, Tuburan town in Cebu last October 16, 2007.

According to witnesses, about 20 or so heavily-armed men in military uniform entered the school grounds of Brgy. Mag-alwa Elementary School looking for a little girl that day. The soldiers claimed that they have heard that a child of a suspected NPA member, who goes by the name Botilla, attends classes in that school. When the soldiers were able to locate Nena (not her real name), they interrogated her.

”Nena” related her story in a written statement after she was rescued by her aunt Lisa Baldespinosa and Karapatan last October 31, 2007, two weeks after she was held in the clutches of the military.

“Gidagit ko sa army didto sa eskuwelahan. Ako ang gidagit sa Army, atong October 16, 2007. Gi pa ngotana nako sa army didto solod sa among rom. Og gipagawas ang tanan namong klasmates og perteng hilaka nako kay nahadlok ko sa army. Nag sigi sila og pangotana sa ngalan nako og sa akong mama og papa. Pagkahuman ninglakaw sila…,the statement read.

(I was forcibly taken by the Army from the school. I was abducted by the Army last October 16, 2007. I was questioned by the army inside the classroom. And they told all my classmates to go out and I cried so hard because I was so afraid of them. They continuously asked me my name and the names of my father and mother. Afterwhich, they left…)

The soldiers, Nena said, asked her if her parents are NPA members. She answered with a resolute “No, Sir.” The soldiers pressed on with more questions that she, Nena said, had a hard time keeping up. When they asked her who was taking care of her, she told them that her parents left her under the care of Rogelio and Hermenia Barcenal, their neighbor in Brgy. Mag-alwa.

The military wasted no time and immediately pounced on the couple. When they got the information they needed from Rogelio and Hermenia, which was to confirm the identity of the child’s parents, they (the soldiers) declared outright that they are going to take the child with them to their camp in nearby Barangay Gaang.

What happened afterwards was also related by Nena in her statement which read: “Gipakoha ko pagkahapon sa army ni teyo len nga gisogo sa army didto sa Mag-alwa Elementary School.. ge dala ko sa Gaang sa mga army og giingnan ko pagka bontag nga adto ko pa eskwelahon. Gikoha ko sa military og geenter byo ko kadaghan kay gipangita ang akong mama og papa.”

(I was fetched by Tiyo Len (Glen Barcenal) who was commanded by the army, from Mag-alwa Elementary School. I was brought to Gaang (where the military camp is located) and I was told that in the morning I will attend school there. I was taken by the military and I was continuously interrogated because they are looking for my mother and father.)

That night, “Nena” slept with Glen Barcenal, nephew of Rogelio, his wife and kids in the daycare center which adjacent the camp. They were heavily guarded by more than a dozen armed men.

Glenn’s story

Glenn Barcenal told the fact finding mission team that he always wakes up at early dawn. But that Tuesday morning, October 16, sometime around 4:00 am, he awoke to the sound of heavy footsteps and somebody yelling his name. He recognized the group of a certain Yambot and Labores, both members of the 78TH IB.

The armed men ordered him to accompany them to Sitio Ipil, Brgy. Mag-alwa and have him identify Lydon’s (Botilla) house. Glenn, no stranger to military intimidation, kept his guard up and refused to heed the order.

“Nibalibad ko. Ako silang giingnan nga kung mokuyog ko, tabla ra na nga dinakpan ko (“I refused. I told them that if I were to go with them, it would be as if I were their prisoner),” Glenn narrated.

But Labares threatened to bring Glenn to the battalion quarters if he would insist on being stubborn.

“Okay, mukuyog ko pero dad-on nako ang akong asawa ug iblilin nako akong mga bata ila kang Roy (I will come with you but I have to bring my wife along, but before that I’ll leave my kids over to Roy, a neighbor),” Glenn finally relented.

Glenn, with his wife in tow, directed Yambot and Labares’ group to the now-empty house of Lyndon Botilla in Sitio Ipil. After which, he was allowed to return to his house.

Some few hours later, at about 10:00a.m., Glenn was once again summoned by the same soldiers of the 78th IB but this time was told to report to the barangay hall.

“Ayaw’g kahadluk (Don’t be afraid),” the military said. “ Igo lang mi mangutana nimo kung asa ang anak ni Lyndon (We’re just going to ask you where Lyndon’s child is).” Glenn claimed that when he said that he doesn’t know anything about the child’s whereabouts, the military purportedly let him go. This contradicted Nena’s statement that it was Glenn who brought her to the military camp.

Rogelio turning over custody of the child

Rogelio and Hermenia Barcenal told the fact finding mission team that they became alarmed last October 17 when the 78th IB summoned them to Nena’s school.

Upon arriving at the meeting place, they learned that the military have escorted Nena back to Mag-alwa Elementary School that morning, along with Glen and Wena.

When they came face to face with the soldiers, Rogelio said, they were told that a certain Myrna wanted to talk to them. They later attested that Myrna was Myrna Romero, a rebel-returnee who is an active member of the local Civilian Volunteers Organization, a paramilitary group.

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