Also, because the military suspected them to be members of or aiding the NPA, the villagers were forbidden from going out of their houses, leaving their farms untended to the point of deterioration.
According to Buyagan, the plantation of sugarcane was destroyed because of the explosions. The implementation of a fishpond livelihood project was canceled because the location for the fishpond was taken by the military for the landing of their helicopters.
Farm animals such as cows and livestock were lost or allegedly stolen by the camping soldiers. The villagers now worry about their food supply, and have little hope that they would be able to recover soon from the displacement caused by the military operations. Most of all they fear the possible return of the military.
Under the guise of executing the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch) II of the government, the military’s series of aerial bombings and ground operations on suspected lairs of the NPA in these villages have caused terror on the people.
Based on the reports of the fact-finding mission conducted at Pananuman on May 3-5, by a multi sectoral group headed by the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and the Ilocos Human Rights Advocates (IHRA), about 48 bombs were exploded in a span of two days.
“They fired mortars and cannons day and night,” It was nonstop because the soldiers did these operations in shifts.” Buyagan noted.
At first, the cannons were placed near the drinking-water source of the community. This was only about 10 meters away from the nearest house. The soldiers eventually transferred it but only a few yards away from the church and then, to the school grounds.
Lack of support
The people of Pananuman have been asking for help from the municipality of Tubo, Abra, but until now, they have not received any kind of support, besides the council resolution that reportedly asked for the military pullout.
Amid the military operations, the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) and the CHRA forwarded a letter of concern to the local government of Abra.
They also have tried asking support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) but they have not heard or received any support from them. All they received is the reply that relief operations could not be conducted there because of military operations.
How villagers cope
“A dialog with the military was planned because we are hoping that there will be compensation,” said Atty. Mary Ann Bayang, Spokesperson of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Monitor.
“They (the villagers) cannot quantify the cost of damage,” she added.
Pananuman villagers have started bringing back order into their lives and are trying to rehabilitate their devastated farms. However, inadequate food supply in the coming months is real.
“We do not have enough rice now, that is why we are planting kamote (sweet potato) as a possible alternative,” Buyagan added.
To file cases
The residents claimed that they would submit the result of the fact-finding mission to the JMC.
“We want the rights of the civilians to be strictly observed by the warring parties and to exempt our village from their war,” said the elders.
The GRP and the NDFP came up with a Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, which was signed on March 16, 1998. The Quezon City-based JMC monitors the implementation of the said agreement.
The said agreement states that “the civilian population and civilians shall be treated as such and shall be distinguished from combatants and, together with their property, shall not be the object of attack. They shall likewise be protected against indiscriminate aerial bombardment, strafing, artillery fire, mortar fire, arson, bulldozing and other similar forms of destroying lives and property, from use of explosives as well as the stockpiling near or in their midst, and the use of chemical and biological weapons.” Nordis/posted by (Bulatlat.com)
